About The Job
Salary : £38,626 to £41,511 per annum
Working Pattern : Full-time, 37 hours per week
Contract Type : Fixed-term until March 2026*
Location : Office-based in Shoreham, covering the Adur, Arun, and Worthing areas
Interview Date : Week commencing 19th May
*If you are an internal candidate, this position may be available as a secondment. Please ensure you discuss this with your manager before applying.
We are excited to offer an opportunity for a Social Worker to join the Changing Futures Programme Sussex, as part of a dynamic multi-disciplinary team (MDT) within the Communities Directorate at West Sussex County Council.
You will work within a newly developed MDT alongside colleagues from the Communities Directorate, Adult Social Care, and third-sector partners. The team combines a broad range of skills and expertise in multi-disciplinary assessments and support services. Together, we take a holistic, assertive outreach approach to support a small caseload of clients across West Sussex who are facing homelessness (or insecure housing), involvement with the criminal justice system, substance misuse, domestic violence, and mental health challenges.
As a Social Worker, your role will be twofold:
1. Providing intensive, person-centred support to help clients lead meaningful, independent lives.
2. Undertaking traditional social work duties such as assessments, support planning, and reviews.
A key part of this role is identifying systemic challenges, working flexibly, and drawing on creative solutions and best practices to overcome barriers faced by people with multiple disadvantages. There is a strong emphasis on continuous learning and practice development.
Experience and Skills
Key Skills (please cover with examples within your application as these are the short listing criteria):
3. Ability to apply a risk enablement approach and use evidence-based practice.
4. Ability to analyse and interpret people related information and data to prioritise needs and formulate plans for intervention and service provision.
5. Ability to provide informal supervision and develop the capabilities of less experienced social care practitioners, and to mentor and coach students and apprentices.
6. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to interact effectively with a range of stakeholders to provide clear advice and guidance and interventions.
7. Ability to recognise the limits of own accountability and responsibility, know when to seek appropriate support, advice and supervision, and to prioritise and organise work and meet agreed performance expectations.
8. Sound and accurate IT skills to ensure effective record keeping, compliant with data protection and respecting confidentiality.
9. Degree in Social Work, or a recognised equivalent Social Work qualification, e.g. Diploma in Social Work.
10. Registered with Social Work England.
11. Experience of undertaking assessments and social work intervention planning, implementation and review by means of creative and pragmatic solutions.
12. Good up-to-date working knowledge of relevant legislation, e.g. Care Act (2014), Mental Capacity Act (2005) etc.
13. Valid, full driving licence - Desirable
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.