Social Worker

Hoople; Hereford; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

A local council is seeking an experienced Social Worker to join the County Team, focusing on adults with diverse and complex needs. Candidates should be registered with Social Work England and possess strong skills in assessment, safeguarding, and collaboration. A competitive salary of £36,363 - £40,777 is offered, along with a supportive working environment that encourages professional development and flexibility.

Benefits

Starting Salary of £36,363 - £40,777

Relocation Payment of up to £5,000

Local Government Pension Scheme

31 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Flexible working arrangements

Qualifications

• Experience working with adults with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, and mental health needs.
• Ability to lead safeguarding enquiries and prepare court reports.
• Willingness to undertake Practice Education or mental health certifications.

Responsibilities

• Undertake assessments and develop personalized care plans.
• Manage a varied caseload and maintain accurate records.
• Support individuals’ rights and access to services.

Skills

Comprehensive assessments

Record maintenance

Safeguarding enquiries

Collaborative working

Risk management

Engagement in supervision

Education

Registration with Social Work England

Job description

About The Role

Job Title: Social Worker

Contract: Permanent

Location: Plough Lane / Remote / Hybrid

Hours: 37 hrs per week

Salary: £36,363 - £40,777

Closing date: 25 November 2025

Interview: 2 December 2025

The role

Herefordshire Community Wellbeing Directorate is a welcoming and supportive place to work. We are seeking enthusiastic, self‑motivated, professionally confident Social Workers who enjoy fast paced work and who have experience of working with adults with physical disabilities, learning disabilities, mental health needs and older adults.

are currently looking to appoint a highly skilled and compassionate Adult Social Worker to join our County Team (Complex Needs Team), supporting adults with multiple, challenging and long‑term complex needs. This role is pivotal in delivering high-quality, person‑centred and strengths‑based care and safeguarding vulnerable individuals while promoting independence and wellbeing.

The County Team is a small and supportive group comprising a Team Manager, Senior Practitioners, Social Workers, and Social Care Assessors. We pride ourselves on a collaborative approach, regular reflective supervision, and a culture that values professional development and wellbeing. This is an excellent opportunity to work in a team where your contribution truly makes a difference.

About You

As a Social Worker, you will be registered with Social Work England and able to:

• Undertake comprehensive assessments under the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005, and other relevant legislation to identify needs and develop personalised care plans.
• Maintain accurate records, prepare reports for court or panels, and manage a varied caseload effectively.
• Lead on Section 42 safeguarding enquiries, ensuring timely interventions and compliance with statutory duties.
• Demonstrate experience in Court of Protection work, including:
  Section 21A challenges to Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) authorisations.
  Section 16 applications for welfare decisions and deputyship matters.
• Evidence experience of collaborative working with health professionals, housing, voluntary organisations, and other partners to deliver integrated support.
• Identify and manage risks associated with complex needs, including mental health, substance misuse, homelessness, and exploitation.
• Support individuals to make informed choices, uphold their rights, and access appropriate services.
• Engage in regular supervision, reflective practice, and continuous learning to maintain professional standards.
• Hold or be willing to undertake qualifications in Practice Education, Best Interest Assessor (BIA), and/or Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP).

To arrange an informal discussion about the role with Richard Clarke, Team Manager, please contact [e-mail]

We Offer

• A competitive salary, generous holiday entitlement, and access to our contributory pension and staff benefits scheme, which includes:
• Starting Salary of £36,363 - £40,777
• Relocation Payment Relocation package of up to £5,000 available
• Pension Scheme Enrolment in the Local Government (LGPS)
• Career progression: clear pathways to progress
• Annual Leave: 31 days’ annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays. You can also purchase an additional 10 days per annum with line manager approval.
• Flexible working: flexi-time, job-share, part-time hours and, in some instances, home working
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 access to support and counselling
• Payment of professional membership fees
• Pick your perks – our benefits include access to a range of retail, leisure, holiday and health benefits. This includes savings, cash back and discounts.

Why Choose Us?

You will probably have heard a lot about how beautiful it is in terms of countryside and open spaces (and it is!) but there is so much more going on here, including world‑class cultural assets like the Mappa Mundi, vibrant theatres and a thriving food and drink sector.

One of Herefordshire’s biggest assets is the strong and diverse communities. Our Talk Community approach brings that together supporting people to help themselves, encouraging them to help their communities and identifying how communities can help individuals. Our ambitious transformation programme aims to further build on this to offer an all-age approach. We’re excited about the potential of what we can achieve for the benefit of all residents of Herefordshire, stronger together and building brighter futures.

To find out more about what it’s like to live, work and thrive at Herefordshire Council please visit our dedicated recruitment website: www.spiritofherefordshire.com.

Reasonable Adjustments

Our recruitment process runs in partnership with Hoople Resourcing. If you require any reasonable adjustments or alternative methods for the online application process, please contact the resourcing team by email: [e-mail].

Creating an Inclusive Workplace

Employee Network Groups play an important role in strengthening the voices of employees at Herefordshire Council. Embedded in the Council's values is a commitment to listen to people's views and needs.

Employee Network Groups are a collective of colleagues who often share identities, life experiences or cultures and who come together to initiate positive change in their work place. Our groups include: Black and Asian Staff Networking Group, LGBTQ+, Parents & Carers, Climate and Nature Emergency, Diff-abilities and Armed Forces/ Veterans. For more information on our Employee Network Groups please click here.

How to apply

To apply for a position, please upload an up-to-date CV and a supporting statement demonstrating your experience, skills and abilities for the role. If you are successfully shortlisted, Hoople Resourcing will contact you via email to arrange your interview and/or assessment. They will confirm the date, time and location of your interview, so please keep an eye on your email inbox. Good luck, we’re looking forward to meeting you!

Community Wellbeing

Community Wellbeing is connecting and belonging to the place where you live, feeling safe and having pride in your community.

We welcome applicants whatever their personal characteristics or social identity.

All requests for flexible working arrangements and reasonable adjustments will be considered.

Essential criteria

The following candidates will be interviewed if they meet the essential criteria for the post they are applying for:

• Those who indicate that they have a disability. This is part of our commitment to the “Disability Confident” scheme;
• Those who indicate in their supporting statement that they are an Armed Forces Veteran or Reservist. This is part of our pledge to support the Armed Forces Covenant;
• We will deliver better support to our most vulnerable children and their families, develop stronger relationships with partners across the region, and beyond. Therefore, we take our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults seriously and expect all of our staff, visitors and volunteers to share in this commitment.
• Those who indicate in their supporting statement that they are a Herefordshire care leaver. This is part of our commitment to supporting young people leaving our care.

Herefordshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children & young people and vulnerable adults. If you are offered this position, it will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced check and further pre‑employment checks.

Stronger Together, Building brighter futures

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About The Company

The Council plan sets out how we will make our contribution to achieving a better and more successful Herefordshire, please see the link below to find out more:

Herefordshire Council Plan 2024-28