Description
Job Description & Person Specification >
Discover your next career chapter.
Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of children and young people?
Do you thrive in a dynamic, innovative environment where your practice can directly shape a child’s future?
Do you have a strong practice foundation in child protection, multi-agency collaboration and co-production?
Torbay Children’s Services are looking for passionate and experienced social work practitioners to join our care proceedings Team. You would be working directly with children, young people and families to assess risk and need, offer guidance, implement care plans and prepare high-quality court reports; providing support and protection through Public Law Outline or Court proceedings, ensuring that the welfare and safety of the child or young person is at the forefront of all decision-making.
Your experience
You will be a qualified social worker registered with Social Work England and with the right to work in the UK.
Have successfully completed your ASYE and have at least 2 years post-qualifying experience in child protection or court work.
Have a demonstrable understanding of statutory and legislative frameworks.
Our offer to you
Torbay Children’s Services are proud to have achieved a GOOD rating this year and are an innovative, future ready Children’s Services department.
Restorative Practice underpins all of our work with children, young people and families; ensuring relationships remain at the heart of our intervention with a commitment to ensuring the voice of children and young people in invited and shapes our services.
Our Learning Academy offers a wide-range of opportunities to enhance your continued professional development and progress your career with us here in Torbay Council. Communities of learning in practice offer strong peer learning and support, sharing best practice and embracing innovation in intervention.
Restorative and reflective supervision with a balanced number of allocated children and young people. Your well-being is important to us, so personal supervision is also prioritised.
Our Staff benefits:
Lots of staff discounts and benefits, these include:
* Discounts from over 750 national retailers.
* Local perks.
* Subsidised parking 24/7.
* Cycle to Work Scheme.
* Health Cash Plan.
* Childcare Vouchers.
* Eyecare vouchers.
* Financial wellbeing support.
* and much more!
Our place - We are closer than you think:
Torbay is known as the English Riviera, nestling on the South Coast of Devon. With a mild climate, beautiful bays and sparkling shoreline, it consists of three towns, Torquay, Brixham and Paignton. There are excellent transport links via the M5 and West Coast rail mainline; with housing and rent being surprisingly affordable too. We can also support with a relocation package.
This post meets the requirements for an Enhanced Criminal Record Check. This will show spent and unspent convictions and adult cautions which have not been filtered in line with legislation, plus any information held by local Police that is considered relevant to the role.
If you are viewing this advert on a job board, you can access the full job description by placing the below URL into your browser:
https://www.torbay.gov.uk/jobs/job-descriptions/experienced-social-worker-3/
For an informal chat please contact Krystal Erasmus on 01803 208573 or krystal.erasmus@torbay.gov.uk.
Interviews are expected to be conducted during the week commencing 08th June 2026.
Our adverts do sometimes close early - even where there's a published deadline - so if you're keen, please apply as soon as possible.
Skills
Essential:
* Excellent interpersonal and communications skills.
* Ability to demonstrate skills in mediation, negotiation and problem solving.
* Able to assess situations with clarity and sensitivity and act professionally in crisis situations.
* Ability to mentor others that upholds and promotes the ethical principles and values that guide professional practice and thereby ensures compliance with policies.
* Ability to implement anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive principles in all areas of work practice.
This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
Knowledge
Essential:
* Good understanding of the full range of activities delivered by the Authority and partners in relation to children, young people and families.
* Has a developed knowledge of Social Care policies and procedures, and makes themselves continually aware of new Child Care legislation and National Guidance.
* Awareness of effective management practices.
* Thorough understanding of current legislation and guidance and developments in services to children young people and families.
* Demonstrates an advanced and detailed knowledge of child development, attachment theory, anti discriminatory practice, the Framework for assessment of children in needs and their families, social work theory and methods.
Experience & Qualifications
Essential:
* Minimum of 2 years post qualification experience of working with children and families in the context of current legislation and government initiatives.
* Two years post qualification experience of working in a local authority setting.
* For Social work professionals, experience of complex Child Protection cases and Court proceedings under the Children’s Act 1989.
* Experience of working under pressure and making robust evidenced informed decisions.
* Demonstrates advanced and detailed skills in direct work with children and young persons, carers and families.
Please review the available pages within the careers site .
A list of employer benefits can be found here .