Social Care Assistant - Learning Disability and Autism

Surrey County Council; Guildford; Hybrid; GBP 31,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in England is hiring a Social Care Assistant to support individuals with learning disabilities and autism. This role involves assessing care needs, providing positive interventions, and collaborating with various stakeholders to ensure quality outcomes for service users. Ideal candidates will possess strong empathy, communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple tasks effectively. Benefits include generous holiday allowance and professional development opportunities.

Benefits

26 days' holiday (increasing with service)

Employee Assistance Programme

Lifestyle discounts

Paid volunteering days

Learning and development resources

Qualifications

• The ability to empathise with individuals in need of social care assistance.
• Strong knowledge of social care challenges faced by adults.
• Proficiency in basic IT skills and willingness to learn new software systems.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Assess social care needs of service users.
• Provide direct positive intervention to complex service users.
• Assist qualified practitioners with assessments and reviews.
• Collaborate with internal and external stakeholders.

Skills

Empathy

IT skills

Communication

Time management

Job description

Social Care Assistant - Learning Disability and Autism

Details

• Reference: SCC/TP/287935/3770
• Positions: 1
• Salary: £30,647 per annum
• Category: Care - Adults
• Contract type: Permanent
• Working hours: 36 hours per week
• Posted on: 3 September 2025
• Location: Millmead House, Millmead, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 4BB

We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council.We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.

The starting salary for this role is £30,647 per annum, working 36 hours per week.

We are hiring a new Social Care Assistant to join our fantastic Learning Disability and Autism team.The team is based in Guildford and you will benefit from a supportive management team, regular supervision and in a team with a strong emphasis on staff development. Hybrid and flexible working are also offered.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependants leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About the Team

The West Learning Disability and Autism Team support adults in the west area of Surrey (Waverley, Guildford, Woking, Surrey Heath, Runnymede and Spelthorne). We believe everybody has strengths and has something wonderful to offer society, and these are embraced and empowered by our staff. As a team we have a very stable compliment of staff with extensive experience of working with this group of people. There is a real emphasis on development, reflection and support within the team.

About the Role

We are looking for a range of compassionate and empathetic individuals with a variety of skills and experiences to work with the people we support, enabling them to enjoy a home of their own and an environment in which they are supported to live a healthy and meaningful lifestyle.

As a Social Care Assistant, we will put you in the best possible position to assess the social care needs of our service users, providing direct positive intervention to some of our more complex service users and support for their carers, this will include completing assessments and reviews to ensure those interventions are strength-based and person-centred.

Your role will be to assist qualified practitioners with a variety of tasks, including assessing people's needs and carrying out regular reviews. You will often be the first point of contact between the public and the service, gathering initial information and identifying the need for further assessment, as well as signposting people to other services.

You will be expected to complete safeguarding work as well as providing support for our Duty team. You will work collaboratively with various stakeholders, both internal and external, to ensure our Service Users and their families receive the best possible outcomes.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following:

• The ability to empathise with, and show compassion towards, individuals in need of social care assistance.
• Strong knowledge of the needs and challenges faced by adults requiring social care, and a commitment to supporting their well-being.
• Proven ability to prioritise and manage multiple tasks effectively, ensuring timely and high-quality outcomes.
• Proficiency in basic IT skills such as Microsoft Office, email and file management alongside a demonstrated willingness to learn and adapt to new software systems.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey information clearly, concisely, and respectfully, both verbally and in writing.
• A commitment to your own professional development.

Surrey has both urban and rural areas and locality based social care workers will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK and access to a vehicle and be willing to travel across a wide geographical area.Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long-term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.

Application Process

As part of your application, you will be asked to upload your CV and answer the following application questions:

• Looking at our advert, and considering the Council's commitment to ensuring that "no one is left behind", please tell us what it is about the role that has motivated you to apply?
• Please tell us about the relevant experience or transferable skills you have that you can bring to this role?
• What three qualities do you have that would make you a good Social Care Assistant and how do these qualities support Surrey County Council's culture of collaboration, inclusivity, and adaptability?

Contact us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

For an informal discussion please contact Rob Urry-Tuttiett via email or on MS Teams.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 21/09/25 with interviews planned for 08/10/25

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

Local Government Reorganisation

Surrey County Council is preparing for Local Government Reorganisation which will allow us to implement the Government led policy of devolution, which is all about giving more powers to local areas.

Currently, Surrey has a two-tier council system, with 11 district and borough councils and a county council, all responsible for different services. All these councils will be reorganised into a smaller number of new unitary councils which will come into effect in April 2027. At this point, this role will be transferred, with all existing terms and conditions intact into one of the new unitary councils.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents!

The Surrey Way behaviours are a guide that supports our council to work together effectively and deliver our best for our customers and communities, and for each other. Discover more about ourbehaviours .

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description.Our Life at Surrey handbook provides insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applicants where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.