Consultant Social Worker - CIOC

Who we are & what we stand for

Do you want to help make Gateshead a place where everyone thrives?  If that sounds like you, keep reading - we might be the perfect match.

We’re delighted that you’re interested in working with us. You’d be joining us at a very exciting time.

We pride ourselves on our ambitious and forward-thinking approach to taking care of Gateshead and its people, and we passionately believe that our employees reflect that spirit in truly enabling Gateshead to thrive.

At Gateshead Council you’d be a highly valued member of a team that recognises and respects the skills that you bring to your role, encourages creativity and passionately advocates a great work / life balance. Our actions speak louder than words, and with flexi-time and hybrid working available across many of our roles, as well as a full suite of outstanding employee benefits, we’re confident that it isn’t just the salary that attracts our staff.
Our Children’s Social Care team work to provide and further develop services to children and families across Gateshead to offer a focused and joined up approach to offer young people the best possible start in life. This is incredibly important work and includes an excellent early help and prevention service, assessment, intervention and safeguarding supporting children and their families, services for children in and having experienced our care, our fostering, residential and adoption services, support for vulnerable adolescents & those with disabilities and many more. It can be challenging but very rewarding work, as we passionately pursue our goal of helping Gateshead children to thrive.

Our Children in Our Care teams are dedicated to supporting children and young people to ensure their needs are understood, their voices are heard and the right care arrangements are in place both now and for the future. Working closely with children, families, carers and partner agencies, we focus on achieving positive outcomes through meaningful relationships, effective planning and high-quality interventions.

Alongside this, our well-established Care Leavers Team provides ongoing support to young people who remain in care after their 16th birthday. The team works in partnership with young people to assess their needs, prepare for adulthood and review their Pathway Plans, helping them develop the skills, confidence and opportunities they need to achieve successful and independent futures.

We have an exciting opportunity to recruit a Consultant Social Worker to our Children in our Car Team. Our Consultant Social Workers are role models for excellent practice, demonstrating professionalism, resilience, leadership and a commitment to continuous learning while delivering the best possible outcomes for children and young people.

Supporting children today, shaping brighter futures tomorrow.

What you'll get to do:

• Lead and manage a complex caseload of children in need, children in our care and child protection cases, delivering high-quality assessments, interventions and support.
• Support and influence social work practice through assisting with supervision, decision making and professional development of practitioners.
• Develop, implement and review evidence-based care plans and pathway plans that promote the best interests of children and young people.
• Ensure children, young people and their families are fully involved in assessment, planning and review processes, with their views reflected in all decision making.
• Champion the education, health, safety and wellbeing of children and young people, helping them achieve their aspirations and reach their full potential.
• Deliver purposeful interventions that reduce risk, strengthen resilience and create sustainable positive change.
• Build and maintain effective multi-agency partnerships across Children's Social Care, schools, family hubs, health services and specialist support services.
• Support quality assurance and performance improvement activities, ensuring recording, reporting and practice standards are timely, accurate and compliant.
• Work within delegated authority, escalating recommendations and decisions where appropriate.
• Contribute to service development, continuous improvement activities and the promotion of best practice across the service.
• Maintain professional registration, participate in supervision and appraisal processes, and undertake ongoing learning and development.

What you’ll bring:

• A recognised Social Work qualification, Social Work England registration, and the ability to travel effectively across the borough.
• Significant experience within a statutory children and families social care setting, working confidently within relevant legislation, policy and professional frameworks.
• Strong knowledge of children's legislation, safeguarding, child development, corporate parenting responsibilities and current social work practice.
• Proven ability to undertake complex assessments, analyse risk, develop effective plans and deliver interventions that achieve positive outcomes for children and families.
• Experience of supervising, supporting and developing practitioners, students or colleagues, alongside contributing to performance management and quality improvement.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building and partnership-working skills, with the ability to engage positively with children, families and professionals while promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Strong analytical, digital and organisational skills, with the ability to maintain accurate case records, produce high-quality reports and keep the child's voice at the centre of practice.

If successful you will have to apply for an enhanced Disclosure.

What’s in it for you

• Competitive Salary: We offer fair and transparent pay that reflects your skills and experience salary £45,091 - £48,226 plus a 5% R & R allowance
• Outstanding Pension Scheme: We don’t just offer a great salary – we invest in your future too. Find out what benefits a Local Government Pension provides:
• Generous Annual Leave: Enjoy 28 days of annual leave, rising to 32 days after 5 years (2 of which can be fixed by the Council), plus the option to buy up to 10 extra days.
• Flexible Working Hours: Benefit from up to 26 flexi days per year (subject to business needs), giving you more control over your time.
• Hybrid & Flexible Working: We support a healthy work-life balance with flexible and hybrid working options.
• Learning & Development: Access a wide range of training, development, and progression opportunities to help you grow your career.
• Health & Wellbeing Support: From discounted gym memberships through our partner GLL to mental health resources, we care about your wellbeing.
• Cycle to Work Scheme: Save money and stay active with our tax-efficient cycle to work programme.
• Electric & Hybrid Car Scheme: Get behind the wheel of a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle through our salary sacrifice car scheme in partnership with NHS Fleet Solutions – a cost-effective, environmentally friendly way to drive (after 12 months service).
• Exclusive Discounts & Salary Sacrifice: Through our VIVUP employee benefits platform, enjoy discounts on shopping, travel, and services – plus salary sacrifice options on white goods, electronics, and more, helping you spread the cost of essential purchases (after 6 months service).

Our commitment to you

We are an equal opportunities employer and aim to have a culture and a workplace where our people feel a sense of belonging, are respected and empowered to do their best work. We know that we deliver better services when our workforce reflects the full range of backgrounds and experiences in the society we serve. We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, and sexual orientation

How to apply

You can apply online using the link below. Within the form, you’ll be asked for details about you, your career history, skills, experiences and qualifications.

We advise you to be as detailed and specific as possible, paying particular attention to any of the above which are relevant to the role to which you are applying.

If you have any questions about your application, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our recruitment team via  View email address on northeastjobs.org.uk

Please note:  As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role. However, in high-volume recruitment situations, it may not always be practicable to interview every eligible candidate. In such cases, we may need to prioritise those who best meet the essential criteria, based on the information provided in the application.

Additionally, the Council reserves the right to close this vacancy early or adjust the shortlisting criteria, including the pass mark for interview selection, to ensure a fair and manageable recruitment process. We encourage early applications.