About Us
North Somerset Council is committed to providing high-quality services to our community. We are committed to creating a fair, green and more inclusive environment for all our residents. Join us and contribute to making a positive impact on our community.
The Role
An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and highly motivated Senior Social Worker to join our HOTH Team on a 12-month fixed-term basis.
The HOTH Team plays a critical role in delivering North Somerset’s new and evolving Harm Outside the Home (HOH) Strategy, which focuses on protecting children and young people from risks that occur beyond the family home, including child criminal exploitation, child sexual exploitation, serious youth violence, peer-on-peer harm, missing episodes and other contextual safeguarding concerns.
As we launch our new strategy, we are looking to strengthen the team’s specialist social work expertise. The successful candidate will bring significant experience of working with adolescents affected by exploitation, contextual safeguarding concerns and extra-familial harm, helping to ensure the team can operate confidently and effectively within this complex and fast-moving area of practice.
This role has been specifically created to enhance professional capacity within the HOTH Team and across the wider partnership. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in providing professional leadership, specialist advice and safeguarding expertise, ensuring that children and young people receive timely, coordinated and effective interventions.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced practitioner seeking a specialist role where they can influence strategic development, strengthen multi-agency practice and help shape North Somerset’s approach to Harm Outside the Home.
This position is exempt under the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions) Order 1975 and is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.
A valid driving licence and own transport, or the ability to provide an alternative suitable method of travel, is an essential condition of this role.
This position is currently based at our Town Hall office in Western-Super-Mare. This will be at Weston-Super-Mare or elsewhere within North Somerset.
Key Responsibilities
- Hold and manage a complex caseload of children and young people experiencing, or at risk of, exploitation, serious youth violence, missing episodes and other Harm Outside the Home concerns.
- Undertake high-quality assessments, planning and interventions in line with statutory responsibilities, safeguarding procedures and contextual safeguarding principles.
- Provide specialist advice, consultation and guidance to social work colleagues and partner agencies in relation to exploitation, extra-familial harm and adolescent safeguarding.
- Support practitioners across Children’s Services and the wider partnership to develop effective responses to emerging risks and complex safeguarding concerns.
- Contribute to the coordination and delivery of multi-agency safeguarding responses, ensuring children and young people receive timely and effective support.
- Lead on developing robust safety plans for children and young people at risk of Harm Outside the Home, drawing on a strengths-based and trauma-informed approach.
- Promote and support contextual safeguarding and disruption activity aimed at reducing risks and improving outcomes for vulnerable adolescents.
- Build effective relationships with key partners including Police, Education, Health, Youth Justice, Community Safety and voluntary sector organisations.
- Contribute to the successful implementation and embedding of North Somerset’s Harm Outside the Home Strategy through high-quality practice and partnership working.
- Act as a role model for good practice, supporting learning, reflection and continuous professional development within the team.
Work Style
At North Somerset Council, we offer a hybrid working environment based on four distinct work styles. Depending on the role and personal circumstances, you will fall into one of these categories. However, during the induction period, it may be necessary to spend more time in the office to support your learning and development.
We are flexible and open to discussions about your preferred working style, and if you wish to be in the office more frequently, this can be negotiated.
Flexible Worker
- 2–3 days in the office
- Works both from home and the office, depending on the task at hand.
- Training is provided to help balance work-life and manage time effectively, with an emphasis on communication for team touchpoints and planning in-office days for collaboration.
About You
We are looking for an experienced, confident and forward-thinking social worker who is passionate about safeguarding adolescents and improving outcomes for children experiencing Harm Outside the Home.
Essential Criteria
- Qualified Social Worker with current Social Work England registration.
- Significant post-qualification experience within statutory Children’s Social Care.
- Extensive experience of working with adolescents affected by exploitation, extra-familial harm, contextual safeguarding concerns and complex safeguarding risks.
- Strong knowledge of safeguarding legislation, statutory guidance and contextual safeguarding practice.
- Ability to provide specialist advice, professional challenge and consultation to practitioners and partner agencies.
- Experience of leading and coordinating complex multi-agency interventions and safeguarding responses.
- Strong assessment, analytical, communication and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to influence practice and drive improvement across teams and partnerships.
- Commitment to achieving positive outcomes for children, young people and their families.
Desirable Criteria
- Experience working within a Harm Outside the Home, Exploitation, Adolescent, Contextual Safeguarding or Specialist Safeguarding Team.
- Experience of disruption planning and working closely with Police, Community Safety and Youth Justice partners.
- Practice Educator qualification or experience supporting and mentoring social workers, students or newly qualified practitioners.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary and benefits
- Flexible working arrangements
- Local Government Pension Scheme
- Opportunities for professional development
- Inclusive Staff Groups including Carers, Disabled, LGBTQ+, REACH (Race, Ethnicity and Cultural Heritage), and Young Staff Forums
- Opportunity to purchase up to an additional 10 days annual leave each year
- Dedicated in-house Wellbeing Team
- Salary sacrifice Cycle to Work and Electric Vehicle schemes
Equal Opportunities
At North Somerset Council we want all our employees to feel valued and appreciated. We aim to ensure equality of opportunity and prevent discrimination irrespective of your sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, age, disability, including neurodiversity, if you are married or in a civil partnership or are pregnant or currently on maternity leave. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
As a Disability Confident Leader, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job role.
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