Social Worker

Suffolk County Council

Address: Info Bar, Ipswich, Suffolk IP1 2DH

Salary:£38,510 - £42,123 per annum (pro rata for part time) plus £4,000 annual retention payment (pro rata for part time)

Hours:37 hours per week, flexible working options available

Contract:Fixed Term Contact for up to 2 years as secondment cover

Suffolk County Council are focused on making a meaningful difference to communities across Suffolk.

How? By listening to our people learning from what they say and creating a culture of mutual respect, where everyone works together to achieve great things.

As a Social Worker in the Suffolk Youth Justice Service, you will be as passionate about collaboration and building brighter futures as we are. Join us to make a meaningful impact and take the next step in a truly rewarding career. You will be part of a highly skilled, regulated workforce, making a real difference every day, supporting children, families, victims, and communities, while promoting rights, resilience, and positive futures.

Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities

We are looking for passionate professionals to join our team and make a real difference through youth rehabilitation. In this role, you will:

deliver innovative rehabilitation and intervention programs

support young people and their families to prevent youth offending and promote positive change

engage with victims of youth offences

provide court support services, including weekends and bank holidays (once trained and as required)

contribute to community safety initiatives

work as part of a close-knit, motivated, and supportive team

collaborate with specialist services and multi-agency networks

build strong connections with challenging young people

demonstrate resilience, flexibility, and a belief in the power of rehabilitation

apply professional curiosity, assessment and analytical skills

commit to youth justice reform.

What you will need

A recognised Social Work qualification and registration or be a qualified and experienced Probation Officer with post-qualification practice experience.

Proven experience of working with children and young people.

Strong information-gathering, assessment and analytical skills.

A commitment to continuous professional development and learning.

Due to the nature of this role, you will be required to have a driving licence and access to personal transport. If you feel you can meet these travel requirements through other suitable means, please contact the Hiring Manager before applying to discuss.

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (JPP), which you can find in the ‘How to apply’ section towards the bottom of this advert.

If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

The Suffolk Youth Justice Service (SYJS) works with children and young people who are in, or at risk of entering, the Youth Justice System.

We also support parents, carers, and victims of youth crime, operating as a multi-agency partnership hosted by Suffolk County Council.

Our core aim is to

• prevent offending by children and young people
• protect the public from harm caused by youth offending
• promote the safety, wellbeing, and future aspirations of the young people we work with.
• SYJS operates 7 days a week, including evenings until 9pm, and conducts home visits to meet national standards and legislative requirements.

As part of the role, you will be expected to

Occasionally work evenings and weekends, for which you will be entitled to flexi time or Time Off in Lieu (TOIL).

Participate in a Saturday rota, for which you will receive additional payment or TOIL, depending on your preference.

Additional Benefits

up to 29 days annual leave plus bank holidays per annum, pro rata for part time

an uplift of 3 additional annual leave days, pro rata for part time

3 protected CPD days per annum

free on-site car parking in all council buildings

flexible working options and our commitment to supporting health and wellbeing

detailed induction programme, including mandatory Signs of Safety training

staff networks which are open to staff, councillors and partners that share similar characteristics, life experiences, values and beliefs.

Empowering Everyone

We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

For more information

Please contact Emma Tongue for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling either 01473 260183 or 07732603646 or emailing [email protected]

If you want to apply for a secondment, read the secondment policy first. Make sure you get permission from your current manager before submitting your application.

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (Word).

Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.

Step 3 - Upload asupporting statementanswering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template (Word).

Tell us about a time when you successfully engaged a child who was reluctant to work with professionals.

Describe a situation where you were concerned about a child’s safety or safety of others.

Give an example of when you worked with partner agencies to achieve a better outcome for a child.

Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.

For guidance on completing your application, please see our How to Apply page.

Planning to use Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Please ensure your application still reflects your own skills, experience and ideas. If used inappropriately, your application may not be processed. Please read our guidance for using AI to understand what’s acceptable.

Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team by either emailing [email protected] or calling 03456 014412. You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages.

Closing date: 11.30 pm, 3 November 2026.

Interview date: Week commencing 9 November 2026.

Promoted as JOTW (Job of the Week) on Suffolk Jobs Direct.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.

In return, you’ll enjoy

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• * flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day
• Plus lots more!
• If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk).