About the role
Help children and young people stay safely in their communities.
We are looking for an experienced, highly skilled, and compassionate Social Worker to join Dorset Council’s Keyworker Service within our Birth to Settled Adulthood (B2SA) team. This role requires substantial, proven experience in social work, particularly in supporting children and youngpeople with complex needs.
In this role you will support children and young people aged 0–25 with autism and/or learning disabilities who are at risk of mental health hospital admission. You will work closely with families and professionals across health, education and social care to ensure the right support is in place at the right time, helping young people remain safely in their communities wherever possible.
This role sits within Dorset’s integrated Birth to Settled Adulthood service, supporting disabled children and young people as they grow and transition into adulthood. It offers the opportunity to work in a collaborative, multi‑agency environment where your coordination and advocacy can make a substantial difference for families navigating complex systems.
What you’ll be doing
* Support children and young people identified on the Dynamic Support Register who require coordinated support to prevent hospital admission or enable safe discharge.
* Build strong relationships with families, act as a consistent point of contact, and work alongside professionals across services to develop personalised plans that respond to changing needs.
* Contribute to Care, Education and Treatment Reviews (CETRs), help unblock barriers across services, and strengthen how systems work together to support children and young people with complex needs.
About you
* Qualified and registered Social Worker with significant experience supporting children and young people with complex needs, including autism and learning disabilities.
* Confident working across organisational boundaries, able to build trusting relationships with families and professionals, and motivated by the opportunity to improve outcomes for children and young people with complex needs.
What’s in it for you
* Professional development opportunities.
* Chance to take part in national and regional Keyworker Communities of Practice, connecting with practitioners delivering similar work across the country.
* Opportunity to work within Dorset’s integrated Birth to Settled Adulthood model, alongside professionals across health, education and social care.
* Supportive and collaborative service focused on improving outcomes for children and young people with complex needs.
Further Information
This vacancy is for West Dorset, with occasional travel across the county.
For an informal conversation please contact Ceri David, Area Practice Manager, ceri.david@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk.
This post involves working with children and/or vulnerable adults and/or having access to significant information about them. It will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check.
See our policy on the employment of ex‑offenders.
Equal Opportunities
We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer.
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