At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead safeguarding initiatives and mentor new social workers while managing complex cases.
- Company: Join a vibrant team in Kingston, dedicated to supporting vulnerable adults.
- Benefits: Enjoy generous leave, hybrid working, and access to professional development.
- Other info: Embrace a diverse workplace that values authenticity and promotes wellbeing.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while growing your career in a supportive environment.
- Qualifications: Degree in Social Work and active registration with Social Work England required.
The predicted salary is between 40039 - 48937 £ per year.
Found in zone 6 with good transport links in and out of London, Kingston is a vibrant and diverse university town which creates the rich sense of community shared across the borough and its Residents. Kingston boasts an idyllic riverside location, good shopping and great restaurants, as well as a mix of modern and historic town centre. Kingston has lots of open parklands and cycle routes that help connect the district town centres into an enjoyable place to live and work.
We are passionate about working closely with our residents and vulnerable groups to help them maintain their independence and create a balance between support and independent living.
About the Role and our Ideal Candidate
- Key Responsibilities & Leadership Focus
- Safeguarding Leadership: Act as the Lead Enquiry Officer for high-risk, complex Section 42 safeguarding enquiries, proactively robustly mitigating risk and protecting adults at risk of harm or neglect.
- Practice Mentoring & Supervision (Grade I): Provide high-quality professional guidance, reflective peer supervision, and mentoring to newly qualified social workers (ASYE candidates), support coordinators, and students.
- Complex Casework: Manage a complex caseload utilising strength-based, preventative principles to support individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities to retain their autonomy.
- Legal Accountability: Conduct thorough Mental Capacity Assessments, chair Best Interests meetings, and apply the principles of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and Care Act 2014 to challenging scenarios.
- Service Development: Champion best practice within the hub, contributing to regular peer-review sessions, solution circles and cross-departmental practice improvements.
Requirements
- Qualifications: A recognised degree in Social Work (BA, BSc, MA, DipSW, or equivalent).
- Professional Registration: Active registration with Social Work England.
- Legal: Knowledge and application of the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005, and local adult safeguarding frameworks.
- Leadership Experience (Grade I): Proven post-qualifying experience managing high-risk adult care cases, with a demonstrated ability to model best practices, supervise colleagues, and make sound clinical decisions under pressure.
- The legal right to work in the UK.
About Us
The New Malden Hub is one of three locality teams operating within Adult Social Care at the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. We are a dedicated, welcoming multi-disciplinary team comprising Social Workers and Support Coordinators. Together, we deliver targeted, strength-based interventions for adults aged 18 and older who present with long-term care needs, primarily supporting older adults and individuals with physical disabilities.
Our practice is rooted in early, proactive engagement. We work closely with residents and their carers immediately following initial referral to assess complex needs and co-produce outcome-focused support plans. Collaboration is central to our success; we partner closely with our Reablement service to maximise independence, choice, and overall quality of life for our service users.
To ensure continuity of care and a seamless service delivery model, we provide targeted, ongoing support to our community. Social Workers and support coordinators within our team manage a rich and varied caseload, benefitting from direct access to, and collaboration with, specialist practitioners and multi-disciplinary professionals across the wider council network. This environment offers an exceptional opportunity to promote positive outcomes, lead safeguarding initiatives, and champion independence across the borough.
Work-Life Balance & Team Wellbeing
At the New Malden Hub, we understand that high-quality social work requires a supportive, resilient environment. We heavily focus on staff wellbeing, deliberately balancing our daily statutory duties with regular team-bonding activities, reflective peer groups, and shared learning spaces and protected focus time.
To support a healthy work-life balance, we operate a hybrid working model that requires two days per week office-based at our Guildhall office, allowing you to collaborate in person with your peers while enjoying the flexibility of working from home for the remainder of the week.
Our Offer To You
As an organisation that values and nurtures talent, we’re committed to helping you fulfil your potential and will offer you a supportive, friendly and collaborative environment to grow and develop your career and skills. We’re constantly striving to improve our ways of working so putting your ideas across however big or small; will be fully encouraged and supported by your colleagues and our dynamic and experienced management team.
Employees have access to a wide range of benefits to enable staff to achieve a work-life balance, some of which include:
- A generous annual leave entitlement of 25-32 days, plus bank holidays (pro-rata if part-time working hours apply) depending on service and grade.
- Enhanced Maternity, Paternity, shared parental, adoption and dependents leave.
- Three volunteering days per year in Kingston.
- Hybrid working (dependent on the role).
- Flexible and agile working arrangements using Google Chromebooks.
- Learning and development portal offering a range of courses.
- Discounts on a range of local shops, restaurants, gyms and leisure centres.
- Interest-free season ticket loans.
- Local Government Pension Scheme.
- Bicycle loan facilities and cycle to work scheme.
- Electric vehicle leasing scheme.
- Confidential health & wellbeing and counselling support.
Application Process
We understand and recognise the benefits of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the workplace and are embracing AI where appropriate, to boost our productivity and streamline how we deliver our Council services efficiently; to provide the best possible outcomes for our residents and communities. However, we reserve the right to reject applications where it is apparent that AI-generated content has been used in isolation and without personalised responses. At Kingston we value authenticity and are looking for individuals who can clearly demonstrate their own skills, experience and motivation for the role that they are applying for and embrace and demonstrate our STAR values.
Here at Kingston we have core values of Transparency and this is to be demonstrated during the application process and completion of the supporting statement and will be further tested at interview and selection stage for those who progress forward.
As part of our award-winning Diversity Programme we anonymise all applications received to reduce conscious and unconscious bias enabling every application to be reviewed on the knowledge, skills and experience shown in your application. We encourage our interview panels to be as diverse as possible (age, cultural, neurodiverse etc.) to reduce bias where possible. We are fully committed to removing barriers and enhancing the diversity of our workforce.
We are proud to be a diverse and welcoming Borough and we strive to create a workforce which reflects the community we serve, and instil a sense of belonging in our staff. We celebrate and respect differences and appreciate the value of having a diverse workforce, therefore we welcome applications from underrepresented groups.
To support our workers and their families we offer a range of family-friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, staff engagement forums and inclusive staff networks who help drive our diversity agenda.
We are also proud to be a disability confident employer and guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum essential criteria for a role. As an accredited London Living Wage Employer all our employees are guaranteed the London Living Wage regardless of their length or type of contract.
The UK has a points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance. Sponsorship availability varies and is subject to eligibility requirements and budget limitations. As a result, we cannot guarantee sponsorship for all roles and will evaluate sponsorship requests on a case-by-case basis.
Important Information - Criminal Records
This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory result to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children.
Senior Social Worker in Kingston upon Thames employer: LONDON BOROUGH OF SUTTON
The London Borough of Sutton is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive work culture that prioritises professional development and community engagement. As a Dance Enrichment Tutor, you will have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the lives of learners with special educational needs, while enjoying a collaborative environment that fosters growth and innovation. With a commitment to quality assurance and a vibrant curriculum, you will be part of a team dedicated to enhancing educational outcomes in a diverse and inclusive setting.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Social Worker in Kingston upon Thames
✨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 LONDON BOROUGH OF SUTTON.
✨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 LONDON BOROUGH OF SUTTON!
✨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 LONDON BOROUGH OF SUTTON, 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 LONDON BOROUGH OF SUTTON 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 Senior Social Worker in Kingston upon Thames
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 LONDON BOROUGH OF SUTTON:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to LONDON BOROUGH OF SUTTON! 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 LONDON BOROUGH OF SUTTON
✨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.
