Newly Qualified Social Worker / Assessed & Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) 2026

About Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act. We are committed to our values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity and being people-focussed. These values set out how we can contribute to the success of the council and our own success as individuals.

Join Us for Your Assessed & Supported Year in Employment (ASYE). Do you have a passion for making a real difference to the lives of children and families? Start your social work career with Portsmouth City Council and undertake your ASYE in a supportive, innovative, and high performing Children’s Social Care service. Our practice is rooted in relational, restorative, and family safeguarding models, underpinned by a trauma-informed approach. If you value meaningful relationships with children and families, and aspire to work in a culture of learning and reflection, Portsmouth is the place to build your career.

Why Choose Portsmouth? Our practice is rooted in relational, restorative, and family safeguarding models, underpinned by a trauma-informed approach. If you value meaningful relationships with children and families, and aspire to work in a culture of learning and reflection, Portsmouth is the place to build your career. Ofsted 2023 Good with an outstanding grade in the experiences and progress of children who need help and protection - Ofsted, May 2023. Portsmouth is a centre for learning and practitioners benefit from a comprehensive workforce development offer, including the Stronger Futures Academy.

What We Offer: You will join one of our Family Safeguarding & Support Teams or teams supporting children in care. You will benefit from:

• A comprehensive two week induction to the organisation and your team
• A dedicated workplace assessor who knows your day to day practice
• A gradual, protected caseload with a monitored 10% reduction
• Formal progress reviews at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months
• Access to extensive learning materials and practice tools
• Stronger Futures ASYE Academy
• Sessions focused on the child’s journey and voice
• Practice based learning and model specific training
• Internal and external specialist trainers
• Additional tailored training opportunities
• Action learning sets, wellbeing sessions, and group reflective supervision

Our Commitment to You: Direct access to the ASYE Coordinator and Academy Team. Regular personal, family/child, group, and peer supervision. Support in developing your professional identity and inter agency networks. Access to Research in Practice resources. Development of high quality assessment and report writing skills. Access to Portsmouth City Council's employee benefits. Progression opportunities beyond your ASYE year.

The ideal candidate: We are seeking Newly Qualified Social Workers who:

• Have graduated (or are due to graduate) with a BA, MA, BSc, Apprenticeship degree in Social Work, or equivalent recognised by Social Work England
• Are committed to developing knowledge of theory, legislation, and best practice
• Understand the complexities facing children and families
• Can work collaboratively with families and professional networks
• Have a sound understanding of safeguarding
• Communicate clearly and confidently with children, families, and professionals
• Take pride in high quality recording and report writing
• Offer high support and high challenge with a commitment to anti discriminatory practice
• Think creatively and respond calmly in crisis situations
• Are reflective, compassionate, and committed to personal wellbeing
• Can analyse information effectively to inform decision making

A full UK driving licence is essential - you will be visiting various locations across Portsmouth and will need to travel between them.

Please ensure that you download and read the full job profile attached for the details and expectations of this role, paying particular attention to the section 'Who is the person' as you will need to refer to this when completing your Personal statement on your application. Early applications are welcomed! You are welcome to apply whilst your social work qualifications are in progress, please state on your application when you may expect to receive them. The ASYE Stronger Futures Programme commences September 2026 and your ASYE can commence from your date of SWE registration or employment start date.

Interview Details: Interviews will take place during February, March & April 2026. We begin interviews prior to the advertised closing date and reserve the right to close this vacancy early should we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Sponsorship: We may consider offering Skilled Worker visa sponsorship to suitably qualified overseas social workers who are already residing in the UK. To be eligible, applicants must hold a recognised social work qualification and be registered with Social Work England. Sponsorship will be assessed as part of the recruitment process. This is only available to candidates currently living in the UK, unfortunately we are unable to provide resettlement support.

Informal Enquiries: We would welcome an informal discussion prior to applying, please contact: ASYE@portsmouthcc.gov.uk with your query and contact details and you will receive a timely response.

Our Recruitment process: We anonymise applications during application & shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. As part of your application, we ask that you complete a personal statement, this statement is crucial and is where you must demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the job against each of the points described in the 'Who is the Person' points on the Job Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills. If you apply without a detailed personal statement, it is unlikely that you will be successful. You will need to explain any gaps in your career history within the last 5 years - this is essential for all safeguarding roles. You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.

We are a disability confident employer and have an Armed Forces Covenant. We are committed to offering an interview to all those candidates that qualify under one of our commitments and meet the minimum criteria, however, for roles that receive a large number of applications, this is not always possible, and we will select the candidates that best meet the minimum criteria. More information can be found at Equality, diversity and inclusion - Careers portal.

Safeguarding: Portsmouth City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Every post is subject to PCC and Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership safer recruitment procedures. Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) at Standard/Enhanced level will be required prior to any offer of employment and this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Please read the relevant DBS privacy notice before submitting any information.

Read more about working at Portsmouth City Council and our benefits on our careers portal homepage.

Should you require any support in completing the application form please contact recruit@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or call the recruitment team on 023 92 616 800.