Family Help Children's Social Workers - Level 2/3

Job Introduction

Social Workers (Level 2 & 3) – Family Help

Location: Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (BCP), Dorset
Contract: Full-time & Part-time, Permanent

Make a real difference in children’s lives. Join us at BCP Council.

We’re proud to have achieved a GOOD Ofsted rating (December 2024), and we’re continuing our journey to deliver the very best services for children and families across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

We’re looking for experienced, passionate Social Workers to join our Family Help Teams, building strong relationships with children and families and helping them make positive, lasting changes.

At BCP, we want social workers to have the space to do what they came into the profession to do: build relationships, listen to children, work alongside families and make a difference.

Why BCP?

Our workforce says it best:

“I’ve never felt so supported”

“BCP is like one big family… which is really rewarding”

“You can do lots of different direct work with children. Last year I even went crabbing with a family on the beach. It was amazing!”

Check out this video: A day in the life of three social workers at BCP Council on Vimeo

About the Role

As a Family Help Social Worker, you’ll work directly with children and their families to understand what is happening in their lives, identify strengths and risks, and build plans that create meaningful and sustainable change.

As a Family Help Social Worker you in a locality based team and will work across the continuum of need, including:

• Targeted early help
• Child in Need
• Child Protection
• Pre-proceedings and court work

Your work will be relationship-based, child-centred and restorative. You’ll spend time getting to know children and families, understanding their lived experiences and working alongside them rather than doing things to them.

The aim is simple: to provide the right help at the right time, build on families’ strengths and, wherever it is safe to do so, help children remain within their families and communities. 

What you’ll be doing

You’ll:

• Build purposeful and trusting relationships with children, young people and their families, using direct work to make sure children’s voices and lived experiences are central to assessment and planning.
• Undertake high-quality assessments, bringing together information from children, families and partner agencies to understand strengths, needs and risks.
• Develop clear, outcome-focused plans with families that identify what needs to change and how everyone involved will help achieve it.
• Use restorative and strengths-based approaches to help families build on what is working well while confidently addressing areas of concern.
• Deliver and coordinate interventions that support families to make sustainable changes and improve outcomes for their children.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and multi-agency partners, sharing information and expertise so families receive coordinated support.
• Regularly review progress, recognising positive change while providing appropriate professional challenge where improvements are not being made.
• Use sound professional judgement to analyse risk and make proportionate decisions that keep children safe.
• Maintain clear, purposeful recording and high-quality reports that reflect the child’s experiences, progress and the rationale for professional decisions.
• Contribute to reflective practice, learning and continuous improvement across the service.

For our more experienced Level 3 Social Workers, there will also be opportunities to support and mentor less experienced colleagues and students, contribute to high-quality practice across the team and help develop the next generation of social workers.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for Social Workers who are confident practitioners but who also understand that lasting change starts with relationships.

You’ll bring:

• A recognised Social Work qualification and registration with Social Work England.
• Experience of frontline statutory children’s social work.
• Strong assessment, analytical and risk-management skills.
• The ability to build positive relationships with children and families, including when conversations are difficult.
• Confidence in balancing support for families with appropriate professional challenge.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• The ability to work effectively with colleagues and multi-agency partners.
• A reflective approach and commitment to your own learning and professional development.
• For Level 3 roles, experience of supporting, mentoring or developing less experienced colleagues or students.
• A willingness to undertake Practice Education training if you are not already qualified.
• You’ll also need to be able to travel across the BCP area.

What We Offer

We know that great social work depends on social workers feeling supported, valued and able to develop.

At BCP you’ll benefit from:

• Full induction and Practice Fundamentals support
• Manageable caseloads and regular supervision
• Clear career progression and excellent learning opportunities
• Opportunities to develop your practice and support others
• 28 days' annual leave, plus bank holidays
• Flexible working arrangements and refurbished offices
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Staff network groups
• Relocation Scheme
• The opportunity to live and work across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, with over 15 miles of coastline on your doorstep

Ready to Join Us?

If you’re reflective, proactive and resilient, and passionate about giving children a voice and helping families create lasting change, we’d love to hear from you.

You can also find out more about the new terms and conditions that we are introducing on our careers site on, 'More than just a job' brochure

For an informal discussion, contact  Vanessa Johns , Head of Service at vanessa.johns@bcpcouncil.gov.uk.

Apply today and help us make a difference for children and families across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

Our Pay, Terms and Conditions

We’re looking forward to welcoming new colleagues under our refreshed framework of pay, terms and conditions.

To promote fairness and consistency, all new starters will begin at the bottom of the pay band. This reflects our commitment to equity across the organisation and aligns with the approach taken with existing staff during the transition.

While the starting salary is fixed, the role offers excellent scope for growth, meaningful contribution and being part of a forward-thinking team.

About BCP Council

BCP Council provides services to a diverse community of 400,000 residents and employs more than 5,000 people. Our area includes over 15 miles of beautiful, world-renowned coastline.

We offer career-defining opportunities to transform and improve services. By working with us, you can help deliver our vision of a thriving, prosperous and inclusive place for generations to come.

Our Benefits

A Place to Thrive – Join BCP Council

At BCP Council, we’re not just building a workforce, we’re transforming how we recognise and reward our people.

Check out our attractive enhanced benefits and find out more about the new Pay and Reward package at (Employee benefits | Working for BCP link to careers page)

Be the difference – Join an organisation that values you

Find out more at  About us | Working for BCP 

DBS

BCP Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the community and expects all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment.

Applicants to this post will be required to complete the appropriate level of Disclosure and Barring Service Check. Please refer to the Job Description or Role Profile for further details.