Senior Social Worker/Approved Mental Health Professional

Durham County Council; North East; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A local council in North East England seeks an experienced Child Protection Social Worker or AMHP to join their Emergency Duty Team. The role involves providing emergency responses to vulnerable individuals and requires strong judgment and emotional intelligence. Applicants must have relevant qualifications and experience. The position offers professional development, flexible working options, and employee benefits including competitive salaries and generous leave entitlement.

Benefits

Generous leave entitlement

Government pension scheme

Training opportunities

Flexible working options

Qualifications

• Substantial frontline experience as a Child Protection Social Worker or AMHP.
• Proven expertise in crisis mental health interventions.
• Substantial post-qualification experience in your specialism.

Responsibilities

• Provide out-of-hours emergency responses to vulnerable children and adults.
• Work autonomously under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Participate in leading s47 enquiries.

Skills

Risk assessment

Crisis intervention

Emotional intelligence

Judgement under pressure

Education

Social Work qualification

Registration with Social Work England

AMHP status

Job description

Overview

Are you a seasoned Child Protection Social Worker or an experienced Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) looking for a dynamic and impactful role? Join our Emergency Duty Team (EDT) and make a difference when it matters most.

WHAT DO OFSTED SAY ABOUT US? You will be joining us at a fantastic time. Inspectors have just judged our Children’s Services as outstanding. Durham Children’s social care won a gold award for most supportive employer and one of our Social Workers won a silver award for Children’s Social Worker of the year in the National Social Work awards 2022. We are committed to helping your practice flourish and are proud of staff recognition.

What is involved: We are seeking a highly skilled and resilient practitioner to join our EDT, providing out-of-hours emergency responses to vulnerable children, adults, and their families. This is a fast-paced, office-based role requiring sound judgement, emotional intelligence, and the ability to work autonomously under pressure.

Working Pattern: Evenings, weekends and bank holidays on a rolling four week rota. This role is office-based, with access to senior support and robust systems to ensure safe and effective practice.

We encourage you to contact Michelle Stamp, Team Manager of EDT, to arrange an informal discussion about the role and if you would like further information.

How will I be supported?

We are passionate about social work in County Durham. We are committed to providing a culture where good practice can flourish. We ensure our social workers are highly supported and encourage flexible working to achieve a good work-life balance.

You will benefit from a range of training opportunities and professional development through personalised induction, professional supervision, and mentoring.

Take a closer look: Durham County Council social work information.

What will I need?

Who we are looking for:

• A qualified Child Protection Social Worker with substantial frontline experience OR


• An Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) with proven expertise in crisis mental health interventions


• If you’re not dual-qualified, you must be willing to train in the area outside your specialism. We value flexibility, commitment, and a strong safeguarding ethos.


• Social Work qualification and registration with Social Work England


• AMHP status (if applicable)


• Must have substantial post-qualification experience in your specialism (which would include undertaking and leading s47 enquiries)


• Willingness to undertake cross-specialism training


• Excellent risk assessment and decision-making skills


• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in high-pressure situations

What We Offer

A supportive and experienced team environment

Opportunities for professional development and cross-training

Access to supervision and reflective practice

If you’re ready to be the calm in the storm and bring your expertise to a team that truly makes a difference, we’d love to hear from you.

Benefits and Rewards

We can offer you a range of employee benefits including competitive salaries, a generous leave entitlement of up to 32 days, a government pension scheme and various flexible and hybrid working options (benefits are subject to individual Terms and Conditions).

If you would like to know more, please follow this information source.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

We are a proud equal opportunities employer and recognise that a diverse, talented workforce brings new ideas and new perspectives, which will facilitate growth and improvements to services. We are committed to ensuring that our employment policies and processes are fair and equitable to all. We welcome job applications from everyone, and successful candidates are considered only on their skills and ability to do the job. As a Disability Confident Leader, we encourage applications from disabled people and provide support throughout the recruitment process.

Take a closer look: Equality, diversity, and inclusion information at Durham County Council.

Interviews

Interviews will be held on week commencing 20th October 2025. We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran.

How to Apply

In line with the County Council's Recruitment and Selection Policy, please note that we are unable to accept CVs. Applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Please use the ‘Person Specification’ section of your application form to demonstrate essential and desirable experience, skills, and knowledge. Candidates who do not evidence that they meet the essential qualifications and experience listed on the person specification will not be short-listed.

If you have any support needs or require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000 26 27 27 (option 2), or the Recruitment Team via email at [e-mail]

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