Senior Social Worker – Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames
Join to apply for the Senior Social Worker role at the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames.
About the Borough
This special place in South West London between the capital and the country has been a Royal borough longer than anywhere else – it is where the first kings of England were crowned.
Today it is a vibrant and diverse borough, with a long history and strong cultural and community heritage. Kingston’s riverside location, retail offer, historic market place, parks and gardens all make the town centre a vibrant space. Each of our district town centres – Surbiton, New Malden, Tolworth and Chessington – has something unique to offer.
Situated in Zone 6, Kingston is among the best‑connected town centres in London – with direct train links from Kingston and Surbiton stations to Clapham Junction, London Waterloo and Wimbledon for an interchange with the Underground and Tramlink.
Kingston’s people are innovative and entrepreneurial, with a strong sense of community pride. The borough has been home to great industry and creativity for many years, reflected in assets such as the Rose Theatre, the International Youth Arts Festival and Kingston University, which boasts more new graduate business start‑ups than any other.
We have seen tremendous generosity and compassion within our communities, particularly in response to COVID‑19, demonstrating Kingston’s key strength. The council offers strong support to vulnerable groups and those who need additional help, which has also increased significantly as a result of the pandemic.
Working closely with residents, we help them maintain independence and improve the cost‑effectiveness of our services to meet the ongoing rise in demand.
Kingston is home to people from diverse cultures and backgrounds – notably a large Sri Lankan Tamil community and the largest Korean population in the UK. This diversity enriches the borough’s social fabric.
About the Role and Our Ideal Candidate
Promote the well‑being of Kingston residents and support the team in achieving a high level of performance, ensuring vulnerable residents receive the appropriate care under the relevant legislative framework.
* Work alongside the team manager and other senior practitioners to maintain good performance and allocate cases.
* Oversee budget responsibilities and approve care plans, Care Act assessments, care reviews, mental capacity assessments and best‑interest meetings.
* Carry out regular supervision with qualified and unqualified staff and support staff.
* Maintain motivation and aid staff retention.
* Be fully responsible for managing a caseload of people with complex needs, adhering to the Care Act and Mental Capacity Act.
About You
Essential requirements
* Registered with Social Work England.
* Sound knowledge and relevant work experience of the Care Act 2014, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and other relevant legislation.
* Demonstrable understanding of the principles and application of excellent adult social care.
* Ability to manage competing demands and complex caseloads, supporting the team leader and other senior practitioners.
* Demonstrable experience of creating effective working relationships with internal and external customers.
* Strong literacy, numeracy, interpersonal and IT skills.
Desired qualifications
* Experience supervising staff members.
* Prior budget responsibility.
About Us
Surbiton and Chessington Hub is an integrated team that supports vulnerable residents under the Care Act 2014. The team includes qualified and unqualified members, senior practitioners and a team manager. Each member embraces the STAR Values – Supportive, Transparent, Appreciative and Respectful – in daily practice.
Our Offer to You
We provide a supportive, friendly and collaborative environment that encourages growth and development. We’re committed to continuous improvement and value staff ideas at all levels, backed by dynamic and experienced management.
We offer a modern and flexible working environment, including IT infrastructure, Google Chrome‑based equipment and hybrid working models. Staff are not required to work in the office five days a week, allowing a healthy work‑life balance.
Benefits
* Generous annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays (pro‑rata for part‑time).
* Three volunteering days per year in Kingston.
* Flexible and agile working arrangements.
* Comprehensive learning and development programme.
* Discounts on local shops, restaurants, gyms and leisure centres.
* Interest‑free season ticket loans.
* Local Government Pension Scheme.
* Bicycle loan facilities and cycle‑to‑work scheme.
* Zipcar scheme.
* Free eye tests and contribution towards glasses.
* Confidential wellbeing and counselling support.
* Subsidised gym membership.
Application Process
Please apply online, outlining the skills, abilities and experience that make you an ideal candidate. Refer to the requirements outlined in the job profile when completing your application.
The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close the vacancy once a sufficient number of applications have been received, so we advise you to submit soon to avoid disappointment.
We are committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI). Personal information that can identify job applicants (e.g., name, title) is anonymised during the short‑listing process. All applications are reviewed based on the knowledge, skills and experience demonstrated, compared with the job profile. Our HR Shared Service with Sutton Council has been recognised for its Best Inclusion and Diversity Programme. We encourage diverse review panels and have mandatory training for all staff to minimise unconscious bias.
Additional Information
We are proud to be a diverse and welcoming borough that reflects our community. We welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, particularly Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic and disabled candidates, who are currently under‑represented in our workforce.
As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to improving recruitment, retention and development for disabled people and guarantee interviews for all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria.
We offer a range of family‑friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, staff engagement forums and inclusive staff networks that drive our diversity agenda.
We are an accredited London Living Wage Employer. The London Living Wage is an independently calculated hourly rate higher than the national minimum or Living Wage.
UK immigration rules and sponsorship requirements apply. Please check the GOV.UK website for right‑to‑work guidance.
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