Advanced Social Worker - Safeguarding

Frontier Consulting; Knaphill; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

A Local Authority in Knaphill is seeking an Advanced Social Worker to mentor less experienced staff and manage reduced caseloads. The role emphasizes collaborative working within multidisciplinary teams to address family issues while contributing to the Family Safeguarding Model. A commitment to professional development and wellbeing is central to the position, offering competitive salary and numerous benefits, including relocation support and generous leave policies.

Benefits

Generous Local Government pension

28 days of annual leave

Access to car lease scheme

Flexible working conditions

Financial relocation package

Qualifications

• Must hold a Social Work qualification and be registered with Social Worker England.
• Experience mentoring less experienced social workers is highly valued.
• Ability to work within a collaborative environment involving multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Mentor and support the development of less experienced social workers.
• Manage a reduced caseload while providing supervision.
• Contribute to the Family Safeguarding Team and related services.

Skills

Mentoring

Collaboration

Relationship-based social work

Education

Social Work qualification

Job description

Overview

Our Surrey Children's Services are actively working towards becoming a high-performing local authority, evidenced by the Family Safeguarding practice model in action and reductions in the number of children subject to child protection plans. We are working to sustain and develop progress through the efforts of every member of our social care workforce—from business support and family support workers to frontline practitioners and leadership—creating the right conditions for a positive culture and a well-supported workforce that delivers consistent and good quality social work practice for children and families. We are proud of our recent Good Ofsted judgement, which highlights that social workers are skilled at building relationships with children subject to children in need or child protection plans; creative direct work helps them build a rounded understanding of children’s daily lives and positive relationships with parents for honest and sometimes difficult conversations. Overall, staff are well-trained, valued, and proud to work in Surrey.

Role and Responsibilities

As an Advanced Social Worker (ASW), you will:

• Mentor and collaborate with less experienced social workers within the team to support their development.
• Hold a reduced caseload to enable effective supervision and development while deputising for the Team Manager when needed.
• Join a Family Safeguarding Team across East Surrey (Reigate and Weybridge) or West Surrey (Woking and Guildford) areas to contribute to the Family Safeguarding Model and related services (Child In Need, pre and court proceedings).
• Support relationship-based social work, and contribute to the multidisciplinary approach with Social Workers, Family Support Workers, Domestic Abuse Practitioners, Recovery Workers, Mental Health Practitioners, and Psychologists to address family issues efficiently and reduce referrals to other agencies.

What we offer

• 5 days of CPD guaranteed; access to research and development tools such as Community Care Inform, Care Knowledge and Research In Practice.
• Flexible working with an agile approach; staff attend the office at least 2 days per week.
• A structured environment supporting ongoing professional development, with Surrey Children's Service Academy, coaching and mentoring schemes, clear progression pathways, training opportunities, supervision, and reflective practice.
• A welcoming social work environment where individual expertise is valued and collaboration is encouraged.
• A focus on wellbeing with reflective supervision where wellbeing is central to the conversation.
• Salary range for Advanced Social Workers: £52,884 – £56,175 per annum, inclusive of a £5,000 market supplement.
• Financial package available (up to £6,000) payable in 3 installments over the first 18 months in post.

Salary and benefits package

• Competitive relocation package of up to £8,000
• Social Worker England Registration fee paid
• 28 days annual leave (30 days after 5 years) plus bank holidays
• Access to car lease scheme
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for health and wellbeing
• Generous Local Government pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping, etc.
• 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Up to 5 days of carer’s leave per year
• Learning and development hub with resources
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave

Why Surrey?

• Surrey is a large, ambitious local authority with resources to support service delivery while maintaining a positive staff culture.
• You can expect to work in a team that values positive relationships, collaboration with colleagues and partners, and opportunities to grow professionally.