Experienced Social Workers

Dorset Council; Dorchester; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

27+ days annual leave

Local Government Pension Scheme

Mentoring and coaching

Generous benefits package

Job summary

Dorset Council is seeking a qualified social worker to carry out strengths-based assessments and develop support plans that enable people to live independently. You will work closely with health, housing and local authority colleagues, contributing to multi-disciplinary decision-making and challenging practices where needed.

Applicants must hold a recognised social work qualification and be registered with Social Work England.

Qualifications

• Recognised social work qualification and registration with Social Work England.
• Ability to apply statutory frameworks with professional judgement.
• Commitment to person-centred, strengths-based practice.

Responsibilities

• Carry out strengths-based assessments and develop support plans for independence.
• Collaborate across health, housing and local authority teams for decisions.
• Apply Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Mental Health Act 2007 with confidence.

Skills

Analytical thinking

Relationship building

Professional judgement

Education

Social Work qualification

Registered with Social Work England

Job description

Room to practise. Support to grow.

Dorset is a county where you can genuinely get to know the people you work with. Caseloads are manageable, supervision is meaningful, and the work feels grounded in the places and communities it serves.

Room to practise. Support to grow.

Dorset is a county where you can genuinely get to know the people you work with. Caseloads are manageable, supervision is meaningful, and the work feels grounded in the places and communities it serves.

Our Adult Social Care service is rated ‘Good’ by the Care Quality Commission (CQC), recognising the strength of our practice, leadership, and workforce culture. Inspectors highlighted a service where there is a “clear sense of community”, with leaders and partners working positively together to meet the needs of local people.

We are a council that invests in its social workers. That means regular reflective supervision, a clear pathway for development, and leaders who are visible and accessible. It also means creating the right conditions for good social work: time to think, supportive teams, and the confidence to use your professional judgement well.

In a recent workshop, the people we support told us what they value most in a social worker: someone who listens without interrupting, follows through on what they say they will do, thinks creatively, and genuinely cares. This reflects what inspectors see in Dorset, a workforce that builds strong relationships and works in a person-centred, strengths-based way to achieve meaningful outcomes.

About The Role

You will carry out strengths-based assessments and develop support plans that help people live as independently as possible.

You will work closely with colleagues across health, housing, and other local authority teams, contributing to multi-disciplinary decision-making and providing constructive professional challenge where needed.

Statutory competence matters here. You will be expected to apply:

• Care Act 2014
• Mental Capacity Act 2005
• Mental Health Act 2007

with confidence. In Dorset, professional judgement is respected and supported, within a clear and robust safeguarding framework.

About You

You will hold a recognised social work qualification and be registered with Social Work England.

If You Are Experienced, You Will Bring

• Confident statutory practice
• Strong analytical thinking
• The ability to build and sustain relationships, especially through complexity, not just manage cases

You will be adaptable and genuinely person-centred, not just as a statement but in how you practise every day.

You Will Also Be

• Reliable and accountable
• Open in how you share your knowledge with the people you support
• Committed to continuing to develop your practice

Why join Dorset

We offer hybrid and flexible working across all roles, alongside:

• Regular, reflective supervision
• Access to mentoring and coaching
• A strong professional development offer
• A generous benefits package, including 27+ days annual leave, paid sick leave, and the Local Government Pension Scheme

Our teams have a strong local identity. Whether you are based in a busy market town or a rural community, you will be part of a team that knows its area and the people within it, something recognised as a real strength through inspection.

For social workers relocating to Dorset

• Up to £2,500 advance on your start date
• Up to £6,500 towards buying or selling costs
• Support towards rent or mortgage costs in your first two years
• Up to £8,000 of eligible elements tax-free

Hear directly from our Adults Social Workers:

Further Information

Current opportunities

• Community Mental Health Team, based in Weymouth
• East Dorset Locality Team, based in Ferndown
• Learning Disability Teams, based in Bridport or Dorchester

About Us

At Dorset Council, it's not just about the work we do, it's about how we do it. Hear directly from our employees about what makes Dorset Council special in this short video:

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We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us.

Find Out More About How To Apply

Salary includes three additional labour market increments (LMI's) which are awarded on a temporary basis and are subject to regular (usually bi- annual) review in accordance with our labour market adjustment scheme. LMI's can be subject to change with due notice and with time limited protections if a review results in amendment or withdrawal.