Social Workers

BCP Council; Poole; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

BCP Council in Poole, England, is seeking experienced social workers for its specialist PLO & Court Teams to deliver high-quality safeguarding and family support. You will engage with families to assess risks, coordinate with legal processes, and develop action plans to reduce harm while pursuing permanency options for children.

Role emphasizes collaboration across care teams, mentoring, and ongoing professional development, with a pathway to growth within a forward-looking council focused on

Qualifications

• Significant experience in frontline safeguarding social work.
• Ability to manage complex referrals and casework.
• Strong analytical, decision-making, and conflict resolution skills.
• Experience mentoring less experienced staff or students.
• Commitment to continuous professional development.
• Willingness to undertake Practice Education training if not already qualified.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with families to address needs and risks, supporting them with issues such as domestic abuse, adult mental health, and substance misuse.
• Collaborate with Legal Gateway Panel and PLO/Court processes to reduce risks to children.
• Assist in securing permanence for children and coordinating with adoption or care teams as needed.

Skills

Frontline safeguarding

Complex referrals

Analytical decision-making

Mentoring staff

CPD commitment

Practice Education readiness

Job description

We're proud to have achieved a GOOD Ofsted rating (Dec 2024), and we're on an exciting improvement journey. Now, we're looking for experienced, passionate Social Workers to join our specialist PLO & Court Teams and help us deliver outstanding care and support to the children and families who need us most. Why BCP? Our workforce says it best: "Career progression is encouraged within BCP - it's a rewarding job and something I absolutely love." "It's a lovely place to live and work. Dorset is a wonderful county, and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are vibrant, busy urban areas right on the sea front." "I've never felt so supported" Check out this video: A day in the life of three social workers at BCP Council on Vimeo About the Role Our two specialist PLO & Court Teams work with families where concerns have reached the threshold for pre-proceedings. Families are presented at Legal Gateway Panel to consider if the threshold is met and to devise a plan of support. If so, the family is invited to a formal PLO meeting with legal representation to collaborate on an action plan to reduce risks to the child(ren). You'll work closely with families to address needs and risks, supporting them with issues such as domestic abuse, adult mental health, and substance misuse. We also work with the Parental Substance Misuse Court (PSMC). Issuing care proceedings is always the last resort-the PLO process represents a genuine opportunity to work collaboratively with families to avoid court where possible. There is a strong emphasis on securing permanency for children and exploring family support networks to reduce risk and increase safety. For children who require permanency outside the home, you'll work jointly with the Children in Care Team or Aspire Adoption Team to ensure smooth transitions.

• Significant experience in frontline safeguarding social work
• Ability to manage complex referrals and casework
• Strong analytical, decision-making, and conflict resolution skills
• Experience mentoring less experienced staff or students
• Commitment to continuous professional development
• Willingness to undertake Practice Education training if not already qualified

You’ll also need to be able to travel across the BCP area.

Please note, this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship and we can only consider applicants with existing right to work in the UK. We're looking forward to welcoming new colleagues under this refreshed framework of pay, terms, and conditions. To promote fairness and consistency, all new starters will begin at the bottom of the pay band. This reflects our commitment to equity across the organisation and aligns with the approach taken with existing staff during the transition. While the starting salary is fixed, the role offers excellent scope for growth, meaningful contribution, and being part of a forward-thinking team.

About BCP Council

BCP Council provides services to a diverse community of 400,000 residents and employs more than 5,000 people. Our area includes over 15 miles of beautiful world-renowned coastline. We can offer career defining roles to transform and improve services. By working with us, you can help deliver a vision of a thriving, word-class, prosperous and inclusive place for generations to come.

Benefits

Our Benefits A Place to Thrive - Join BCP Council At BCP Council, we're not just building a workforce- we're transforming how we recognise and reward our people. Check out our attractive enhanced benefits and find out more... Be the difference - Join an organisation that values you