Child and Family Social Work Practitioner - EDT in Gateshead

Do you want to help make Gateshead a place where everyone thrives? If that sounds like you, keep reading - we might be the perfect match.

We’re delighted that you’re interested in working with us. You’d be joining us at a very exciting time. We pride ourselves on our ambitious and forward‑thinking approach to taking care of Gateshead and its people, and we passionately believe that our employees reflect that spirit in truly enabling Gateshead to thrive.

At Gateshead Council you’d be a highly valued member of a team that recognises and respects the skills that you bring to your role, encourages creativity and passionately advocates a great work / life balance. Our actions speak louder than words, and with flexi‑time and hybrid working available across many of our roles, as well as a full suite of outstanding employee benefits, we’re confident that it isn’t just the salary that attracts our staff.

Our Children’s Social Care team work to provide and further develop services to children and families across Gateshead to offer a focused and joined up approach to offer young people the best possible start in life. This is incredibly important work and includes an excellent early help and prevention service, assessment, intervention and safeguarding supporting children and their families, services for children in and having experienced our care, our fostering, residential and adoption services, support for vulnerable adolescents & those with disabilities and many more. It can be challenging but very rewarding work, as we passionately pursue our goal of helping Gateshead children to thrive.

The Emergency Duty Team provides critical out‑of‑hours social work services to safeguard and support vulnerable children, families, and adults in urgent need. Operating evenings, weekends, and bank holidays, EDT ensures that those facing crisis receive timely intervention, protection, and care when regular services are unavailable. Our team works collaboratively across agencies to deliver safe, effective emergency responses and uphold statutory duties.

We are recruiting for an Experienced Social Work Practitioner.

What you'll get to do:

• Provide out‑of‑hours urgent social work services to safeguard the liberty, well‑being, and safety of vulnerable children, their families, and adults in need of urgent support.
• Maintain accurate records and ensure timely handovers, demonstrating strong awareness of local policies and procedures.
• Promote good practice by sharing emerging research, case law, and policy changes across the service.
• Work collaboratively with professionals and agencies to deliver safe emergency responses, partnering with families/carers and key agencies in decision‑making and planning.
• Join up with colleagues across Children’s Services, Adult Services, and other Council teams to deliver high‑quality assessments and interventions.
• Identify and organise resources creatively to meet assessed needs in emergencies, ensuring welfare and safety until the next working day.
• Participate in mandatory and elective training to maintain professional development, and actively engage in supervision and service meetings.
• Support education and development by mentoring student and sessional social workers, assisting with inductions, and providing professional support to other Council services out of hours.
• Act as a senior worker on shift, supported by an on‑call senior management rota.
• Contribute to the operational delivery of the service, working as part of a rota system covering evenings, weekends, and bank holidays, ensuring full coverage at all times.
• Uphold professional standards when protecting vulnerable adults and children in line with statutory duties.
• Work agilely and independently, including lone working, using technology securely and confidentially.

What you'll bring:

• Qualified Social Worker with Social Work England registration and post‑qualifying experience.
• Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) qualification.
• Strong knowledge of children’s and adult legislation, safeguarding procedures, and risk assessment.
• Proven ability to manage risk, prioritise competing demands, and work autonomously under pressure.
• Experience delivering statutory social work interventions and collaborating across agencies.
• Enhanced DBS clearance, current driving licence, and access to a vehicle.
• Resilient, reflective, and committed to continuous professional development.

If successful you will have to apply for an enhanced Disclosure.

What’s in it for you:

• Competitive Salary: We offer fair and transparent pay that reflects your skills and experience salary £45,091 - £48,226 plus a 15% R & R allowance. You will also receive an EDT allowance of £9,856. Bank Holiday work is paid at double time.
• Outstanding Pension Scheme: We don’t just offer a great salary – we invest in your future too.
• Generous Annual Leave: Enjoy 28 days of annual leave, rising to 32 days after 5 years (2 of which can be fixed by the Council), plus the option to buy up to 10 extra days.
• Flexible Working Hours: Benefit from up to 26 flexi days per year (subject to business needs), giving you more control over your time.
• Learning & Development: Access a wide range of training, development, and progression opportunities to help you grow your career.
• Health & Wellbeing Support: From discounted gym memberships through our partner GLL to mental health resources, we care about your wellbeing.
• Cycle to Work Scheme: Save money and stay active with our tax‑efficient cycle to work programme.
• Electric & Hybrid Car Scheme: Get behind the wheel of a brand‑new electric or hybrid vehicle through our salary sacrifice car scheme in partnership with NHS Fleet Solutions.
• Exclusive Discounts & Salary Sacrifice: Through our VIVUP employee benefits platform, enjoy discounts on shopping, travel, and services.

Our commitment to you:

We are an equal opportunities employer and aim to have a culture and a workplace where our people feel a sense of belonging, are respected and empowered to do their best work. We welcome applications from suitably qualified people from all sections of the community.

How to apply:

You can apply online using the link below. Within the form, you’ll be asked for details about you, your career history, skills, experiences and qualifications.

If you have any questions about your application, please don’t hesitate to reach out to our recruitment team.

Please note:

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role.