We are on ambitious journey within our Initial Response Service (Assessment). We are investing in the Service and implementing exciting new ways to support children and families.

About the Role

We are looking for someone who is committed, enthusiastic, dedicated and passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people in Warwickshire.  We’re seeking dedicated and experienced Social Workers to join our Initial Response Service. Our Initial Response Service is a fast paced and busy role, with competing demands on you time. The role includes completing child and family assessments, Section 47 enquiries, Child Protection and Child in Need work.

With investment into our service, we are expanding to include a dedicated support team for adolescents, a Homeless Prevention Advisor and beginning to embed multi-disciplinary workers within our teams. We are also ensuring a strong local link with our Early Help colleagues – to promote local community support for children and families when social care no longer needs to be involved.

About WCC Children and Families Service

At Warwickshire County Council (WCC) we work with children and families restoratively, building strong relationships and connections to help families find long-lasting solutions.  Our work contributes to our wider County Council aim – to make Warwickshire the best it can be for everyone.  It’s a big responsibility that can be challenging at times, but this is what drives our staff to succeed, develop and achieve. If you’re someone who wants to do the best job possible, who approaches everything with passion, tenacity, courage and purpose, then we want you to work with us.

Throughout 2020 we continued to look to the future and build on our programme of change and investment in the service.... Covid hasn’t stopped us!

It has helped us shape and develop a focus on wellbeing, utilising technology, opening opportunities for career development and renewed our focus on reflective and supportive leadership.  These are the backbone to our offer to our workforce.  

WCC invested in Microsoft technology in 2020 including the use of Surface Pros and MS365 suite which has enabled our workforce to seamlessly transition to community and homeworking.  We have a whole council commitment to flexible working and employee wellbeing.  We nurture, support and challenge each other to achieve the best outcomes for all our children. 

WCC is an authority that engages with innovation.  We are a financially secure local authority and want to achieve an outstanding service for children.  To this end we have received £21m investment programme over four years to implement new and creative ways of working with children.  This funding is from both the Council and Department for Education to strengthen relationship and evidenced based practice.   We are introducing the Leeds Family Values model which includes increasing Family Group Conferences, providing more support for Special Guardians and a Caring Dads Programme. We are also implementing Multi-Disciplinary ways of working (which is focussed on embedding adult mental health, substance misuse and domestic abuse services in our teams.  We also have a new Children’s Workforce Academy to further support our staff and managers develop.  All of our practice is underpinned by restorative and trauma informed practice. 

We want our practitioners to spend their time building relationships with families to achieve change.  We provide safe and manageable caseloads and have provided substantial additional capacity to support teams with Covid pressures.  Average caseloads February 2021 were 15 per worker.  We have excellent business support who minute multi agency meetings for social workers. We are also investing in technology such as automation to support practitioners to automatically upload documents to children’s electronic records.

We’re building something very special in Warwickshire.  A community of practice – with diverse thought, skills and experiences.  Working for every child to create a Child Friendly Warwickshire. 

Find out more about Warwickshire Children & Families Service

Ofsted inspection report Warwickshire

For a full list of requirements for this post, please see the Job Description and Person Specifications:

Level 3

Level 4

Additional Information

This organisation is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS disclosure.

For more information please contact or Workforce Development Officer, Sarah Morgan by emailing sarahmorgan@warwickshire.gov.uk  

Closing date: 2nd July 2021

To apply for this vacancy please click on the 'Apply' button. Our method of application is online, please note, CV’s should not be submitted unless asked to do so.

As part of being a Disability Confident employer we guarantee to interview anyone with a disability whose application demonstrates that they meet the criteria for the post. This means the qualifications, skills or experience defined as essential in the person specification.

Should you require application forms in an alternative format / language or any adjustments to be made throughout the application process or upon appointment, please contact hrandpayroll@warwickshire.gov.uk  and we will make every effort to meet your specific requirements.

Warwickshire County Council is committed to equality of opportunity for all staff. Would particularly welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons from the BAME community, people with a disability and people from the LGBT+ Community.