Overview
Are you looking for a well-supported first post working with children and young people (CYP)? Surrey offers a good Ofsted outcome and a structured ASYE pathway for Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSW).
The starting salary for this role is £37,995 per annum based on a 36-hour working week. A further financial package of £6,000 is available on completion of your Assisted and Supported Year in Employment with us.
We are welcoming NQSWs to join Surrey Children's Services as part of our Spring 2026 cohort. The programme is planned to start on 18 May 2026. An Autumn ASYE Programme is also planned. To be alerted when recruitment for Autumn goes live, please register your details via the MS form and the team will be in touch with an update once the campaign goes live.
Location and Teams
Surrey is a large county with locations across the county. When applying, please indicate which locations and teams you would be willing to be considered for.
Locations
* Northeast area office based in Weybridge, covering Elmbridge, Spelthorne and Epsom & Ewell
* Southeast area office based in Reigate, covering Reigate & Banstead, Tandridge & Mole Valley
* Northwest area office based in Woking, covering Woking, Surrey Heath & Runnymede
* Southwest area office based in Guildford, covering Guildford & Waverley
Teams
* Assessment
* Family Safeguarding
* Adolescent Safeguarding (operate on North, East or West basis & different offices in these areas)
* Children with Disabilities
* Children Looked After
* Fostering
You will be required to travel to the office where your team is based and within a geographical area to undertake direct work with children, young people and families, attend meetings and training as required. When not working with our children and families in the community, we support agile working with a combination of home and office working. We are keen to balance flexibility with learning opportunities for you as an NQSW and will discuss this further at interview.
ASYE Programme
Our ASYE programme is well established and resourced, supported by a capable team of experienced social work staff and managers. Across the 12-month programme you can expect regular reflective supervision from your Team Manager and ASYE Assessor who will guide you to develop your knowledge. You will have the opportunity to develop your professional skills and confidence for a career in frontline social work.
Our recent Ofsted inspection judged our Children’s Services as 'Good'. The report recognises that staff are well-trained and valued, and leadership is strong. You can read the full report HERE.
Upon successful completion of the ASYE programme, there will be an opportunity to progress with Surrey County Council and access the Post-Qualifying Year 2 programme. You can expect ongoing support from the Children’s Academy, peer learning and continued career development.
You can find out more about Surrey by visiting our Surrey Children's Services Academy page.
NQSWs on ASYE – Benefits
* Induction and Support
* Comprehensive ASYE Academy Induction and Team Induction
* Allocated Advanced Social Worker as ASYE Assessor, plus operational Team Manager
* Graduated Supervision in the first six months
* Graduated workload reaching a 90% allocation by the end of the programme
* Monthly reflective supervision with ASYE Assessor
* Access to our Children’s Quality Practice and Performance Service
* Learning and Development opportunities
* Monthly ASYE Learning Events focusing on Post Qualifying Standards
* Two days a month Protected Development Time
* Access to learning platforms and safeguarding training
* SharePoint hub for collaborative working
Other Benefits
* 28 days annual leave, rising to 30 days after 5 years (plus bank holidays)
* We pay your Social Work England registration fee during employment
* Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
* A generous local government pension
* Up to 5 days carer’s leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
* Parental, adoption and dependents leave
* Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for health and wellbeing
* Learning and development hub with resources
* Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts
Shortlisting Criteria
To be considered for shortlisting, your application should evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours.
* Social Work qualification (Degree, Masters or MSc in Social Work or equivalent)
* Registering with Social Work England and permission to work in the UK without visa sponsorship
* Experience with children, young people and families (voluntary work, transferable skills, placements, etc.)
* Qualified within two years of the NQSW cohort commencing in May 2026 (if you qualified earlier than May 2024, your application will not be considered)
* Current valid UK driving licence with access to a vehicle
Contact and Important Dates
Please contact us for questions via email at [email not shown]. This could be to discuss reasonable adjustments, the ASYE programme or Children’s Services structures in Surrey. The job advert closes at 23:59 on Sunday 8 February 2026 with shortlisting planned for the week commencing 9 February 2026. If shortlisted, you will be invited to a face-to-face interview at one of our area offices in the week commencing 2 March 2026. An enhanced DBS check and safeguarding checks are required for this role.
Local Government Reorganisation (LGR): Surrey County Council is moving to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If employed by Surrey on 1 April 2027, your role will transfer to one of the new organizations under current terms and conditions. Surrey is a disability-confident employer and will interview applicants who disclose a disability and meet the minimum criteria.
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