Overview
Job Category: Non-Teaching
Organisation: Leicestershire County Council
Work Location: Various locations across the County
Worker Category: Field-Based Worker
Salary: £32,070 until Social Work England registration is approved, increasing to £42,699 per annum (pro-rata for part-time) (plus Market Premium of £3,283) once full Social Work England registration is granted
Working Hours: 37 hours per week
Contract Type: Permanent
Closing Date: 30 September 2025
Interview Date(s): 20 November 2025
Have you been qualified as a Social Worker or are you due to qualify? Do you want to work with Leicestershire's "Outstanding" Children and Family Services? We are welcoming applications from candidates with the enthusiasm to learn and a passion for working with children and families. Read more about our Outstanding Ofsted rating and find out more from our staff.
About the Role / ASYE Program
We value and support our Newly Qualified Social Workers. We believe the foundations of the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) are paramount to building confident Social Workers, and we are really proud of our ASYE Program and the support we offer to Newly Qualified Social Workers in helping them develop and advance their careers with us.
As a Newly Qualified Social Worker on our ASYE Program, you will receive:
* Entry-level pay at Grade 9 (£32,070) until full Social Work England registration is achieved, with an increase to the top of Grade 9 (£34,359), plus Market Premium of £3,283 upon registration.
* Protected and reduced caseloads during the ASYE year.
* Dedicated support from the ASYE Co-ordinator, regular network meetings with other ASYEs.
* Monthly reflective supervision with a practice mentor, in addition to supervision with your team manager.
* Intensive induction and tailored ASYE training.
* Working as part of the social work teams to increase knowledge and understanding, including co-working with experienced colleagues.
We also expect you to share our commitment to our values, and we will ask you to provide evidence when you demonstrate them during the interview process. Please note that an Enhanced DBS check is required for this post. Please ensure your application includes a full career history and provides reasons for any gaps.
Organisation & Practice Approach
Leicestershire Children and Families Services
In all service areas, you are expected to work closely with colleagues across team and agency boundaries to ensure that families get the most appropriate level of support. Staff workloads are manageable and are monitored and managed closely. Managers and staff all have regular monthly supervision, and you will be supported in your practice by an experienced management team. As an organisation, we are committed to a strong and skilled workforce that provides high-quality services to the children and families of Leicestershire, following our relationship-based Signs of Safety practice approach. We are committed to doing our very best for vulnerable children and families, working to make a positive impact on their lives so they can achieve their potential and flourish.
We are proud of our continuous improvement plan and values, including Signs of Safety, Aspiration, Being Curious, and Collaboration. We are focused on working with families and the networks of family, friends, and professionals around children to achieve shared goals. We aim to become a trauma-informed, responsive department with a culture of partnership and staff support. We strive to create a safe, compassionate, healing environment built on trust, respect, hope, and empathy.
Development & Wellbeing Offer
* We run several conferences each year for staff to come together, reflect and learn.
* Every team sets aside time for team learning each month.
* You will receive consistent, regular, and reflective supervision, including group supervision support.
* Twice a year, our senior leaders take a week out to spend time with Social Workers, observing practice and talking to young people, parents, and carers about their experience of services.
* All Social Work England-registered workers have three extra Continuous Professional Development days each year.
* Our training supports career progression and includes Practice Educator Awards and Aspiring Managers Program.
* We have an experienced team dedicated to supporting practice excellence and a Practice Development Group for collaboration on practice development.
* We have a Critical Incident Response service for staff, providing independent therapeutic support within 48 hours.
* Wellbeing Service offers specific support to staff and events throughout the year.
Qualifications & Requirements
* Hold a Social Work degree or equivalent (e.g. CQSW, DipSW) specialising in children's services within the last two years or expect to qualify within the next year. You must also be registered with Social Work England or expect registration upon qualifying.
* You must hold a full, valid UK driving licence (or be able to convert your current licence) AND have access to a vehicle.
* Have experience of working with children and families, knowledge of childcare legislation and Local Safeguarding Children Partnership procedures, particularly in relation to child protection and child in need. Be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the theoretical underpinning of social work practice and models used.
* Have an awareness of the cultural, racial, linguistic, and religious backgrounds of children, young people, and families applying equal opportunity principles in practice across your work.
* Hold strong assessment skills, capable of analysing information to make sound decisions which offer support and are impactful and be able to demonstrate this via examples.
* Have excellent prioritisation and time management skills to ensure the successful delivery of competing and changing work demands, and be able to demonstrate this via examples.
* Be proficient in IT, with sound knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word and database applications to ensure clear, accurate and age-appropriate communication with children, families, carers and external agencies/other service providers that support collaborative ways of working both orally and in writing.
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