Dorset Council
Social Worker – Keyworker Service
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# Social Worker (Keyworker) – Birth to Settled Adulthood Team
Help children and young people stay safely in their communities
We are recruiting for an experienced, skilled, and compassionate Social Worker to join Dorset Council’s Keyworker Service within our Birth to Settled Adulthood (B2SA) team. This role requires a qualified Social Worker with substantial experience supporting children and young people with complex needs, particularly those with autism and/or learning disabilities.
About the Role
You will support children and young people aged 0–25 who are at high risk of mental health hospital admission. Working proactively within health, education, and social care systems, your role will be to ensure that personalised, timely, and co-ordinated support is in place—helping young people to remain safely within their communities where possible.
This position sits within Dorset’s integrated Birth to Settled Adulthood service, ensuring a holistic approach to supporting disabled children as they transition into adulthood. The role offers a unique opportunity to work in a multi-agency collaboration, making an immediate, life-changing difference in the lives of vulnerable young people and their families.
Key Responsibilities
Core Duties
- Support children and young people on the Dynamic Support Register, ensuring their needs are met to prevent hospital admission or facilitate safe discharge.
- Build and maintain strong, therapeutic relationships with families, acting as a consistent point of contact across their care journey.
- Work collaboratively with health professionals, education teams, and social care to develop and implement personalised support plans.
- Contribute to Care, Health and Education Reviews (CHER/CETRs) to ensure holistic assessment of needs.
- Identify and unblock barriers across services to remove obstacles preventing effective support.
- Support systems change to improve multi-disciplinary working practices that better support children and young people with complex needs.
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Essential Requirements
- A qualified and registered Social Worker, with regulated status (e.g., QSW or equivalent).
- Substantial experience working with children and young people (0–25) with autism, learning disabilities, and complex mental health needs.
- Proven track record in coordinating support across health, education, and social care agencies.
- Experience in proactive risk management, actioning safeguarding protocols, and preventing hospital admissions where possible.
- Excellent advocacy, communication, and precrisis resolution skills.
- Ability to build trust with families, professionals, and young people in tumultuous situations.
- Fluent in electronic systems commonly used in social work and health settings.
- Confidence in working at organisational boundary levels, including trust Nichols, CCG, and educational provision.
Desirable Attributes
- Experience in BCB (Best Possible Behaviour) approaches in mental health.
- Knowledge of habilitation and developmental models for neurodiverse young people.
- Familiarity with local authority services and multi-agency agreements.
Why Work for Dorset Council?:
We’re not just about the work we do—we’re about how we do it. Our approach is driven by inclusion, professionalism, and community-focused collaboration.
Your Professional Growth & Wellbeing
- Work within an integrated Birth-to-Settled-Adulthood model, connecting directly to health and education.
- Access to professional development opportunities, ensuring you remain at the forefront of NEET youth and neurodivergent support work.
- Participation in regional and national Keyworker Communities of Practice, promoting shared learning.
Workplace Benefits
- Purposeful work supporting some of the most vulnerable young people in Dorset.
- Supportive and collaborative teams, including specialists in disabilities and mental health.
- Flexible arrangements where possible, with occasional travel across West Dorset.
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About You
You’ll bring authentic passion, resilience, and empathy to your role. An individual who:
- Believes in equity and accessibility for disabled and neurodivergent young people.
- Is goals-focused—enjoying seeing long-term progress for system outcomes and individuals alike.
- Relishes collaborative problem-solving over solitary working.
- Is sharp at identifying and addressing unforeseen barriers.
Committment
This is a whole-hearted role, involving support for vulnerable clients who may present complex, multi-agency needs. A DBS check will be required.
Contact
For an informal conversation or further details, please email Ceri David, Area Practice Manager ([ ezprotect email link removed]).
The role is based in West Dorset, with occasional travel across North Dorset for collaborative and fluid service delivery. You’ll also work closely with colleagues at various sites.
Exceptional Candidate Highlights
Dorset Council values diversity, and inclusion. The council is ** proud Disability Confident Employer**—if you identify as having a disability, we encourage you to declare this in your application. Should you need any reasonable adjustments to the hiring process to accommodate wellbeing or access concerns, let us know.
This role offers UK-based flexibility, years of career-long purpose, and commitment to a community for whom Dorchester could be their town, their safe haven, and the stage for their bright future.
Apply Today!
Access the role here: [Vacancy link] (or complete your application now via [extranet link]) For more, visit Dorset Council Web.
Dorset Council: Building a More Prosperous, Sustainable Community
Final Notes
Ex-offender candidates will undergo standard right-to-work verification and council policy screening. Generic job description used—context statements provided as needed. Your expertise will shape this role.
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