Adult Social Care Practitioner - Neighbourhoods (Adults)

• Location: Taunton and West Somerset
  • 2 x 37 hours per week
  • 1 x 29 hours per week
• Salary: £28,598 rising to £32,061 annually
• Hybrid working opportunities
• Opportunity to join the path to becoming a fully qualified Social Worker
• 28 days annual leave entitlement - this will be pro-rata for part time hours
• Must have access to/use of a vehicle

We are unable to offer sponsorship for this position as it does not meet the requirements of the home office

Adult Social Care Practitioners in the neighbourhood’s team work closely with their health and community colleagues to gain an in-depth understanding of community resources that can facilitate and build independence, maintaining people’s ability to remain living in their own community networks and working with a strengths-based approach.

Our goal of working with people to develop gloriously ordinary lives remains the same throughout our practice which means:

• Encouraging people to be independent, helping them grow their confidence and make the most of the support available to suit their individual needs
• Identifying what people and families are worried about or what they want to achieve, exploring what support they already have and what they need.
• Developing great knowledge of your local area and working in partnership with local agencies.
• Providing creative solutions.
• Being a critical part of developing our new and exciting Adult Social Care service.

• Desirable to hold or be working towards an NVQ level 3 in Health and Social Care or equivalent (equivalent must be health and social care related).
• Have experience of working in a caring or supportive role.
• Are not afraid to do things differently to create support that is better for people.
• Are passionate about advocating for others.
• Are innovative, creative and solution focused in supporting people to be independent.

We offer ongoing support, training and guidance to help you be the best you can be.

At Somerset Council, we work hard to attract the best staff and we want to make sure that once you are on board, you are well supported and rewarded for the work you do.

We offer great training and development opportunities, with supportive management. As well as this, we have some fantastic employee benefits available:

• This grade offers 28 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) and the option to request to buy up to 2 weeks additional annual leave pro rata
• Hybrid working options where the role allows
• A clear career pathway with apprenticeships, professional, leadership and academic programmes and qualifications, regular CPD opportunities and a corporate coaching and mentoring scheme
• A new comprehensive induction programme supported by Practice Development Advanced Practitioners, plus a confidential and impartial welcome call to ensure your induction goes smoothly
• Ongoing support & development opportunities – regular CPD events arranged and delivered by our dedicated Adult Social Care Learning and Development team, including an annual Carnival of Practice event with key speakers such as the Chief Social Worker, a team of Advanced Practitioner – Practice Development roles to support our workforce, personalised personal development plans, a corporate coaching and mentoring scheme.
• Local Government pension scheme
• Employee support networks that acknowledge and celebrate the richness of diversity and equality within our workforce
• Guaranteed Interview Schemes – Disability Confident, Veterans, Care Leavers
• Employee assistance and support offering a variety of wellbeing services and events to support a healthy work/life balance inc. a free online gym offer, dedicated Mental Wellbeing Ambassadors and much more!
• Access to the Blue Light Card which offers thousands of discounts online and on the high street
• My Staff Shop which offers a variety of discounts including; cinemas, shopping, restaurants, gym discounts and more!
• Discounted lease car options via salary sacrifice, along with discounts on fuel
• Cycle to work scheme

You will need to be able and willing to travel countywide, including to areas that are not currently serviced by public transport.

This is a Grade 12 post with a current salary of £28,598 rising to £32,061 per annum. The starting salary would normally be at the minimum point of the grade.

Got a question about becoming an Adult Social Care Practitioner with Somerset Council? Please contact Michelle Thorne - Service Manager - Neighbourhoods West - michelle.thorne@somerset.gov.uk

We are a socially active council and run many webinars and events, team away days, volunteering opportunities plus, hold regular staff Q&A sessions. We encourage professional development and training to support your learning and aspirations. And there are also a variety of networking groups and activities that you can join.

We’re proud to be here for the people of Somerset. And that means everyone in Somerset. An important part of this is ensuring we are as diverse and inclusive as the people and communities we serve so we will always welcome applications from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences to enrich our teams. You can always contact the hiring manager for a chat if there’s anything you want to talk about before you apply.

When completing your application/CV please provide your full employment history and ensure that any gaps in employment are explained. Please start with your current or most recent employment.

Please note we reserve the right to close this advert early if we have received a sufficient number of applications, so don't delay, apply today!

We are reclaiming narratives about social work and believe in the power of lived experiences of people (including workers) and sharing stories. To get a sense of this, listen to the Social Work Sessions podcast.

Somerset is situated in a beautiful, rural county in a central southwest location but with good city links. With scenic countryside, historic sites, charming towns and villages, family-friendly attractions, beaches, festivals (Glastonbury!) and events, outdoor activities, zoos, water parks and plenty of local produce to try, there’s something for everyone!

This post requires a criminal background check via the Disclosure procedure.