Social Worker - Safeguarding & Support

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

Job summary

A local council in the United Kingdom is seeking a Children's Social Worker to safeguard children and support families. The role offers a competitive salary, welcome payment, and opportunities for professional development. Ideal candidates should possess a recognised Social Work qualification and a passion for working collaboratively. Flexible working options and a relocation package are also available, ensuring a supportive environment for all staff.

Benefits

Welcome payment of £10,000

Retention payment scheme

Relocation package up to £10,000

Pension Scheme

Professional development opportunities

Generous annual leave

Flexible working arrangements

Employee Assistance Programme

Qualifications

• Registered with Social Work England and hold a recognised Social Work qualification.
• Experience working in child protection or similar field is desirable.
• Ability to reflect on practice and learn from experiences.

Responsibilities

• Safeguard children and support families throughout interventions.
• Collaborate with team members and external partners.
• Maintain accurate records of assessments and interventions.

Skills

Passion for safeguarding children

Skilled in assessment and planning

Commitment to collaboration

Resilience in decision making

Ability to work in a team

Registered with Social Work England

Education

Recognised Social Work qualification (Degree/DipSW/CQSW)

Job description

About the Role

Job title: Children's Social Worker – Safeguarding & Support

Contract: Permanent

Location: Multiple locations – Ross on Wye, Leominster, Hereford

Hours: 37 hours

Salary: 08HC £36,363 - £40,777 (plus market supplement of £5,000 per year £41,363 - £45,777)

Welcome payment: £10,000 (see guidance attached)

Relocation package: up to £10,000 available

Closing date: 12/10/2025

What We Offer

• Starting salary of £36,363 - £40,777 (plus market supplement of £5,000 per year £41,363 - £45,777)
• Welcome payment £10,000 for experienced social workers joining our children’s teams
• Retention payment scheme
• Relocation packages: support of up to £10,000
• Pension Scheme Enrolment in the Local Government (LGPS)
• Professional development: protected time and budget to support social workers develop themselves and their careers
• Career progression: clear pathways to progress to senior social worker level
• Generous Annual Leave: 31 days’ annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays. You can also purchase an additional 10 days per annum
• 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

About You

• Passionate about safeguarding children and supporting families
• Skilled in assessment, planning, and delivering interventions
• Committed to working collaboratively, inclusively, and creatively
• Resilient, reflective, and confident in making difficult decisions
• Able to work effectively within a supportive team environment
• Registered with Social Work England and hold a recognised Social Work qualification (Degree/DipSW/CQSW)

Our Safeguarding & Support Teams

Our Safeguarding and Support service is made up of six teams, which work out of three locality offices: South Locality, North Locality and Central Locality. Each team comprises a Team Manager, Senior Practitioners, Social Workers, and a team of Family Support Workers. Locality working gives you the opportunity to stay connected, meet new colleagues, and easily access support — all while benefiting from the flexibility of home working.

We are proud of our restorative approach to social work — a way of working that is firmly embedded in our team culture and management style. Collaboration and reflection are at the heart of how we practice: senior managers are always available for guidance and support, especially when navigating complex cases.

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

About Us

Herefordshire is a beautiful, historic county located in the heart of the Marches on the border with Wales. We are one of the most rural and sparsely populated counties in England with a wealth of unspoilt countryside, distinctive heritage, and lively and attractive market towns. Our priority in Herefordshire is to keep children safe and give them a great start in life. It’s the priority for the council, our partners and for all of us who work with Children & Young People. How do we do this? By having dynamic, dedicated, passionate and professional staff who work in a culture that focuses on what we can achieve with children, what they can achieve themselves, and the relationship we build with families and partners to enable this. We have invested heavily in training and developing staff in our relational practice approach with our improvement partner Leeds City Council, so it's an exciting time to join Herefordshire – we believe in investing in you so you can be the best you can be! Herefordshire has a really strong team ethos. Our teams are passionate about the work they do and the positive difference they and the teams they are in make to people’s lives. This is all underpinned by the focus and support from their managers and the council as a whole. We will deliver better support to our most vulnerable children and their families, develop stronger relationships with partners across the region, and beyond. Come to Herefordshire and join the journey.

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.

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 serve in the Armed Forces, whether Regular or Reserve, those who have served in the past, or their families. This is part of our pledge to support the Armed Forces Covenant;and
• 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.

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.

Please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification for more details of this role.

To apply, please submit your CV and complete the supporting statement within the application form, referring to the job description & person specification, detailing how you meet the specific requirements of the role.

Please note: the council is currently unable to offer overseas visa sponsorship for Social Worker roles in Children & Young People. Overseas prospective candidates that require sponsorship to work in the UK should not apply for these roles. We appreciate your interest in Herefordshire Council and would encourage you to consider other opportunities with us that may be open to sponsorship. A full list of current vacancies can be found here: spiritofherefordshire.com/children-young-people/jobs