Adults Senior Social Care Assistant

Surrey County Council; Epsom and Ewell; Hybrid; GBP 33,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority is seeking an Adults Senior Social Care Assistant to join their Epsom and Ewell team. This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact by assisting vulnerable adults and their families, ensuring they receive the necessary support. The position includes a starting salary of £32,512 per annum for a 36-hour work week over a 6-month fixed term. Key responsibilities include conducting assessments and facilitating access to care services.

Benefits

26 days' holiday (rising with service)

Employee Assistance Programme

Local government pension

Lifestyle discounts

Volunteering days

Qualifications

• Ability to empathise with individuals in need of social care assistance.
• Experience with residents having various physical and cognitive needs.
• Knowledge of Care Act legislation.

Responsibilities

• First point of contact for service users, gathering information.
• Support vulnerable adults and their families in accessing services.
• Utilise a strength-based approach to encourage independence.

Skills

Empathy

Excellent communication

Adaptability

Education

Experience in social care

Job description

Description

We are committed to the development of our workforce.This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council.We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.

This role has a starting salary of £32,512 per annum, working 36 hours per week. This is a 6-month fixed term contract / secondment opportunity.

We are excited to be recruiting an Adults Senior Social Care Assistant to join our Epsom and Ewell Locality. The team work on a hybrid basis, attending the office 2-3 days per week.We are a caring and committed team serving residents living in Epsom and Ewell who find themselves in need of drawing on care and support. We work with residents who are over 65 who may need care and support, as well as those 65 and younger who have physical disabilities, illness or sensory impairments.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About the Team

Epsom and Ewell Locality supports those from the age of 18 upwards with eligible care support needs. We are a small team that support individuals across community and hospital settings. We provide advice and guidance with a vast range of community resources and support networks. The team strives to safeguard those who require additional support whilst promoting independence and choice.

We are a professional team made up of Social Care and Occupational Therapy Assistants, Social Workers and Occupational Therapists. We are a team committed to learning and development, at both an individual and team level - this is a priority for us.

We strive to be an open and collaborative team, with a shared aim to empower communities and people to be the best they can be. We celebrate diversity and believe that differences make us stronger.We work with a strength-based focus in how services are shaped and how needs are met. We are continually learning from each other and partners and strive to be the best at what we do for everyone we work with. We support curiosity in all we do to find development and learning opportunities for individuals and our team to grow as a service.

About the Role

As a Senior Social Care Assistant at Surrey, you will often be the first point of contact between the public and the service, gathering initial information and determining the need for further assessment as well as signposting people to other services.

You will work in partnership with individuals, their carers, professional staff in other agencies, service providers and Support Brokers to support vulnerable adults and their families. Your role will be pivotal in identifying and arranging services that cater to their needs, fostering independence, choice and control. This is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact by helping people to fully realise their potential for independence.

You will provide effective support to individuals using a strength-based approach to enable individuals to live as independently as possible with more choice and control. You will be well supported in your role and will benefit from a structured induction programme.

The team works closely with carers, family members and partner organisations to enable residents to live their best possible lives, without leaving anyone behind. We are committed to ensuring carers and family members feel supported, given the vital role they perform in the life of those who matter most to them.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following:

• The ability to empathise with, and show compassion towards, individuals in need of social care assistance.
• Experience of working with residents with a variety of physical and cognitive social care needs, including strength-based assessments, home visits, and support plans.
• Working knowledge of the Care Act legislation and how it impacts the work we do.
• The ability to independently take the initiative and adapt to shifting priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey information clearly, concisely, and respectfully, both verbally and in writing.

Surrey has both urban and rural areas and locality based social care workers will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK and access to a vehicle and be willing to travel across a wide geographical area.Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long-term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.

Application Questions

To apply, alongside your CV, you will be asked to answer the following questions:

• Describe a time when you had to provide support to an individual in need of social care assistance. How did you ensure that you were empathetic and compassionate in your approach?
• Detail your experience working with residents who have a variety of physical and cognitive social care needs. How have you conducted strength-based assessments, home visits, and developed support plans?
• Explain your understanding of the Care Act legislation. How has this knowledge influenced your work in social care?
• Describe a situation where you had to take the initiative in a dynamic environment. How did you adapt to changing priorities?
• Give an example of a time when you had to convey complex information clearly and concisely to a client or team member. How did you ensure your message was understood?

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 06/08/2025 with interviews to follow.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

Local Government Reorganisation

Surrey County Council is preparing for Local Government Reorganisation which will allow us to implement the Government led policy of devolution, which is all about giving more powers to local areas.

Currently, Surrey has a two-tier council system, with 11 district and borough councils and a county council, all responsible for different services. All these councils will be reorganised into a smaller number of new unitary councils which will come into effect in April 2027. At this point, this role will be transferred, with all existing terms and conditions intact into one of the new unitary councils.

Our values are as important as our abilities and shape who we are as an organisation. Discover more about our values.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description. Our Life at Surrey handbook provides insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applicants where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.