T hank you for your interest in our Return to Social Work Programme. Did you previously qualify as a Social Worker? Have you had a break from the profession for over two years? Are you keen to get back in to social work, and re-ignite your passion for the role? If so, our Return to Social Work Programme will offer you a full-time, paid, supervised 12 week practice placement, enabling you to gain the skills, knowledge, and experience you need to meet the requirements for registration with Social Work England, and support your journey back to the profession you once loved. As a Social Worker returning to practice, you will be closely supported by our Centre for Professional Practice which provides a comprehensive learning and professional development offer to all Social Workers, from pre-qualification to established experience. To start your journey, you will:- Meet with an Advanced Social Work Practitioner from the Centre for Professional Practice and be supported to draw up a Professional Development Plan, based upon your level of experience and length of time away from practice. Be linked in with an experienced Social Worker in a core social work team, who will facilitate your supervised practice experience, blended with two days per week for private / formal study, which are in addition to or inclusive of training sessions you may attend as part of our core training offer. Receive dedicated support from the Advanced Social Worker Practitioner who will provide you with bespoke supervision, coaching and mentoring, while co-ordinating a comprehensive package of learning and development in line with the Professional Capabilities Framework and Child and Family Post Qualifying Standards. Following this, upon a successful placement and gaining your Social Work England registration, you will be supported to secure a permanent Social Worker role within our Children’s Services and enter our Post Return to Social Work Programme. Here, your professional development journey will continue with your Post Return to Social Work Plan, and an internal programme of training, coaching and mentoring support provided by the Centre for Professional Practice. Initially, you will be employed as an Intensive Family Support Worker with a starting salary of £35,412 – £38,220, increasing to £39,152 - £41,771 upon successful completion of your Post Return to Social Work Programme, with an additional £7000 Market Forces Supplement if based in a Family Safeguarding or Adolescent Safeguarding Team. Who are we looking for? Social Workers who have been out of practice between 2-10 years. If you were previously registered as a Social Worker, but did not practice as a Social Worker and do not have any relevant experience of direct practice with children and families, then you will join our Assessed and Supported Year of Employment (ASYE) Programme. Social Workers who previously held registration with Social Work England or the Health and Care Professionals Council (HCPC). You must have a recognised professional Social Work qualification (MA/BA/BSc in Social Work, Diploma in Social Work or CQSW). If your qualification is from outside of the UK, to be eligible for the programme, you must have some practice experience in England and have previously held registration with Social Work England or HCPC. Interviews will take place at Cable Plaza, Waterfront West, Brierley Hill, DY5 1LW, week commencing 17th November 2025. If you are interested in finding out more about our Return to Social Work Programme, please contact the Centre for Professional Practice at CPP@dudley.gov.uk. So that we can demonstrate Dudley’s commitment to diversity and inclusion and to improve bias in the recruitment process that could create barriers for candidates. Your personal data will be anonymised when you apply, to ensure that you comply with our anonymisation process, please ensure you have removed your name and date of birth from any attachments prior to uploading them to your application. Online application forms will only be accepted for this vacancy, online facilities for jobs are available at public libraries within the Dudley Borough All applicants must be able to provide documentation to prove their right to work in the UK. Please note: Dudley MBC does not currently offer sponsorship for candidates without the Right to Work in the UK. If you require support completing an online or paper application form and or interview techniques, please contact Dudley Adult and Community Learning on 01384 818 143 or acl@dudley.gov.uk who can support with Digital Skills and Job Applications. If you have a disability and require assistance in making an application please contact the HR Resourcing Team via HR.Resourcing@dudley.gov.uk If you are experiencing a problem whilst applying for a position, please follow the link below to the WM Jobs Help Page in the first instance https://help.wmjobs.co.uk/ If the WM Jobs Help Page does not resolve your issue then please contact the HR Resourcing Team via HR.Resourcing@dudley.gov.uk Dudley Council will check the information that you have provided against any details already held for accuracy and completeness. The Council will check, share and cross match your information both internally within the council and with external organisations to protect public funds and prevent or detect crime, only where the law allows us to do so. The Council’s full Privacy and Disclaimer Statement can be accessed on the website at https://www.dudley.gov.uk/privacy-disclaimer-statement/ N.B. We reserve the right to close this vacancy prior to the advertised date should we receive a large number of applications LI-DMBC2019 Attached documents Job Description and Person Specification - Intensive Family Support Worker.docx