Children’s & Joint Commissioning Services have partnered with the University of Sunderland to offer you the opportunity of completing a Social Work Apprenticeship as a social work trainee.
Hartlepool were rated Outstanding in our Inspection of Local Authority Children’s Services (ILACS). The report detailed that “The workforce has access to an extensive training offer. The local authority is investing well in ‘growing their own’ social workers with investment in national recruitment and step-up programmes. Students are well supported to ‘flourish safely’. Newly qualified social workers are well supported through a well established assessed and supported year in employment programme.”
You would be joining a Children Services Department who are committed to providing high quality services to children, young people and their families and offer an excellent working environment valuing supervision, training and opportunities for professional development. We have a stable staff team and very few agency workers.
If you are interested in Social Work and would value the opportunity to learn whilst working and gaining really valuable paid work experience, then this is the perfect opportunity for you.
This innovative role will mean that you obtain a professional understanding of our Social Work service, supporting a qualified social worker with their caseload, whilst also completing a fully funded BA (Hons) Social Work [Integrated Degree Apprenticeship] with the University of Sunderland. At the end of your degree you will be offered a permanent job as a Children’s Social Worker in Hartlepool where you will be responsible for ensuring your continued professional development. Over the course of the three years starting in September 2024 alongside attending university or having a study day one day a week and working four days a week, you would be expected to commit time to studying and completing assignments. This opportunity combines an academic degree qualification with eligibility to apply for registration as a qualified Social Worker with Social Work England on successful completion of the course.
As a successful applicant, you will eventually carry a small caseload and will work alongside Social Workers whilst receiving support from the allocated Apprenticeship Lead and Team Manager. You will assist in providing a range of interventions to children and families; for example: direct work with parents/children/young people; provision of transport/escorting children; working with families in their homes including limited assistance with day-to-day living needs, delivering parenting packages, crisis intervention to prevent placement breakdown and promoting positive family relationships.
The post will also involve working closely with families, social workers, team managers, foster carers and other professionals to achieve better outcomes for children. You will also be required to write detailed legible case notes, write reports relative to the position and update the electronic child’s record in a timely manner.
The ideal candidate will have access to their own vehicle and be able to use this vehicle at all times.
It is essential that you already have some work experience (either paid or voluntary), which would desirably be within the Children’s social care sector. For further details regarding the essential requirements of the role, please see the attached Job Description/Person Specification as well as the Integrated Degree course overview here https://www.sunderland.ac.uk/study/higher-and-degree-apprenticeships/social-work/.
We prioritise the wellbeing of staff through a manageable workload, a highly supportive and visible management team, an excellent staff wellbeing at work offer and a very positive culture of support and development.
For further information please contact Julie Taylor, Workforce Development Manager on 01429 523875.
For this post there will be different stages to the selection. Following shortlisting, candidates will be invited to complete a written test with Sunderland University and if successful then invited to interview. Please be aware that a presentation will be required at interview. Candidates will need to be available for the online written test on Wednesday 9th April 2025 at 10am and then Tuesday 22nd April 2025 or Wednesday 23rd April 2025 for interview.
Closing date: Monday 17th March 2025
Interviews: Tuesday 22nd April 2025 or Wednesday 23rd April 2025
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