Cornwall Council
Newly Qualified Social Worker (Children's)
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Build Your Practice. Be Supported. Make a Difference.
A fantastic opportunity to start a career in children’s social work as the first supported step of quality long term career development.
“Senior leaders and politicians are relentless in their drive to continue to improve the lives of Cornwall’s children and families… Staff’s care, commitment and child-focused approach shine through.” — Ofsted, July 2024
The Service and Team
Cornwall isn’t just a fantastic place to live, it’s an inspiring place to begin your social work career.
Fresh from our ‘Good with Outstanding features’ Ofsted judgement (July 2024), children’s services in Cornwall are on an ambitious journey of improvement, grounded in strong leadership, reflective practice and a clear focus on outcomes for children and families.
Our transformed Family Help model brings together the best of Early Help and Child in Need practice, co-designed with practitioners to deliver effective, compassionate and truly child-centred support. We invest where it matters most: every Family Help Team is strengthened by integrated domestic abuse expertise and dedicated clinical psychology input, and families benefit from strong participation approaches including Family Group Conferencing, Family Led Meetings, and consistent use of genograms and ecomaps.
We believe that the children of Cornwall deserve the very best. We put their needs at the heart of everything we do and we are looking for Newly Qualified Social Workers who share our determination to improve lives and help build brighter futures.
If you are committed to continuing professional development and believe in compassionate, relationship-based social work with children and families, this is an excellent opportunity to launch your career within an innovative and supportive children’s service, in one of the most beautiful parts of the country.
The Role
This role is part of the Department for Education (DfE) Early Career Development Framework Programme, an employer-led induction designed to support Newly Qualified Social Workers in the early stage of practice working with children and families.
You will benefit from a structured, nurturing and high-quality program, including:
- A tailored induction within a direct practice team
- Support from a dedicated Practice Educator and Learning Buddy
- A bespoke learning plan, reviewed throughout the year
- An outstanding core curriculum of evidence-based learning and development
- Bespoke practice workshops alongside NQSW colleagues across the service
- Monthly ASYE peer support meetings
- A protected and gradually increasing caseload
- Regular reflective supervision
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The role focuses on developing confident, reflective practitioners whose work prioritises positive outcomes for children and families, relational practice, consistency and long-term professional growth.
This is a public/customer-facing role, where the statutory English language requirement applies.
Appointment is subject to an enhanced criminal record disclosure check.
Find out more about social work careers in Cornwall: Work in Adults or Children’s Social Care – Cornwall Council [https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/work-in-adults-or-childrens-social-care/]
What You’ll Need to Succeed
To apply, you must:
- Have qualified on a relevant social work course within the last two years
- Be registered with Social Work England
- Due to the rural nature of Cornwall, this role requires travel to locations not always served by public transport; therefore, a full, clean driving licence is essential.
Please read the role profile for the full details of this role attached below in this advert
What You’ll Get in Return
Cornwall Council’s ambition is to be an employer of choice, a high-performing council, and a learning organisation. We are committed to supporting our workforce through flexible working, strong leadership and a comprehensive rewards and benefits package.
In recognition of the vital contribution you make, we offer:
- A competitive starting salary, with progression as you develop
- A generous relocation package
- An outstanding career and qualification pathway, recognised by Ofsted
- Access to the Cornwall Council lease car scheme
- 26 days paid annual leave (rising to 29 with service), plus bank holidays
- Flexible working and home-working opportunities
- Full access to Community Care Inform and Research in Practice
- Annual payment of your Social Work England registration fees
Additional Information
- Cornwall Council is unable to offer visa sponsorship or transfer existing sponsorship for this role.
- The full role profile is attached here [https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/media/3bubj2ii/2891-new-qualified-social-worker-nqsw-tff-grade-3-rp-1-2.pdf] and we recommend saving a copy for reference
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Tracey Davey – tracey.davey@cornwall.gov.uk [tracey.davey@cornwall.gov.uk]
Application Process
We run continuous recruitment for Newly Qualified Social Workers and hold interviews at regular intervals throughout the year.
Applicants are encouraged to apply for the recruitment round closest to their expected qualification date.
Please include a supporting statement with your application, clearly demonstrating how you meet the criteria marked ‘Application’ in the role profile. Examples may be drawn from study, placements, work experience or transferable skills, highlighting what you did and the impact it had.
Guidance on applying can be found here: ?? The Application Process – Cornwall Council [https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/working-here/application-process/]
Please note that applications cannot be edited once submitted. If you require assistance, contact careers@cornwall.gov.uk.
Existing employees must apply using their Cornwall Council email address via the Opportunity Marketplace on Oracle.
Cornwall Council deliver services to more than half a million local people and over five million visitors a year. Working here - Cornwall Council [https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/working-here/]
We are happy to talk about flexible working options such as part-time or compressed hours. More examples of our flexible working opportunities can be found here - flexible working options [https://www.cornwall.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers/working-here/benefits-of-working-for-the-council/].
Fairness and inclusion are at the heart of our vision for Cornwall. In order to best serve our communities, we are striving to achieve a diverse workforce that is inclusive of all backgrounds, cultures and identities; e.g., race, disability, sex, gender reassignment status, age, religion and sexual orientation. We are an equal opportunities and Disability Confident employer, and we will assess applicants on their merits.
Cornwall Council is committed to safeguarding and following safer recruitment principles to help make sure our staff and volunteers are suitable to work with children, young people and adults at risk. It’s a vital part of creating a safe and positive environment and making a commitment to keeping all service users safe from harm.
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