Job Description
Part time, 18.5 hours per week. Salary £47,665 - £50,908 + a temporary 15% Recruitment and Retention Allowance pro rata to hours worked.
Who we are & what we stand for
Do you want to help make Gateshead a place where everyone thrives? If that sounds like you, keep reading - we might be the perfect match.
We’re delighted that you’re interested in working with us. You’d be joining us at a very exciting time.
We pride ourselves on our ambitious and forward-thinking approach to taking care of Gateshead and its people, and we passionately believe that our employees reflect that spirit in truly enabling Gateshead to thrive.
At Gateshead Council you’d be a highly valued member of a team that recognises and respects the skills that you bring to your role, encourages creativity and passionately advocates a great work / life balance. Our actions speak louder than words, and with flexi-time and hybrid working available across many of our roles, as well as a full suite of outstanding employee benefits, we’re confident that it isn’t just the salary that attracts our staff.
Our Children’s Social Care team work to provide and further develop services to children and families across Gateshead to offer a focused and joined up approach to offer young people the best possible start in life. This is incredibly important work and includes an excellent early help and prevention service, assessment, intervention and safeguarding supporting children and their families, services for children in and having experienced our care, our fostering, residential and adoption services, support for vulnerable adolescents & those with disabilities and many more. It can be challenging but very rewarding work, as we passionately pursue our goal of helping Gateshead children to thrive.
Lead and inspire outstanding fostering practice that changes children's lives for the better.
Our Fostering Service is committed to supporting foster carers and the children they care for, helping every child to thrive in a safe, stable and nurturing family environment. We work collaboratively with carers, children, families and partner agencies to deliver high-quality support and positive outcomes. We are proud of the achievements within our fostering community, including two foster carers recently receiving national awards for their dedication and impact. Our innovative Mockingbird constellation model has been a significant success, strengthening support networks for carers and children, and we are excited to continue expanding this approach to benefit even more families
Champion the voice, experiences and aspirations of every child in every decision you make.
What you will get to do:
- Provide leadership, supervision and support to social work practitioners, ensuring high standards of practice, decision making and compliance with legislation, regulations and council procedures.
- Champion relationship-based and multi-agency working, building strong partnerships across children's social care, specialist services, schools, family hubs and wider stakeholders to deliver coordinated support for children and foster families.
- Chair planning, strategy and professional meetings, ensuring safe, effective decision making and best use of resources.
- Support performance management, quality assurance and service improvement activity, ensuring records, plans and reports are accurate, timely and clearly reflect the child's voice and lived experience.
- Contribute to service development, redesign and transformation projects, helping shape policies, procedures and innovative ways of working.
- Operate within delegated authority frameworks, escalating recommendations and decisions appropriately to senior managers.
- Lead and develop staff, students and practitioners through supervision, coaching and performance management, creating a positive culture where people can perform at their best.
- Support continuous learning and improvement, encouraging reflective practice, professional development and service excellence.
- Ensure interventions, assessments and care planning effectively identify and reduce risk, promote stability and achieve positive outcomes for children and young people.
Take ownership, drive positive change and deliver high-quality services that families can rely on.
What you will bring:
- A recognised Social Work qualification, Social Work England registration, Level 3 Social Worker status (or equivalent) and a commitment to continuous professional development, with Practice Educator Level 2 or willingness to work towards this.
- Significant experience within statutory children's social care, including supervising staff, managing performance and supporting professional development.
- Strong knowledge of relevant legislation, guidance and safeguarding frameworks, including the Children Act 1989, Children and Families Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.
- Expertise in assessment, risk analysis, care planning and delivering effective interventions that support children, young people and families experiencing complex challenges.
- A sound understanding of relationship-focused practice, systemic approaches, reflective practice and child development, with the ability to keep children at the centre of decision making.
- Excellent communication, partnership working and leadership skills, with the ability to build positive relationships, influence practice and work effectively across multi-agency networks.
- Strong organisational and digital skills, including maintaining high-quality electronic records, alongside a driving licence and access to transport or suitable mobility arrangements.
If successful, you will have to apply for an Enhanced Disclosure
What’s in it for you
- Competitive Salary: We offer fair and transparent pay that reflects your skills and experience. Salary £47,665 - £50,908 + a temporary 15% Recruitment and Retention Allowance pro rata to hours worked
- Outstanding Pension Scheme: We don’t just offer a great salary – we invest in your future too. Find out what benefits a Local Government Pension provides: https://twpf.info
- Generous Annual Leave: Enjoy 28 days of annual leave, rising to 32 days after 5 years (2 of which can be fixed by the Council), plus the option to buy up to 10 extra days.
- Flexible Working Hours: Benefit from up to 26 flexi days per year (subject to business needs), giving you more control over your time.
- Hybrid & Flexible Working: We support a healthy work-life balance with flexible and hybrid working options.
- Learning & Development: Access a wide range of training, development, and progression opportunities to help you grow your career.
- Health & Wellbeing Support: From discounted gym memberships through our partner GLL to mental health resources, we care about your wellbeing.
- Cycle to Work Scheme: Save money and stay active with our tax-efficient cycle to work programme.
- Electric & Hybrid Car Scheme: Get behind the wheel of a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle through our salary sacrifice car scheme in partnership with NHS Fleet Solutions – a cost-effective, environmentally friendly way to drive (after 12 months service).
- Exclusive Discounts & Salary Sacrifice: Through our VIVUP employee benefits platform, enjoy discounts on shopping, travel, and services – plus salary sacrifice options on white goods, electronics, and more, helping you spread the cost of essential purchases (after 6 months service).
Our commitment to you
We are an equal opportunities employer and aim to have a culture and a workplace where our people feel a sense of belonging, are respected and empowered to do their best work. We know that we deliver better services when our workforce reflects the full range of backgrounds and experiences in the society we serve. We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation
How to apply
You can apply online using the apply now button below. Within the form, you’ll be asked for details about you, your career history, skills, experiences and qualifications.
We advise you to be as detailed and specific as possible, paying particular attention to any of the above which are relevant to the role to which you are applying.
If you have any questions about your application, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our recruitment team via recruitment@gateshead.gov.uk
Please note: As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. However, in high-volume recruitment situations, it may not always be practicable to interview every eligible candidate. In such cases, we may need to prioritise those who best meet the essential criteria, based on the information provided in the application.
Additionally, the Council reserves the right to close this vacancy early or adjust the shortlisting criteria, including the pass mark for interview selection, to ensure a fair and manageable recruitment process. We encourage early applications.