Out of Hours Social Worker (SO3)
Salary: £39,862–£45,091 (dependent on experience) plus 20% Out of Hours enhancement, plus essential car user allowance up to £963 per annum, and reimbursement of Social Work England fees. Hours: 37 hours, Full Time, worked over 7 days/4 week rota. Temporary Maternity Cover, 12 months. Hybrid: Fred Perry House and homeworking for night shifts.
Application Period
Application Deadline: 26th February 2026, 11:59pm.
Please be aware that we may close this vacancy early if a high volume of applications is received. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Shortlisting Date: 27th February 2025. Interview Date: 2nd March 2026. Interview Type: Face to face.
Current Rota
* Week 1: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 16:30‑23:00 and Sunday 20:30‑08:30.
* Week 2: Monday 20:30‑08:30, Friday 16:00‑23:30, Saturday and Sunday 08:30‑20:30.
* Week 3: Monday 16:30‑23:00, Friday and Saturday 20:30‑08:30.
* Week 4: Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 20:30‑08:30 and Sunday 16:30‑23:00.
Role Overview
Stockport Family is looking for an experienced Social Worker to join our Out of Hours (OOH) Team full time, working a shift pattern outside of normal hours. The OOH service provides an effective and timely response to urgent notifications that occur outside usual business hours that identify a child or adult as vulnerable and at risk of harm.
You will join a well‑established, highly experienced team of Social Workers to perform statutory social care functions with the support of a Team Manager and On Call Service Lead.
Activity includes statutory social work functions such as Section 47 investigations, decision making, safeguarding adult investigations, placement of children (including pace beds) and adults in residential care, completion of welfare visits and checks.
You will be provided with a solo protect device, which offers personal security during lone working and allows you to discreetly contact for immediate help 24/7.
About You
You will be a passionate social work practitioner, proud of your profession and able to reflect and think creatively about how you respond at pace to urgent social work intervention to ensure children, families and adults are safe and achieve the best outcomes. You will be confident using professional judgement to employ a range of interventions ensuring safety whilst balancing rights and risks.
You will be flexible and a team player, and be expected to cover shifts for annual leave and to support the team.
You must have a current Social Work England registration and be committed to professional development, taking up available learning opportunities and being excited about becoming part of Stockport Family. You must have a minimum of 3 years’ experience in a statutory children’s social work team.
In Stockport Family we value diversity and the unique perspectives that each of us bring and are committed to our workforce being representative of the diverse communities that we serve.
About Us
We are proud to be recognized under the Good Employment Charter as an organisation committed to the well‑being of our colleagues. We pledge to pay the real living wage, engage staff in key decisions and endorse fair and flexible working conditions.
Working at Stockport Council means contributing to one of the most thriving towns in the North. We are keen to recruit people with the right values and behaviours that can help us ensure our workplace values are at the heart of everything we do.
What social workers say about working in Stockport: “Working in Stockport makes you love social work again. From the moment I started in Stockport, I fell in love with my job again. This is real social work. If you miss direct work with children, life story work, systemic genograms, family network meetings, reflective practice, relationships, this is the place for you. The term ‘restorative practice’ genuinely means something here…”
Contact
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Jessica Britton via email at Jessica.britton@stockport.gov.uk.
Other Information
The successful applicant’s appointment will be subject to satisfactory pre‑employment clearances including a Disclosure and Barring Service check.
Stockport Council holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this campaign does not qualify.
Please note that we have a commitment to improve employment opportunities for people with disabilities, care leavers and ex‑military personnel. As part of the Guaranteed Assessment Scheme you will be guaranteed an interview if you meet both the criteria for the scheme and the essential job role criteria.
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