Locum Safeguarding Qualified Social Worker

Advanced Social Worker (Children & Families – Exeter & East Devon)

Brief Job Overview

 
We are seeking an experienced and motivated Advanced Social Worker to join Devon County Council’s Exeter & East Children and Families Team. In this key role, you will provide leadership, guidance, and expertise to ensure that children and young people in our care receive the highest standards of support.  

Working closely with your Team Manager, you will oversee the day-to-day delivery of services, offer supervision and mentoring to colleagues, and help shape the team’s ongoing development. This hands-on position includes a smaller, complex caseload, allowing you to focus on delivering detailed assessments and driving forward evidence-based, child-centred practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide professional supervision, mentoring, and guidance to social workers and students within the team.
• Work closely with the Team Manager to ensure effective operational delivery and high-quality outcomes for children and families.
• Hold a reduced caseload, focusing on complex and high-need cases requiring in-depth assessments and coordinated interventions.
• Champion good practice and reflective learning, helping to maintain high professional standards across the team.
• Lead on practice improvement initiatives and contribute to the professional development of colleagues through mentoring and coaching.
• Work collaboratively across multi-agency settings to ensure effective, joined-up support for children and their families.
• Contribute to the court process by preparing high-quality, evidence-based reports and attending hearings when required.
• Promote a learning culture and encourage innovative, strengths-based approaches in line with Devon County Council’s practice standards.

About You

 
You are a confident and experienced Advanced Social Worker with a strong background in children’s social care, safeguarding, and multi-agency working. You have the professional insight to lead others and the compassion to place children at the centre of your practice.  

You are confident making complex decisions, comfortable managing demanding workloads, and committed to improving practice standards across your team. You bring a reflective approach to supervision and champion professional growth, collaboration, and accountability.

Requirements

• Qualified Social Worker with registration through Social Work England.
• Significant post-qualifying experience, ideally working at an Experienced or Advanced Practitioner level.
• Evidence of ongoing professional development and training.
• Strong experience in multi-agency settings and involvement in court proceedings.
• Excellent communication, planning, and case recording skills.
• Thorough understanding of relevant legislation, social work models, and theories.
• Ability to constructively challenge and lead improvement in practice and service delivery.
• Valid UK driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes.

Contract & Salary

• Job Type: Locum
• Location: Exeter & East Devon, Devon County Council
• Service Area: Children & Families
• Contract Length: 3 months (with potential for extension)
• Salary: Negotiable, dependent on experience
• Working Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week
• Working Pattern: Hybrid – office, community, and home-based work

How to Apply

 
If you are a confident and compassionate Advanced Social Worker with the skills to lead, mentor, and make a meaningful impact on the lives of children and families, we’d love to hear from you.  
Please apply using the form on the page.