Principal Social Worker (Children's)

Cornwall Council; Telfer; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 68,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Welcome £4,000 bonus

Relocation package

Lease car scheme

Flexible working

26 days annual leave

Professional development

Job summary

Cornwall Council is seeking a Principal Social Worker to lead practice without moving into management, maintaining a direct practice focus and a salary aligned with Team Manager level. The role includes a small caseload, deputising duties, and developing staff in a supportive, learning-centric environment.

With a transformed Family Help model and specialist teams, the role offers flexible working options including hybrid arrangements and generous benefits as part of Cornwall’s commitment to

Qualifications

• Recognised social work qualification and SW England registration.
• 60 Master’s level post qualifying credits (with support towards a further 60 credits).
• Minimum 5 years post-qualification experience in children’s social work.
• Strong practice expertise grounded in evidence-informed approaches.

Responsibilities

• Hold a small caseload of direct work and deputise for the Team Manager.
• Develop the skills, confidence and professional curiosity of the team.
• Support continuous learning through the core learning offer and clear career pathway.

Skills

Social work expertise

Relationship-based practice

Leadership

Reflective practice

Education

Social Work qualification

Social Work England registration

Tools

Community Care Inform

Job description

Job Description

Progress Your Career. Stay in Practice. Lead Without Leaving What You Love.

A rare opportunity for genuine career progression without moving into management — our Principal Social Worker role offers a Team Manager salary while keeping you at the heart of direct practice.

Job Description

Progress Your Career. Stay in Practice. Lead Without Leaving What You Love.

A rare opportunity for genuine career progression without moving into management — our Principal Social Worker role offers a Team Manager salary while keeping you at the heart of direct practice.

The Service and Team

Cornwall isn’t just a fantastic place to live — it’s an inspiring place to grow your social work career. Fresh from our ‘Good with Outstanding features’ Ofsted judgement (July 2024), we’re a service on the rise: ambitious, bold and focused on delivering real impact for children and families.

Our transformed Family Help model brings together the best of Early Help and Child in Need practice, codesigned with practitioners to deliver more effective, truly child‑centred support. We’re investing where it counts: our specialist Parent Assess team delivers high quality inhouse assessments, and every Family Help Team is strengthened by an Integrated Family Domestic Abuse Support Advisor and dedicated clinical psychology input, ensuring a confident response to domestic abuse and complex needs. We champion meaningful family participation through Family Group Conferencing, Family Led Meetings and consistent use of genograms and ecomaps. Families also benefit from our award winning Family Information Service, a strengthened parenting offer and one of the best care leaver services in the country.

Ofsted Recognised The Strength Of Our Culture And Approach

“Senior leaders and politicians are relentless in their drive to continue to improve the lives of Cornwall’s children and families… Staff’s care, commitment and child-focused approach shine through.”

- Ofsted, July 2024

Cornwall offers forward thinking social work in a place where wellbeing comes first. With stunning coastlines, strong communities and a culture that values balance and professional pride, this is a service where practitioners thrive — and where your leadership will shape the future of children’s services.

The Role

Research (CCInform 2026) shows that many social workers feel their only progression route is through management with few senior opportunities for those who want to remain in direct practice. Our Principal Social Worker role changes that. This is a specialist practice leadership position, paid at Team Manager level, designed for experienced practitioners who want to influence practice quality while staying close to children, families and frontline work.

As a Principal Social Worker, you will hold a small caseload of direct work, deputise for your Team Manager, and play a key role in developing the skills, confidence and professional curiosity of your team. You’ll be supported by a comprehensive core learning offer and a clear qualification and career pathway, giving you the structure and space to continue developing your expertise. We value continuous learning and recognise its impact on outcomes — with progression and rewards that reflect your contribution.

Roles are available in teams across the county, including Family Help, Children in Care, and the Disabled Children & Therapy Service.

This is a public/customer-facing role, where the statutory English language requirement for public sector workers applies.

This position will be subject to an enhanced criminal record disclosure check.

Learn more about social work careers with us: Work in Adults or Children’s Social Care - Cornwall Council.

We welcome applications from experienced registered practitioners returning to social work.

We recognise the difference you make — and we support you every step of the way.

What You’ll Need To Succeed

• A recognised social work qualification and Social Work England registration
• 60 Master’s level post qualifying credits (with support towards a further 60 academic credits)
• At least 5 years post qualification experience in children’s social work
• Strong practice expertise grounded in evidence informed approaches
• A passion for relationship based practice and developing others
• Excellent reflective skills, with the ability to lead and influence practice and develop others

• Competitive salary equivalent to Team Manager level
• £4,000 welcome bonus and generous relocation package (eligibility applies)
• Lease car scheme
• Flexible working options, including hybrid and part time
• 26 days annual leave (rising with service) plus bank holidays
• High quality supervision and a culture of professional curiosity
• Our excellent learning and development offer
• Practice Educator support from our dedicated team
• Access to Community Care Inform and Research in Practice
• Payment of Social Work England registration fees

Cornwall Council’s ambition is to be an employer of choice, a high performing Council and a learning organisation. We commit to providing a reward and benefits package to attract, motivate and reward our employees. We offer a range of flexible working options to our staff. This helps provide our employees with a greater work/life balance. Whilst still ensuring that service needs are met. Find out more about working and volunteering for us .

37 hours per week, Monday–Friday, with flexible options available.

Cornwall Council is unable to offer visa sponsorship or transfer existing sponsorship for this role.

The full role profile is attached here

We recommend saving a copy of this to refer to if you are invited to an interview

About Us

Cornwall Council deliver services to more than half a million local people and over five million visitors a year. Working here - Cornwall Council

We are happy to talk about flexible working options such as part-time or compressed hours. More examples of our flexible working opportunities can be found here - flexible working options .

Fairness and inclusion are at the heart of our vision for Cornwall. In order to best serve our communities, we are striving to achieve a diverse workforce that is inclusive of all backgrounds, cultures and identities; e.g., race, disability, sex, gender reassignment status, age, religion and sexual orientation. We are an equal opportunities and Disability Confident employer, and we will assess applicants on their merits.

Cornwall Council is committed to safeguarding and following safer recruitment principles to help make sure our staff and volunteers are suitable to work with children, young people and adults at risk. It’s a vital part of creating a safe and positive environment and making a commitment to keeping all service users safe from harm.