Gateshead Council
Child and Families Social Work Practitioner - CIOC
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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.
Championing every child’s journey with care and compassion.
Our Children in Our Care (CIOC) and Care Leavers Service is a supportive, well-established team dedicated to ensuring children and young people receive the highest standard of care. Our three CIOC teams work closely with children, young people, families and carers to make sure their needs are met and that plans are in place for both their immediate and long-term wellbeing. Our Care Leavers team provides ongoing support to young people who remain in care after their 16th birthday, helping them participate in assessments, prepare for independence and develop robust Pathway Plans that promote positive outcomes. As part of our service, you will join an experienced, collaborative team that works across agencies, places the child at the centre of all decision-making, and is committed to continuous professional development with excellent training opportunities.
Making a lasting difference in the lives of children in our care.
We have a full-time Social Work opportunity for an experienced social worker to join the Children in our Care and Young People Service.
What You Will Get To Do
- Lead on a varied caseload within our Children in Our Care team, delivering purposeful, high-quality assessments and interventions.
- Develop and implement evidence-based care plans and pathway plans that promote the best interests, stability and long-term outcomes of children and young people.
- Ensure reviews, plans and decision-making consistently reflect the needs, experiences and voices of children, young people and families.
- Champion the safety, wellbeing and educational aspirations of children in our care, ensuring they are at the centre of everything we do.
- Apply trauma-informed practice to understand and respond to the impact of early experiences, helping children feel heard, safe and supported.
- Contribute to high-quality life story work, helping children make sense of their identity, experiences and connections.
- Support reunification where appropriate, maintaining meaningful relationships with families and contributing to ongoing work that strengthens stability and long-term outcomes.
- Work collaboratively with multi-agency partners to provide holistic, joined-up support that strengthens outcomes.
- Maintain high-quality, timely and reflective recording in line with professional standards and statutory responsibilities.
- Engage in ongoing supervision, learning and development, contributing to continuous improvement and excellent social work practice
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What You Will Bring
- A recognised Social Work qualification, Social Work England registration, enhanced DBS, and the ability to travel for work purposes.
- Strong understanding of key legislation and guidance including the Children Act, Children and Families Act, Mental Capacity Act and safeguarding frameworks.
- Ability to complete high-quality assessments, analyse risk, develop effective plans, and keep the child at the centre of all decision-making.
- Knowledge of child development, relationship-based practice and solution-focused approaches, with a commitment to expanding professional knowledge.
- Experience working within statutory children’s social care, including safeguarding, Children in Our Care, and working intensively with families.
- Confident report writing, effective communication with children, families and professionals, and strong IT skills for maintaining accurate case records.
- A collaborative, respectful approach with resilience, flexibility, integrity and a commitment to continuous learning, supervision and professional development.
What’s In It For You
- Competitive Salary: We offer fair and transparent pay that reflects your skills and experience. Salary £39,152 - £45,091 + 5% Recruitment and Retention 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: https://twpf.info
- 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).
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Everyone's welcome here
We’re 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. At Gateshead Council we're an employer who embraces, and welcomes diversity, who's truly inclusive and who demonstrates equality for all. We'll go the extra mile so that our approach is representative of the communities we serve and each other. 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.
Ready to join us? Here's how
If this sounds like the right opportunity for you, we’d love to hear from you.
You can apply online by pressing the apply now button. 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
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.
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