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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Support the Team Manager, mentor colleagues, and manage complex cases in a collaborative environment.
- Company: Join West Sussex County Council, a diverse organisation dedicated to serving over 850,000 residents.
- Benefits: Enjoy a supportive culture, work-life balance, and opportunities for professional development.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while working with a friendly and inclusive team.
- Qualifications: Degree in Social Work, registered with Social Work England, and experience in assessments and supervision required.
- Other info: This role is permanent, full-time, and based in Worthing, with an interview date set for 30th June 2025.
The predicted salary is between 40000 - 50000 £ per year.
About Us
West Sussex County Council is a diverse and inclusive organisation serving more than 850,000 residents. We offer a truly supportive culture, one that’s second to none. Our employees are genuinely valued and respected, and we place a strong emphasis on work-life balance. Our Adults' Community Teams offer an exciting and rewarding area of practice, giving social workers the opportunity to make a real difference in people's lives. We work with adults aged 18 and over who have cognitive and/or physical disabilities, with a particular focus on older people. We embed a strengths-based approach in our practice, supporting individuals to explore their networks, maximise independence, and access local community resources. We maintain strong partnerships with health colleagues through proactive care initiatives, including regular multidisciplinary meetings at local GP surgeries. Our community teams play a central role in fulfilling the statutory duties of Adults' Services. A solid understanding of the Care Act 2014 is key, and our practitioners are skilled in safeguarding enquiries, person-centred assessments, and multi-agency working.
About The Job
Salary: £46,731 to £49,764 per annum
Working Pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week
Contract Type: Permanent
Location: Worthing
Interview Date: 30th June 2025
We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Social Work Practitioner (SSWP) to join our Worthing Community Team. This is a permanent, full-time role offering variety, supervision support, and the chance to work within a genuinely collaborative team. As a Senior Social Work Practitioner, you’ll support the Team Manager in delivering high-quality, strengths-based practice. You’ll play a key role in mentoring and supervising colleagues, managing complex cases, and ensuring high standards across assessments and care planning, and the functioning of duty. You’ll need a strong working knowledge of the Care Act 2014, the Mental Capacity Act 2005, and experience in applying these in practice. You should also bring a commitment to the strengths-based model, empowering people to meet their outcomes using their own capabilities, family support, and local community assets, alongside funded care where appropriate.
What You’ll Be Doing
- Supporting the Team Manager in day-to-day operations
- Supervising and mentoring team members
- Chairing Best Interest Meetings
- Quality assuring assessments and reviews with a strengths-based focus
- Promoting and supporting staff wellbeing
- Contributing to complaint resolution and continuous service improvement
- Holding your own case load
You will be a confident and empathetic communicator, capable of managing expectations, delivering difficult messages sensitively, and finding alternative solutions in line with our approach. Experience in a supervisory role (or strong foundations and training in supervision) is essential. You’ll also be committed to upholding strong social work values and supporting both qualified and unqualified staff.
Experience and Skills
Please ensure you cover how you meet the following qualifications and experience within your application:
- A Degree in Social Work or a recognised equivalent Social Work qualification e.g., Diploma in Social Work.
- A recognised post qualifying award in Social Work (e.g., Practice Educator, Best Interest Assessor and/or Approved Mental Health Professional) or demonstrable evidence of continuous professional development at a similar level.
- Registered with Social Work England.
- Experience of undertaking assessments in complex situations and social work intervention planning, implementation, and review by means of creative and pragmatic solutions.
- Extensive experience of working in partnership with those who access the service and maintaining a focus on the needs and strengths of the people, and the outcomes they want to achieve, whilst handling conflict and disagreement.
- Experience of managing risk within a risk enablement approach.
- Excellent, up-to-date working knowledge of relevant legislation e.g., Care Act (2014), Mental Capacity Act (2005) etc.
- Requirement for BIA qualified practitioners to contribute to BIA service delivery, AMHP qualified practitioners to contribute to AMHP service delivery.
- Valid, full driving licence.
Desirable: Please read the role profile for the required key skills for this role as they also need to be covered within your application.
Further Information
For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee you can find them on our Rewards and Benefits page. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. This post is subject to Social Work England registration, an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and a health check. West Sussex County Council is an equal opportunities employer committed to promoting an environment that is inclusive and free from all forms of unlawful or unfair discrimination and values the diversity of its people. We actively welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and take every possible step to ensure that no individual will be disadvantaged.
For information regarding your eligibility to apply for this role under our Disability or Veteran's Guaranteed Interview Scheme (if you meet all the essential criteria), this can be found on our application help page.
Senior Social Work Practitioner - Worthing Community Team employer: West Sussex County Council
Contact Detail:
West Sussex County Council Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Social Work Practitioner - Worthing Community Team
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the Care Act 2014 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Understanding these legislations is crucial for the role, so be prepared to discuss how you've applied them in your previous work during the interview.
✨Tip Number 2
Highlight your experience in mentoring and supervising others. Since this role involves supporting team members, think of specific examples where you've successfully guided colleagues or managed complex cases.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your commitment to a strengths-based approach. Be ready to share instances where you've empowered individuals to achieve their outcomes using their own capabilities and community resources.
✨Tip Number 4
Prepare to discuss your collaborative work with health colleagues. The role requires strong partnerships, so think about how you've effectively worked in multidisciplinary teams and the positive outcomes that resulted from it.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Social Work Practitioner - Worthing Community Team
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your relevant experience in social work, particularly focusing on your understanding of the Care Act 2014 and Mental Capacity Act 2005. Use specific examples that demonstrate your skills in managing complex cases and mentoring others.
Craft a Strong Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for social work and how you align with the strengths-based approach mentioned in the job description. Mention your commitment to empowering individuals and your experience in collaborative team environments.
Highlight Relevant Qualifications: Clearly outline your qualifications, including your degree in Social Work and any post-qualifying awards. Make sure to mention your registration with Social Work England and any relevant continuous professional development you've undertaken.
Showcase Your Communication Skills: Since the role requires confident and empathetic communication, provide examples in your application of how you've effectively managed expectations and delivered sensitive messages in previous roles. This will demonstrate your suitability for the position.
How to prepare for a job interview at West Sussex County Council
✨Know Your Legislation
Make sure you have a solid understanding of the Care Act 2014 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Be prepared to discuss how you've applied these laws in your previous roles, as this will demonstrate your expertise and commitment to best practices.
✨Showcase Your Strengths-Based Approach
Be ready to explain how you empower individuals to achieve their outcomes using their own capabilities and community resources. Share specific examples from your experience that highlight your ability to support clients in maximising their independence.
✨Emphasise Team Collaboration
Since the role involves mentoring and supervising colleagues, discuss your experience in team settings. Highlight instances where you've successfully collaborated with others, chaired meetings, or contributed to service improvements, showcasing your leadership skills.
✨Prepare for Scenario Questions
Expect to be asked about managing complex cases and handling difficult conversations. Think of scenarios where you've had to navigate conflict or disagreement, and prepare to articulate your approach to finding solutions while maintaining empathy and professionalism.
