The salary range for this full-time, permanent position is £40,929 - £43,735 per annum based on a 36-hour working week.
We also offer a financial package of up to £6,000 which is payable in 3 instalments across your first 18 months in post. Information about qualifying criteria to receive this payment can be found HERE
This is a 9-5 qualified social work role, based at our Woking office, meaning you won’t be required to travel to visit children, young people and families. This could make this role a good fit for anyone looking for greater flexibility around how they work.
We are looking for
Qualified Social Workers to join our dynamic, dedicated and responsive Children’s Single Point Of access service or C- SPA for short! As professionals within our service you will bring passion, be curious and committed to working collaboratively to safeguard children and young people to ensure they receive the right support at the right time.
Rewards And Benefits
- We pay your Social Worker England Registration fee.
- 28 days annual leave, rising to 30 days after 5 years' service (plus bank holidays)
- Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave.
- An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing.
- Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
- Paternity, adoption and dependants leave.
- A generous local government salary related pension
- Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more.
- 2 paid volunteering days plus 1 team volunteering day per year
- Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources.
Our Progress
We are proud of our recent
Good Ofsted judgement, which marks a significant milestone for Surrey. In relation to Children who are referred to our children’s single point of access (C-SPA) the report highlights that “...they receive a timely and proportionate response. Practitioners and managers in the C-SPA routinely apply the authority’s continuum of need guidance to inform decision-making, generating a consistent approach to contacts and referrals.” and that “Staff are well-trained and committed, feel highly valued and are proud to work in Surrey.” You can read the full report HERE
About Working In C- SPA
In C- SPA our Multi Agency Partnership (MAP) team is exactly that- a multiagency team responsible for the safeguarding of children within the Surrey area. By working together social workers, education, police and health, we collectively triage, research, analyse and share information in order to identify the most appropriate level of support to meet the needs of a child.
This role is critical for us as C- SPA is the first point of contact any families or professionals have with Surrey where there is a safeguarding need, and therefore sets the tone for our entire working relationship with them.
Our practice across the service is based upon strong relationships with families and with partners who may also support our families. Using motivational approaches as well as principles of the Family Safeguarding Model, you will engage with both the family and the network around them to understand the presenting worries and work out whether a statutory social work service is required. In some instances, a plan to support the family at a lower level of need will be put in place to meet the need of the child and family.
About The Role
Joining us as a Social Worker in C- SPA means that you will be there from the outset of a Childs contact and journey with us. This is an opportunity to be part of a culture in which children and families are supported in a spirit of partnership that encourages them to develop their own solutions while receiving the professional help and support, required to address their needs.
The work of Social Workers in C- SPA can be rewarding but often complex in nature, gathering information and making enquiries as necessary to inform threshold decisions regarding the correct level of support required. We are looking for individuals with professional curiosity and well-developed analytical skills to support us in delivering laser focussed, collaborative and timely front door activity, which ensures child protection and safeguarding matters are effectively responded to.
Shortlisting criteria
To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following:
- Qualified social worker registered with Social Work England
- Sound knowledge of social work practice and legislation
- Ability to make threshold decisions in a timely manner, applying professional judgment and reasoning.
- Ability to communicate effectively with individuals, families and professionals in a clear, professional and timely way.
- Excellent partnership working skills with an ability to collaborate effectively with partners in statutory, voluntary and third sector organisations.
- Substantial children’s social work experience in a UK Statutory setting
Our Inclusive Approach
To apply you will need to upload your CV and answer the following questions. (no more than 200 words per question):
- Please tell us what has motivated you to apply for this role?
- Please tell us about the key skills and experience you will be able to bring to this role.
- In this role, you will need to make decisions using your professional judgment and analytical skills. Please tell us about a time when you used your analytical skills to respond to a complex piece of casework.
- Please tell us about a time when you were able to build effective working relationships with stakeholders or partners that enabled you to deliver positive outcomes?
If your application is shortlisted, you will be invited to a short first round virtual interview to explore your answers to the above questions (lasting approx. 15- 20 min).
If your Teams call goes well, you will be invited for an in-person interview, allowing you to meet the team, check out your potential office and get a feel for what your journey might look like.
We are committed to inclusive recruitment. That is why, if you are invited to a face-to-face interview, we'll share the themes of the questions with you in advance. This way, you can prepare and feel comfortable knowing what topics will be covered during the process, allowing you to focus and confidently discuss your valuable skills and experiences.
Contact Us
Please contact us for any questions relating to role requirements, flexible working requests, transferable skills or barriers to employment. For an informal discussion please drop a quick message to
[email protected] and we'll get a call arranged.
The job advert closes at 23:59 on Monday the 9th of June 2025.
An enhanced DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children's and Adults' Barred List checks will be required for this role
Our Values
Our values are as important as our abilities and shape who we are as an organisation. Discover more about our
values.
Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description.
Our Life at Surrey handbook provides insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.
Our Commitment
Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applicants where:
- The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
- The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form
Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.
#INDSW
