Have you got what it takes to be a children’s social worker?

Cheshire West and Chester Council (CWaC) is holding a recruitment event next Tuesday (July 12) aimed at newly qualified and experienced social workers.

Councils up and down the country have a particular difficulty recruiting experienced social workers so CWaC is taking a pro-active stance.

Reliance on agency staff

A recent Freedom of Information response showed children’s services was having to rely on 11 qualified social workers provided by an agency while nine were also working on the same basis in adult services.

The Twilight Recruitment Event at HQ Building, Nicholas Street, Chester, will offer potential applicants an opportunity to hear first-hand about a number of vacancies across Chester, Ellesmere Port and Winsford.

Team on hand to advise

During the evening session from 6-8pm, a team of social workers, team managers and senior managers, will be on hand to assist and advise, speaking about their own roles and experiences and answering questions about what it is like to work in the borough.

Emma Taylor, director of children’s social care, will also be in attendance to highlight the council’s highly competitive package which includes flexible working, multiple employee benefits, professional support and a wealth of training opportunities.

Chairman of Cheshire West and Chester's Standing Advisory Council on Religious Education, Cllr Nicole Meardon
Councillor Nicole Meardon, cabinet member for children and families at CWaC.

Councillor Nicole Meardon, cabinet member for children and families at CWaC, commented: “The difficulty of recruiting experienced children’s social workers is recognised across the country which is why we are taking a very proactive approach.

“As well as our recruitment evening, we are also developing a dedicated area on the council’s website to highlight the opportunities and benefits of working here in Cheshire West and Chester.

Seeking motivated and passionate recruits

“We want to be sure we are recruiting people that are motivated and passionate about making a difference to the lives of our children and young people, helping us build on one of the most successful Ofsted inspections in the country.

“In return we can offer a high level of support and continuous learning and development - we have successfully ‘grown our own’ strong and permanent senior practitioners and team managers and are keen to continue this trend with our next generation of social workers.

“Now is also a particularly exciting time to be joining the council as we are in the midst of rolling out new ways of working, leading the way in transforming and modernising social work practice.

“We passionately believe that this is a great place to live and work and would encourage social workers who want to provide high-quality services for children and their families in Cheshire West and Chester to come along and see what we have to offer.”

Top performing authority

CWaC was recently judged to be one of the top performing local authorities in the country when it comes to its children and families service. Ofsted rated it ‘good’ with ‘outstanding’ features following an unannounced and rigorous inspection into how well it cares for its most vulnerable children and young people over a four-week period late last year.

For more information about the recruitment event or to register your place, please contact Amanda Jones at Cheshire West and Chester: amanda.jones@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk