Senior Social Worker

Change Grow Live; Tees Valley; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

CPD opportunities

Well-being hour

25 days holiday (+ bank holidays)

Job summary

Change Grow Live in Stockton is seeking a passionate Senior Social Worker to lead a team delivering high‑quality substance misuse services for adults, children and families. You will work in partnership with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council to improve outcomes and provide strategic leadership across the service.

The role offers full‑time hours (37.5 per week), permanent contract, pension and a strong focus on professional development, safeguarding and collaboration.

Qualifications

• Qualified Social Worker registered with the regulatory body.
• Experience in leadership and team motivation.
• Strategic decision making with emotional intelligence.
• Experience with complex decision making related to safeguarding and SU issues.
• Experience in culture change, staff engagement, and service improvement.
• Knowledge of Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults.
• Practice educator qualification.
• Committed to organisational values in daily practice.

Responsibilities

• Lead social workers, social work apprentices, and related team members, providing operational management and reflective supervision.
• Ensure high-quality referrals and sustaining effective referral pathways.
• Coach and develop the team to handle complex issues related to substance misuse (e.g., domestic abuse, safeguarding).
• Be the strategic lead for areas such as MARAC, Adults’ or Children Safeguarding; attend external meetings representing the service.
• Oversee the Designated Safeguarding Lead role for safety and wellbeing.
• Contribute to incident reviews and investigations and produce high-quality reports.
• Create and sustain strong partnership working.
• Support and develop social work students on placement and ASYE practitioners.

Skills

Leadership experience

Strategic decision making

Emotional intelligence

Service improvement

Team management

Communication skills

Regulatory awareness

Motivation and mentoring

Education

Social Work qualification

Job description

Overview

Change Grow Liveare a charity dedicated to the belief that we can make a difference to our Service Users lives.

Our core values are ‘Be open, be compassionate and be bold’and our teams apply these daily, offering support and respect in a safe environment, treating each user as an individual and working with them to find the right treatment and care options.

If you are currently working as a Senior Practitioner, Advanced Social Worker, Team Manager or experienced NHS social worker, this role is likely to be a step up in scope, influence and strategic responsibility.

We currently have an opportunity for a passionate Senior Social Worker to join our team here in Stockton. Working in close partnership with Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council and other partner agencies to improve outcomes for some of the most vulnerable adults, children and families affected by substance use.

Location: Stockton

Hours: Full time, 37.5 per week.

Contract Type: Permanent

*Please note: Full-time hours at Change Grow Live are 37.5 hours per week. For part-time roles, the salary and payments will be pro rata based on contracted hours.

Responsibilities

About the role:

• Lead social workers, social work apprentices, and where relevant, related team members, across the service, providing operational management and professional reflectivesupervision.
• Offer quality assurance and on-going learning to support the team with completion of effective referrals and sustaining effective referralpathways.
• Coach and develop the team to work with people where there are complex issues related to substance misuse such as to domestic abuse, child exploitation, criminal justice, caring responsibilities, mental health,safeguarding.
• Be the strategic lead foridentified, specific areas of the service i.e. Multi Agency Risk Assessment Conference (MARAC), Adults’ Safeguarding or Children Safeguarding, and attend relevant external meetingsrepresentingthe service and the organisation locally,regionally,andnationally.
• Oversee the role of the Designated Safeguarding Lead contributing to the safety and well‑being ofpeople.
• Contribute to team and organisational learning by undertaking incident reviews and investigations (including the death of service users) and producing high quality investigationreports.
• Create and sustain strong partnershipworking.
• Support, learning and development of social work students on placement and newly qualified social workers undertaking their ASYEprogramme.

About you:

• Hold a valid qualification in Social Work and be registered with the regulatory body
• Experience of leadership, motivating and inspiring individuals and teams
• Experience of strategic decision making and influence utilising emotional intelligence and courage
• Experience of and confidence in complex decision making related to SU issues, using defensible decision-making skills and clear communication.
• Experience of culture and change management, staff engagement, and service improvement
• Experience and knowledge on the working practice of Safeguarding Children and Vulnerable Adults
• Hold a practice educator qualification
• Be committed to demonstrating our organisational values in your daily practice.

What we will give to you:

• CGL is committed to the continuous professional development (CPD) of its Social Workers.
• All social workers will go to the quarterly national social work forum.
• 1 day a month for independent learning.
• Social workers will have the opportunity to access external training and qualifications such as social work post- qualifying awards.
• An hour a week to focus on well‑being.
• 25 days holiday (+ bank holidays) rising by 1 day for each year for the first 5 years service (pro rata).
• Contributory pension scheme.
• A great selection of benefits incl. discounts for shopping, cinema, holidays, etc.
• A friendly and supportive team

Please note: This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. Applicants must already have the right to work in the UK at the time of application. For applicants with time-limited visas, unfortunately, we are unable to support new visa applications or extensions. More information about eligible roles and occupations can be found here: Skilled Worker visa: Overview - GOV.UK

Informal conversations are very welcome. Please contact Carrie Roberts, Service Manager – [e-mail] or 07738 997233

Salary Range (pro rata if part time)

CGL points 41 to 48 (£46,725.36 - £54,663.24)

ILW / OLW /Fringe

N/A - Outside London Weighting Area

Interview Date

8/12/2026

Closing Date

20/11/2026

If you have any questions on this opportunity that you would like to talk through please contact us using the below details:

Carrie Roberts | [e-mail] | 07738997233This post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check at an enhanced level.