What we offer social workers

• competitive pay
• relocation package
• generous holiday
• annual leave purchase scheme
• excellent local government pension scheme
• positive ways of working (good management, regular supervision and low caseloads)
• first class training and development
• mobile working (access to iPads and laptops)
• family friendly policies and flexible working
• employee assistance programme (including access to free counselling)
• wellbeing service (including a range of wellbeing programs and access to wellbeing coaches)
• an employer committed to equality and diversity
• attractive area to live and work
• contribution to professional fees – we’ll contribute to your professional subscription
• cycle to work scheme – get a bike tax-free
• access to pool cars to use for meetings
• option to pay into a health cash plan that can help you manage the cost of dental treatment, eye tests, new glasses, etc.
• free car parking at council offices
• discounted travel on public transport and free business travel on public transport
• opportunity to join NSC advantage+ which will give you access to a range of benefits, discounts and offers
• electric vehicle scheme

Competitive pay

• social workers - up to £39,186
• senior social workers – up to £45,441
• team managers – up to £58,238
• heads of service – up to £67,912

Relocation package

Financial support up to the value of up to £8,000 may be available to help with relocation and removal expenses.

Generous holiday

27 or 29 days annual leave increasing by five days after five years continuous service, eight statutory holidays and an extra day at Christmas.

An annual leave purchase scheme is also available.

Excellent local government pension scheme

Secure future income at a low cost to you, and we pay in too.

We know that social work is an emotionally demanding and stressful profession. Our department is set up with small teams with approachable managers who sit alongside their workers. They are there to offer support and guidance, bot in regular supervision sessions and when needed. This could be, for example, after a difficult home visit or phone call.

We have low caseloads, giving you the opportunity to build relationships and use direct work to improve the lives of our vulnerable. Within the community family, teams work is varied. 

We support children in need and those in need of protection. We also provide support during care proceedings and through to adoption. This allows you to develop your skills, while also enabling children to benefit from a sustained relationship with their social worker.

Within the community family, teams are skilled support workers delivering both individual and group parenting support. This is to assist in achieving positive outcomes as well as direct work with children. 

We are committed to developing you. We identify what you may need to progress in your career in annual appraisal plans. These are reviewed in line with your progress).

We invest in you to ensure you have the right skills and experiences to provide a first class service. Acting up/secondment opportunities are encouraged to enable experience to be gained in different areas and to assist with professional development.

We offer a bursary scheme where you can apply to complete a masters degree or to apply for funding to complete training in other enhanced courses. We use signs of safety and we have practice leaders in every area who are champions of this approach.

We offer a comprehensive training programme for staff working with equality groups, including mandatory training for everyone on exploring roles and responsibilities in relation to equality and diversity. This is complemented by a bespoke programme of training for our newly qualified social workers (NQSW) throughout their assisted and supported year in employment (ASYE), and a core curriculum for every social worker to make sure we have a varied programme that will inspire and stretch each team member.

Our learning and development opportunities are aimed to support the workforce. This will help to achieve our shared vision of providing excellent service. To help support the lives of children and families in North Somerset.

Mobile working

IT equipment including iPads, laptops and mobile phones enables mobile working and for you to work more flexibly.

Family-friendly policies and flexible working

We understand the importance of balancing personal lives with the flexibility necessary to make sure business needs are met. To help you achieve the perfect balance we have a number of working practices in place:

• flexi-time (work how you want around the core hours of your job)
• job sharing
• term-time only work
• working from home
• compressed weeks/fortnights (work your hours, but more over less days)
• time off in lieu

We also offer a range of support to help you with your caring/family responsibilities including:

• childcare benefit scheme
• maternity and adoption pay that exceeds statutory requirements
• paternity and parental leave
• carers’ leave
• dependants’ leave
• bereavement leave

Employee assistance programme

A telephone service, operating 24-hours a day, seven days a week, which gives you access to specialist information and advice at a time that suits you.

• confidential telephone counselling for when you need someone to talk to
• assistance with face-to-face counselling when appropriate
• legal information (excluding employment law)
• medical and general practitioner call back
• access to the online health portal