At a Glance
- Tasks: Support children and families in crisis with intensive short-term interventions.
- Company: Join Fife's Close Support Team, dedicated to making a difference.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible shifts, and enhanced payments for unsocial hours.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for personal growth and teamwork.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by helping families navigate challenging situations.
- Qualifications: Experience working with children and families, strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 33577 - 41039 £ per year.
Proposed Interview Date: Week Commencing 07 December 2026
Closing Date: Sunday 29 November 2026
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: FC6 £31,761.26 to £34,914.86
Working Pattern: 36 Hours per week, including evenings and weekends
Location: Glenrothes but working throughout Fife
Supporting Statement: As part of your application, you must provide us with a Supporting Statement which outlines how your skills and experience make you a good candidate for this vacancy. Without a Supporting Statement, your application will not be progressed. Your Supporting Statement must not be a CV.
When completing your Supporting Statement, we would encourage you to demonstrate your experience of:
- Working with children, young people and families in crisis.
- Assessing and managing risk in complex situations.
- Delivering direct interventions and achieving positive outcomes.
- Working independently and using your initiative to respond to changing circumstances.
- Building effective relationships with children, families, carers and partner agencies.
- Working collaboratively as part of a multi-agency team.
- Applying strengths-based and solution-focused approaches in practice.
The Close Support Team (CST) is a Fife-wide team which provides assessment, intensive short-term support and intervention to children, young people, families and carers experiencing crisis, where there is a significant risk of family or placement breakdown. The team delivers focused, responsive support at the point families need it most. Working alongside our Early Help and Support, Enhanced and Specialist Services, CST provides intensive interventions to help stabilise situations, reduce immediate risks and support positive change.
The team's involvement is time-limited and purposeful, with a focus on helping families and young people navigate periods of crisis, strengthen existing support networks and identify sustainable solutions. Where ongoing support is required, CST works collaboratively with colleagues and partner agencies to support planned transitions to longer-term services. The team also works with young people living in residential care and those preparing for independence, providing practical and relationship-based support to help them develop confidence, resilience and the skills required for independent or semi-independent living.
This post operates on a 3-week rota incorporating daytime, evening, weekend and public holiday working. Staff currently work a variety of shifts including: 9.00am - 5.00pm, 12.00pm - 8.00pm, 2.00pm - 10.00pm. The Close Support Team operates weekdays from 9.00am - 8.00pm and weekends from 9.00am - 10.00pm. You will receive every third weekend off. Enhanced payments are payable for weekend, public holiday and unsocial hours working. A full driving licence is essential for this post due to the Fife-wide requirement for travel.
Key Responsibilities:
- Undertake assessments and provide intensive short-term interventions to stabilise crisis situations.
- Deliver focused support to children, young people, families and carers where there is a risk of family or placement breakdown.
- Build positive and purposeful relationships with children, young people, families and carers.
- Use strengths-based and solution-focused approaches consistent with The Promise and GIRFEC.
- Support families to identify solutions, strengthen support networks and develop practical support and safety plans.
- Work closely with social work teams, residential staff and partner agencies to achieve positive outcomes for children and young people.
- Support young people living in residential care and those preparing for independent or semi-independent living.
- Contribute to transition planning and future support arrangements where required.
- Assess, manage and respond to risk, ensuring children's wellbeing and safety remain central to all interventions.
- Attend at, and present information to, meetings regarding families you support.
- Provide support to the Out of Hours Social Work Service when required, contributing to urgent assessments and crisis responses.
A link to the Role Profile is included below. You will find further information about the job and the type of person we are looking for.
Social Work Assistant - Close Support Team in Glenrothes employer: Fife Council
Fife Council is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive work culture that prioritises employee well-being and professional growth. With a flexible 36-hour working week, generous leave entitlements, and opportunities for hybrid working, employees can achieve a healthy work-life balance while contributing to meaningful projects within the community. The council is committed to continuous improvement and provides ample career development opportunities, making it an ideal place for MRICS qualified Chartered Surveyors to thrive.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Social Work Assistant - Close Support Team in Glenrothes
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Fife Council.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Fife Council!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Fife Council, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Fife Council or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Social Work Assistant - Close Support Team in Glenrothes
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Fife Council:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Fife Council! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Fife Council
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
