About Us
Are you qualifying as a Social Worker and looking for that first step in your career? Becoming a Newly Qualified Social Worker is only the first part of your social work journey here at West Sussex County Council...
We're hiring Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs) to join our Adults' teams across the county to commence the Assessed and Supported Year in Employment from September 2025.
West Sussex County Council is a diverse organisation that provides services to more than 850,000 residents every day. As an employer we recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive and dynamic working environment where employees can achieve their full potential, achieve a healthy work-life balance and are rewarded for the work they do.
Why not have a look at our dedicated careers in adults social work webpage and Adult social care strategy to learn more!
As part of our cycle of continuous quality assurance and development we regularly ask NQSW's for feedback on all parts of the ASYE Scheme. Hear from some of our most recent NQSW's:
"It has been a privilege working with such knowledgeable and supportive people".
"I find group supervisions very helpful, it is a safe space to share any challenges we encounter, we also get to share and learn from each other and apply different approaches and theories to cases presented in the group"
"The ASYE is extremely useful in helping me prepare for my NQSW role, with effective learning and development for growth and profound support from the assessors. What I like more about the ASYE is the reflective days and protected cases as this enabled me to take a step back and reflect on my capability to practice and self-care when feeling overwhelmed"
"I have had great support from my supervisor/ assessor as I was adjusting to work life and motherhood. My cases were dropped to 5 to allow me time to settle and adjust back into work and balancing motherhood. I have gradually increased my workload and have agreed no higher than 10 whilst completing my ASYE. I feel very supported by the ASYE Programme"
About The Job
Salary: £35,235 to £37,938 per annum
Working Pattern: Full time, 37 hours per week
Contract Type: Permanent
Location: Various locations across West Sussex (Horsham, Crawley, Worthing, Chichester)
We are looking for individuals who possess the ability to communicate effectively and use initiative to provide support and consider how needs impact a person's wellbeing and the quality of their life.
As a Newly Qualified Social Worker you will manage a varied caseload, carrying out assessments of people's needs focusing on the strengths of the person, their families, carers and local communities to promote independence and make decisions in their best interests. West Sussex County Council is proud to have an established programme in growing and developing our own Social Workers by providing the tools, knowledge and skills needed to succeed in this challenging yet highly rewarding career.
Once you have successfully completed your ASYE there will be continued support and development opportunities. We are passionate about career progression and have a range of opportunities from specialist roles to Senior Social workers.
Why choose West Sussex County Council?
* We will provide you with a full Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) which includes academic modules jointly delivered with our local partner University. These modules are specifically designed to provide the right support at the right time and are accredited at post graduate level.
* You will receive quality supervision within your team, fantastic group supervision with your peers, which offers opportunities to share learning with others at the same point in their career as you.
* You will be able to access support from specialists when you need it and a varied training offer to complement your 1-1 and peer supervision sessions. Our comprehensive programme of support for your ASYE will help you build firm foundations for a successful career in social work.
* Reflective and Best Practice groups held regularly.
* We promote Smarter Working practices, to empower staff as to how and when individuals work to meet their key responsibilities within the requirements and demands of their role.
* An opportunity to join us as Assistant Care Manager prior to your Social Work England Registration!
All West Sussex County Council (WSCC) employees have a WSCC location as their contractual work location, however we do operate a 'Smarter working' approach, this is something that you agree locally with your manager, for what works best for you, your role and your team.
How to Apply
Upload your CV and complete the application form ensuring that in your application form you explain how your skills and experience directly relate to the key skills listed on the application form with examples. This is how we shortlist applicants so it is really important to give more information than simply saying you meet the criteria for the role.
Please ensure you have saved the job description attached to the main advert on our website as, once the job has closed, you may not have the opportunity to download again.
Rewards and Benefits
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.
Further Information
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, this can be found on our application help page.
Note for Recruitment Agencies: We prefer to hire people directly, but we do have a supplier list for when we need a helping hand. We'll be in touch directly if we need you!