Senior Social Work Assistant

Somerset County Council; Taunton; Hybrid; GBP 27,000 - 29,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous annual leave

LGPS pension

Flexible & hybrid working

Health and wellbeing support

Paid volunteering

Job summary

Somerset Council in Somerset is seeking a Senior Social Work Assistant to undertake observations and work directly with parents to inform parenting assessments. You will support foster carers and families, providing targeted guidance to improve parenting skills and reduce risk.

You will work alongside assessing social workers, with opportunities to mentor carers and contribute to safeguarding and welfare outcomes. Hybrid working options are available, with substantial travel across the county.

Qualifications

• Develop professional relationships with a range of clients and colleagues.
• Demonstrate ability to prioritise work and manage competing demands.
• Demonstrate a commitment to safeguarding children and promoting their welfare.
• Broad working knowledge of Social Care and awareness of relevant legislation.
• NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent qualification/experience.

Responsibilities

• Complete home visits to approved foster carers or new carers being assessed.
• Mentor and share information with carers assisting their learning and development.
• Work directly with allocated foster carers and their families using a range of interventions and activities.
• Review and monitor foster carers' progress, sharing information with the wider fostering service as required.
• Assist with completing statutory checks e.g. health and safety inspections, DBS checks.
• Provide support to professionals within the service, including being part of the duty system.

Skills

Professional relationships

Prioritising work

Safeguarding

Social Care knowledge

Education

NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent

Job description

Closing date: 29/11/2026

3x positions available

You will be undertaking observations and working directly with parents to inform the assessment of their parenting.

Salary: £26,847 - £29,071 per annum.

Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week.

Contract: Fixed-term position until 30/01/2029.

Closing date: 29/11/2026

Role Purpose

You will be undertaking observations and working directly with parents to inform the assessment of their parenting.

This will include undertaking dedicated parenting assessments of parents in placement or in the community, independent of the child’s social worker. You will provide parents in placement or in the community with a high level of support to develop their parenting skills and reduce risk.

As a Senior Social Work Assistant (SSWA) you will undertake targeted work with parents on topics including (but not exclusively); child development, stimulation, substance misuse, healthy relationships and their support network. You will work alongside an assessing social worker and you will be required to provide detailed and accurate recordings. You will also be required to support foster carers, including arranging support and ensuring safety standards are maintained.

You do not require a social work qualification for this role, but a good knowledge of undertaking direct work with parents and foster carers, and good transferable skills will be considered.

Key Responsibilities

• Complete home visits to approved foster carers or new carers being assessed.
• Mentor and share information with carers assisting them with their learning and development.
• Work directly with allocated foster carers and their families using a range of interventions and activities.
• Review and monitor foster carers progress, sharing information with the wider fostering service as required.
• Assist with completing statutory checks e.g. health and safety inspections, DBS checks.
• Provide support and assistance to professionals within the service, including being part of the duty system.

What You’ll Bring

• Able to develop professional relationships with a range of clients and colleagues based on mutual trust and the interests of service users and carers.
• Demonstrable ability to prioritise work and organise competing demands.
• A demonstrable commitment to safeguarding children and promoting their welfare.
• Broad working knowledge of Social Care and awareness of relevant legislation.
• NVQ Level 3 in Health and Social Care or relevant qualification / experience.

You do not require a social work qualification for this role, but a good knowledge of undertaking direct work with parents and kinship carers, and good transferable skills will be considered.

About The Team

The Family Assessment and Support Team (FA&ST) is a unique team, working independently from childcare social workers undertaking dedicated parenting assessments of parents in placement or in the community, independent of the child’s social worker. The team consists of assessing social workers, supervising social workers, senior social work assistant’s and foster carers who provide parent and child foster placements for Somerset Council. We have an excellent reputation within Somerset Council and continue to develop our knowledge and practice in relation to parent and child fostering and parenting assessments.

Why Join Us?

At Somerset Council, we're a progressive organisation committed to improving lives and shaping better services for our communities. Based in one of England's most beautiful counties, it's a great place to build your career and enjoy an excellent quality of life.

• Generous annual leave plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase additional leave.
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS), one of the UK's most generous and secure pension schemes.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements to support work-life balance, where service needs allow.
• Health and wellbeing support, including access to confidential employee assistance services.
• Paid volunteering opportunities, helping you make a difference both inside and outside of work.

Find Out More About Working At Somerset Council

https://www.somerset.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/working-at-somerset-council/

Additional Information

• 25 days of annual leave (additional to bank holidays).
• The nature of the work will require the postholder to travel across the county to attend meetings. You must be able to travel around the area to meet the requirements of the post, including areas that are not currently serviced by public transport.
• This role is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer sponsorship for this role. We are only able to proceed with candidates who already have the right to work in the UK without the need for VISA sponsorship.

For an informal chat about the role, you can contact Stacey Davis via email at [e-mail].

We believe diversity makes us stronger and are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued and respected. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and experiences, whose unique perspectives help us better serve the people of Somerset.

You can find a copy of the job description here: TR0238 Senior Social Work Assistant.pdf