We are looking for two Therapeutic Social Workers to join our team. One permanent contract is available and one temporary contract is available for the duration of one year.
What is involved?
As a Therapeutic Social Worker, you will be working with children and young people with complex backgrounds who have had negative childhood experiences and are not doing as well as we would expect, even though they are now safe from harm. You will:
- Undertake individual and dyadic therapeutic work with children and young people to support them to heal from trauma.
- Deliver therapeutic parenting support to adoptive parents and carers, promoting placement stability.
- Deliver attachment and trauma-based training to a wide range of professionals and those who use our service.
- Provide professional consultation in relation to needs and trauma informed care planning.
You will be joining us at a fantastic time! Inspectors have just judged our Children’s Services as outstanding and “social workers told inspectors that Durham is a great place to work. Their words and actions convey a sense of belonging and they view Durham as their employer of choice.”
We encourage you to contact Louise Woolfe via email Louise.Woolfe@durham.gov.uk to arrange an informal discussion about the role.
What will I need?
You will need to be an experienced social worker, and we particularly welcome applications from those who:
- Have a good understanding of child development and the impact of trauma
- Are interested in child mental health
- Are experienced in therapeutic work with relevant qualifications
- Are empathic, reflective and analytical
- Are able to work effectively with children and their parents/carers to improve relationships
Please see the person specification for more details.
Please refer to the attached Person Specification for the full criteria.
If successful, you will be required to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service Enhanced Disclosure.
Our commitment to safeguarding
Durham County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore if successful in your application, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be sought inclusive of a check of the Children’s Barred List and / or Adults Barred List, due to the position working in regulated activity. Applicants should be aware that the DBS check will disclose both spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings, in line with current legislation and will confirm whether an individual is barred from working with children, adults, or both.
Interviews
Interviews will be held on the following dates:
- Group Interview: 13th August 2026
- Individual Interview: 14th August 2026
We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran.
Our offer to you
We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website.
Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions.
EquIty, Diversity, and Inclusion
We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.
How to apply
Please note, we do not accept CVs. All applications must be submitted online via the Northeast Jobs portal. Use the ‘Person Specification’ section of the form to clearly demonstrate how you meet the essential (and where possible, desirable) criteria. Applications that do not evidence the essential requirements will not be shortlisted.
Please visit our website to understand our position on using AI to support your application and for guidance on completing your application.
If you require assistance when applying for this role, please contact our Recruitment Helpdesk on 03000262727, or via email recruitmentCYPS@durham.gov.uk.
All correspondence relating to your application will be sent from donotreply@northeastjobs.org.uk. Kindly check your spam/junk folder regularly to ensure you don’t miss any updates.
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Salary: Grade 9 £35,412 – £39,152 per annum (pre-progression) / Grade 11 £40,777 – £45,091 per annum (post – progression) Pay award pending.
Location: Durham, Durham
Sector: Health and Social Care
Sector: Social Care
Job Role: Social Worker
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