Children's Newly Qualified Social Workers

Guardian Jobs; England; Hybrid; GBP 37,000 - 44,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading children's services provider in the UK is seeking Newly Qualified Social Workers for their ASYE programme. This position offers a starting salary of £37,995 per annum with a comprehensive support system and ongoing professional development. Candidates must possess a valid social work qualification and be eligible for registration with Social Work England. Opportunities for career advancement and a supportive work environment await successful applicants.

Benefits

28 days annual leave

Local government pension

Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)

Learning and Development opportunities

Qualifications

• Qualified within two years of the NQSW cohort commencing in May 2026.
• Registering with Social Work England and permission to work in the UK.
• Experience of working with children, young people and families.

Responsibilities

• Engage directly with children, young people, and families.
• Participate in reflective supervision and professional development.
• Travel to the office and undertake direct work in the community.

Skills

Social Work qualification

Experience with children and families

Current valid UK driving licence

Education

Degree, Masters or Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work

Job description

Overview

Are you looking for a well-supported first post working with children and young people (CYP)? Surrey with our Good Ofsted outcome could be a great fit for you.

The starting salary for this role is £37,995 per annum based on a 36-hour working week. A further financial package of £6,000 is available on completion of your Assisted and Supported Year in Employment with us.

We are welcoming Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSW) to join Surrey Children's Services as part of our Spring 2026 cohort. The programme is planned to start on 18 May 2026.

We also have an Autumn ASYE Programme planned. To be alerted when recruitment for the Autumn campaign goes live, please register your details via the 30-second MS form and the team will be in touch with you once the campaign goes live.

Location and Teams

Surrey is a large and vibrant county that borders Greater London to the northeast, Kent to the east, East and West Sussex to the south, and Hampshire and Berkshire to the west. When applying, please indicate which locations and teams you would be willing to be considered for.

Locations:

• Northeast area office based in Weybridge, covering Elmbridge, Spelthorne and Epsom & Ewell
• Southeast area office based in Reigate, covering Reigate & Banstead, Tandridge & Mole Valley
• Northwest area office based in Woking, covering Woking, Surrey Heath & Runnymede
• Southwest area office based in Guildford, covering Guildford & Waverley

Teams:

• Assessment
• Family Safeguarding
• Adolescent Safeguarding (operate on North, East or West basis & different offices in these areas)
• Children with Disabilities
• Children Looked After
• Fostering

You will be required to travel to the office where your team is based and within a geographical area to undertake direct work with children, young people and families, attend meetings and training as required. When not working with our children and families in the community, we support agile working with a combination of home and office working. We are keen to get the balance right of providing flexibility whilst maximising learning opportunities for you as a Newly Qualified Social Worker and respond to service needs. We invite you to discuss this with us further at interview.

ASYE Programme

Our programme is well established and well resourced, supported by a capable team of experienced social work staff and managers. Across the 12-month programme you can expect regular reflective supervision from both your Team Manager and ASYE Assessor who will guide and support you to develop your knowledge base. You will have the opportunity to develop your professional skills and confidence for a career in frontline social work.

Our recent Ofsted inspection judged our Children’s Services as Good. The report recognises that staff are well-trained and committed, feel highly valued and are proud to work in Surrey, and that children’s social care services are led by a strong leadership team. You can read the full report HERE.

We are proud of the recent Ofsted judgement, which marks a significant milestone for Surrey. This positive feedback highlights our commitment and progress, focused on making a positive difference for children and families.

Upon successful completion of the ASYE programme with us, there will be an opportunity to progress your career with Surrey County Council and access our Post-Qualifying Year 2 programme. You can expect ongoing support from the Children's Academy team, continued peer learning and support, and career development as you hone your skills and build your professional confidence.

You can learn more about Surrey at our Surrey Children's Services Academy page.

NQSW ASYE Benefits

• Induction and Support
• A comprehensive ASYE Academy Induction programme and Team Induction
• Allocated Advanced Social Worker as ASYE Assessor, in addition to the operational Team Manager
• Graduated Supervision with increased support in the first six months
• Graduated workload reaching a 90% allocation by the end of programme
• Monthly one-to-one or group reflective supervision with ASYE Assessor
• Access to our Children's Quality Practice and Performance Service to develop skills in social work practice
• Learning and Development opportunities
• Monthly ASYE Learning Events focusing on Post Qualifying Standards (KSS)
• Two days a month Protected Development Time
• Access to Community Care Inform and Care Knowledge learning platforms
• Access to Surrey Safeguarding Children's Partnership training programme, wider Academy offerings, and bespoke Court Skills for Social Workers & Domestic Abuse training for NQSWs
• Access to a secure SharePoint hub for collaborative working and up-to-date resources

Other Benefits

• 28 days annual leave, rising to 30 days after 5 years' service (plus bank holidays)
• Social Work England registration fee paid during employment
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• Local government pension
• Up to 5 days of carer’s leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Parental, adoption and dependents leave
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub with resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts (gym, travel, shopping)

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting, your application should evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours:

• Social Work qualification (Degree, Masters or Postgraduate Diploma) or nearing completion
• Registering with Social Work England and permission to work in the UK following studies (no visa sponsorship required)
• Experience of working with children, young people and families (voluntary work, transferable skills, placements, etc.)
• Qualified within two years of the NQSW cohort commencing in May 2026 (If qualified earlier than May 2024, application will not be considered)
• Current valid UK driving licence and access to a vehicle

Contact and Application Timeline

Please contact us with any questions related to the role via email. The job advert closes at 23:59 on 8 February 2026, with shortlisting planned for the week commencing 9 February 2026. If shortlisted, you will be invited to a face-to-face interview at one of our area offices. Interviews are planned for the week commencing 2 March 2026. An enhanced DBS check and safeguarding checks will be required for this role.

Notes

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR): Surrey County Council is transitioning to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If employed by Surrey on 1 April 2027, your role will transfer under current terms to one of the new organisations. We are a disability-confident employer and will guarantee an interview if you declare a disability and meet the minimum criteria.