Social Worker/Senior Social Worker - Families First Pilot Team
Grade 7/8 (SCP 26-36) - £37,280 to £47,181 per annum, plus £1,239 Essential Car User Allowance and a 2% Recruitment and Retention allowance paid monthly.
Permanent - Full time, 37 hours, agile working.
Closing date: 12 April, 2026.
Less typing. More time with children and families
Practice that feels purposeful
In Sunderland, Together for Children brings the scale of a local authority with the agility to innovate. We are Ofsted Outstanding and have kept that standard in 2025, with stable teams, visible leadership and reasonable caseloads.
Help shape the future. Support families. Lead the way.
Are you excited by innovation and passionate about supporting children, young people, and families to thrive? Do you want to play a key role in shaping how we deliver early, meaningful, and impactful support? If so, this is a unique opportunity to join our Families First Pilot Team.
We are launching a pioneering pilot as part of our wider Families First implementation, and we’re looking for an enthusiastic and creative Social Worker to help us develop, test, and embed the very best ways of working with families.
What you’ll do
* Work directly with families to understand their strengths, needs, and aspirations.
* Test new approaches and models of practice, contributing to learning that will shape how Families First is delivered across the service.
* Deliver high-quality, strengths-based assessments and purposeful interventions.
* Build meaningful relationships with children and their caregivers, enabling sustainable positive change.
* Work closely with partners to ensure coordinated, holistic support.
* Feed back insights, ideas, and learning that will directly influence future service design.
What we are looking for
* Passionate about innovation, learning, and doing things differently.
* Skilled at building rapport and communicating with families from all backgrounds.
* Confident in early help, safeguarding, and holistic family work.
* Curious, reflective, and eager to contribute to a learning culture.
* Committed to creating the best possible outcomes for children and young people.
What you can expect here
* Outstanding, stable, supported. Maintained Outstanding in 2025, with reasonable caseloads and visible managers.
* Admin reduced by design. Magic Notes supports high-quality recording and helps reduce admin.
* Wellbeing model in place. TRiM and StRaW are being implemented as part of our wellbeing strategy.
* Supervision with clear expectations. Regular reflective supervision for experienced practitioners in line with our approach.
* One framework for practice. Signs of Safety with full training.
Essentials
Social Work England registration and at least one year’s post‑qualifying experience. ASYE desirable, not essential.
What the pay really means
* Base salary £37,280 to £47,181 per annum, with market supplement applying to SCP 36 (£47,181).
* Recruitment and Retention allowance: 2% of your basic salary, paid monthly. Roughly £62 to £79 a month depending on spinal point. Essential Car User £1,239 a year.
* Plus Local Government Pension Scheme, local authority continuous service terms and conditions, NHS car lease, Cycle to Work, Blue Light Card, MoneyWise Credit Union and AVC Wise.
Apply or speak to us
Apply on North East Jobs or email emma.gibson@togetherforchildren.org.uk or leighann.wilson@togetherforchildren.org.uk for a confidential conversation with a Team Manager. Adjustments are welcomed at every stage.
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore will be subject to an Enhanced DBS check from the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Why work with us?
* Make a difference: Our work matters. The work we do is incredibly rewarding. Join us and make a difference in the lives of our children, families, and community.
* Inclusion: Thrive in our diverse and inclusive culture and be part of our employee networks, including Accessibility, LGBTQ+, Racial Equality, Armed Forces and Menopause.
* Work‑Life Balance: We offer a hybrid model of working with agile and flexible working arrangements, including part‑time opportunities, flexible hours, and the possibility of remote work arrangements.
* Professional Development: Advance your career with our comprehensive induction, supervision, peer support, and supportive environment.
* Be part of a happier, healthier workforce: Benefit from our wide range of wellbeing activities and employee assistance programmes.
* Attractive Salary, Benefits and Rewards: for additional information please follow this link Together for Children Benefits and rewards · What our team think: About Us.
We value diversity and strongly encourage applications from individuals of all backgrounds, including but not limited to various ages, disabilities, neurodiverse individuals, gender identities, sexual orientations, religions, beliefs, races, and ethnicities. We aim for our team to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve.
We are committed to making our application process accessible to everyone. Please reach out to our EDI Lead EDI@togetherforchildren.org.uk or peoplesupport@togetherforchildren.org.uk so we can discuss any adjustments or support we can provide during the recruitment process or within the workplace.
We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants who can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked‑after young person, are care experienced, or are a veteran.
Are you ready to make a difference?
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