Senior Social Worker/Social Worker - Community Team

About Us

Working for us at West Sussex County Council is all about making a positive difference to the people of West Sussex. This is a great opportunity for you to join us as a qualified social worker. We're embracing a strengths-based approach and working within a community-led support model that builds on the assets and strengths of both people and their local communities. Together, we'll focus on prevention, enablement, reablement and safety, to promote wellbeing and independence. We'll ensure that residents, families, and communities have the right support in place, and at the right time.
We provide a working environment that values professional supervision and offers the right balance between challenge and support. This provides our workforce with what they need to deliver the best possible outcomes for our residents. We work to ensure that innovation and evidence-based practice underpins what we do and that we maintain an environment within which our social workers can develop and progress in their careers. If you have the talent and ambition to achieve the best for the people we serve, then we will support you to progress and develop throughout your social work career.

About The Job

Salary: NJC Grade 9 - NJC Grade 11, £35,235 - £45,718 depending on experience

Working Pattern: Full time
Contract Length: Permanent
Location: Chichester (hybrid working, 2 days per week in the office & in-person team meetings once a month)

Working as a Social Worker in a busy community team, your role will involve working with adults from 18 years and upwards with physical disabilities, acquired brain injuries, chronic health conditions, older people and people with dementia. Tasks will include assessments, reviews, safeguarding enquiries and mental capacity act assessments.
You will work as part of a strong and dynamic social work service. In this role you will be required to undertake strengths-based assessments applying relevant legislation utilising social work skills and knowledge to develop and implement a plan of support, aimed at improving wellbeing and delivering outcomes for people as well as contributing to and developing skills in safeguarding.
You will manage a caseload collaborating with people and family or friend carers, undertake strengths-based assessments and reviews, identifying eligible needs and personalised outcomes. You will be working within a supportive environment to apply your social work skills to develop and implement support plans, aimed at improving wellbeing and delivering outcomes, including utilising community assets, and ensuring that eligible needs are met. You will be working within a managed and supportive context, applying learning to further develop capability, and professional confidence. You will be supported with professional supervision and assessment and a workload that is appropriate to your level of professional development.
You will work effectively in partnership with other staff and voluntary agencies and have a good understanding of all the relevant health, voluntary and private services in the area. You will strive to remain up-to-date and compliant with all relevant legislation and adhere to organisational procedures, policies, and codes of conduct as well as Social Work England professional standards to uphold a high-quality, seamless service.

Experience and Skills

Please refer to the relevant job description for your level of experience for full key skill and Qualifications and/or experience information.

* Degree in Social Work or a recognised equivalent Social Work qualification e.g. Diploma in Social Work.
* Registered with Social Work England.

* Valid, full driving licence. Desirable. *Please note that this post requires travel across West Sussex County Council.

Rewards and Benefits

For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee you can find them on our Rewards and Benefits page.

Further Information

The reference number for this role is CAFHE05518.

For an informal conversation or for further information regarding the role, please contact Jo Boylin (Team Manager (Acting)) at

For issues or queries regarding your application please contact .

To apply, upload your CV and complete the application explaining the skills and experience you can bring to the role ensuring that any gaps in employment are covered in your CV. Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to Social Work England registration, an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and a health check.

West Sussex County Council is an equal opportunities employer committed to promoting an environment that is inclusive and free from all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination and values the diversity of its people. We actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and take every possible step to ensure that no individual will be disadvantaged.

For information regarding your eligibility to apply for this role under our Disability or Veteran's Guaranteed Interview Scheme, this can be found on our application help page.

Note for Recruitment Agencies: We prefer to hire people directly, but we do have a supplier list for when we need a helping hand. We'll be in touch directly if we need you!