Isle of Wight Council

We have created a new role within our CASTs. This has provided promotions within our service, and extends career pathways, and offers further professional development opportunities for our social workers. Therefore, due to the promotion of four of our social workers, we have four social worker vacancies within our CASTs that we are looking to recruit to.

We now pay an enhanced market supplement (subject to an annual review), so that you will start working with us as a social worker being paid £36,166 a year rising to £44,964 within four years. We know money is not the reason why you have become a social worker, it is your passion and commitment to make a positive difference to the lives of children that motivates you. However, with the rise in the cost of living, renting and affordability of buying a new home, earning a good salary for the work that you undertake is important. We also offer a relocation package of up to £8,000 to help with moving to the Isle of Wight and we have increased our annual leave entitlement to 32 days a year.

You will benefit from five extra days to take during the year to spend time on your own professional development and work a nine-day fortnight which means you get an additional 26 days’ time off in lieu a year. Plenty of time to achieve that work/life balance to make the most of everything the Isle of Wight has to offer.

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You will have a laptop, SMART phone, and an online Social Work toolkit. We have appointed two new Family Practitioners to each of our child assessment and safeguarding teams to work with child in need families under the supervision of managers. You will have a social worker personal assistant to help with your administration and organise your diaries, visits, and recording.

Our Resilience Around the Families Team is a dedicated resource for you to draw upon when working with families. We have adult mental health professionals, adult substance misuse professionals, child mental health specialists, a team of trained volunteers, access to a range of early help support services including, parenting and domestic abuse interventions.

We have a really positive, supportive culture and working environment. We work to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Approach which is a strengths-based, multi-disciplinary way of working focussed on building resilience in individuals, families, and communities, whilst managing risk and safeguarding children.

We continue to be in our successful partnership with Hampshire County Council who are rated as outstanding by Ofsted across all areas, with their Director of Children’s Services our DCS too.

Ofsted have rated us as a GOOD children's social care across all areas following our inspection published in 2019.

Ofsted found that:

'Children's lived experience is at the centre of social work practice on the Island.'

'Aspirational and highly competent leaders have a clear and shared vision for children's services.'

Our focussed visit in 2021 found that:

‘Social workers benefit from being well supported by available and accessible managers.’

So, as a social worker, is it important to you that children's lived experience is at the centre of your social work practice? To be part of a team that supports you, with a manager that you trust and respect.

Do you want to work with aspirational and highly competent leaders, that have a clear and shared vision for children's services?

If yes, then please get in touch and take your next step in your professional career with the Isle of Wight today.

For further information or an informal discussion please contact Lauren Wicks lauren.wicks@iow.gov.uk or by calling on 01983 821000.

When you join #TeamIWC you'll receive our staff benefits package, including:

-  Annual leave entitlement of 32 days p/a PLUS public holidays!

-  Local Government pension scheme

-  Discounted Solent ferry travel

-  Island bus network discount

-  Cycle to work scheme

-  Staff parking permit scheme

-  Discounted island sports & leisure gym membership

-  National and local discounts & benefits schemes

A relocation scheme of up to £8,000 may be available to new employees specifically relocating to the Isle of Wight to take up a role with us. If you choose to commute to the Isle of Wight daily, you may be eligible get your travel costs reimbursed. Further details are available upon request.

Find out more about working for the Isle of Wight Council and living on the Island here.

The Isle of Wight Council protects its employees from discrimination and this is supported by the Unacceptable Behaviour Policy, Employee Code of Conduct and Behaviours Framework. We actively promote the diversity of our workforce and we provide flexible working options (where appropriate) to support the different needs of our employees.

The Isle of Wight Council’s Terms & Conditions of employment are available upon request. Please contact our recruitment team via adverts@iow.gov.uk if you would like to receive a copy.

The Isle of Wight Council is an equal opportunities employer, who is proud to encourage applications from all cultures, backgrounds and abilities to better reflect the diversity within our local community. In addition to this, we are also a Disability Confident Employer. Along with a number of other areas of commitments, this means that providing you meet the basic essential requirements of the advertised role and have declared yourself as disabled, you will be offered an opportunity for an interview within the council.

This council and its schools recruit according to the council’s Recruitment, Policy and Procedure and are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.

This role falls within the strategic partnership between the Isle of Wight Council and Hampshire County Council. The employer will be the Isle of Wight Council and employment is on Isle of Wight terms and conditions. Hampshire County Council has delivered, on behalf of the Isle of Wight Council, all of its children’s services functions and will continue to do so until 2023. The original five-year partnership arrangement under direction of the Secretary of State finished in 2018 but has been extended voluntarily by both local authorities for a further five years.

The management reporting line for this role is ultimately through Hampshire County Council Children’s Services Director/Assistant Director and managers who take operational responsibility for children’s services.

The Isle of Wight Council is committed to supporting all newly qualified social workers (NQSWs) through the implementation of a robust post graduate competency framework referred to as the Assessed and Supported Year of Employment (ASYE). The ASYE is intended to be the first stage of the continuing professional development for Registered Social Workers, and the framework will be closely allied to the Professional Capabilities Framework (PCF).  You will be therefore, be required to satisfactorily complete the ASYE programme within a 12-month period (or 18 months if part time).

If you have difficulty completing your online application or if you need further information about how to apply, telephone 01983 823134 or email callcentre@iow.gov.uk. Please note only applications completed and submitted online by the closing date will be accepted.

We often receive a high volume of applicants for our vacancies. If you do not hear from the recruiting manager within three weeks of the closing date, we regret that your application will not have been successful on this occasion. If unsuccessful, we actively encourage you to revisit our job pages and apply to alternate posts that may be suitable.