Children jobs in West Byfleet

We are looking for Social Workers to join our newly established East Family Help Team based in Reigate.

The salary range for full-time permanent Social Workers who have successfully completed their ASYE is £48,633 - £51,624 per annum. This is inclusive of a market supplement of £5,000. We also offer a financial package of up to £6,000 which is payable in 3 instalments across your first 18 months in post.

Our Offer to You

• A competitive relocation package of up to £8,000
• We pay your Social Worker England Registration fee
• 28 days annual leave, rising to 31 days after 5 years' service (plus bank holidays)
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• Refer a friend payment of £1,000 as a thank you for finding the right Social Worker
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Access to our car lease scheme
• Up to 5 days of carer’s leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents

Help families build on their strengths and create lasting change

The Families First Partnership Programme (FFPP) is a national programme and a central part of the government’s wider children’s social care reform agenda. It aims to improve outcomes for children and families through family led decision making supporting earlier and more effective intervention and stronger partnership working.

Here in Surrey, family-led planning, strengthening the role of Family Group conferencing and family network meetings is central to our newly formed Family Help service. We’re looking for qualified social workers who will work alongside children, parents and wider family networks, helping them build on their strengths, address challenges and achieve positive, sustainable change.

About the role

Joining Surrey as a Family Help Social Worker is an opportunity to deliver thoughtful, relationship-based practice while using your professional judgement to identify risk, provide purposeful support and take timely action when safeguarding concerns arise.

You’ll manage a varied workload of children and families who require assessment and targeted intervention.

You’ll take the time to understand each family’s circumstances, build trusting relationships and ensure that children and families are meaningfully involved in decisions. Working with them, you’ll develop practical family led plans that respond to identified needs, risks and protective factors, with a clear focus on achieving lasting outcomes for children.

You’ll work closely with colleagues and partner agencies to provide joined-up support, prevent needs from escalating wherever possible and respond decisively when risks increase. Throughout your work, you’ll balance compassionate and respectful practice with clear analysis, appropriate professional challenge and evidence-informed decision-making.

You’ll be supported by a Family Help Team Manager through regular supervision and reflective discussion. As the Family Help model continues to develop, you’ll also have opportunities to learn, adapt your practice and contribute to the ongoing improvement of the service.

Your key responsibilities

In this role, you will:

• Manage a varied workload of children and families, taking professional responsibility for assessment, intervention, planning and review.
• Build trusting relationships with children and families, ensuring their experiences, views and strengths are central to assessments and plans.
• Use professional analysis and judgement to identify needs and risks, responding promptly and contributing to statutory safeguarding processes where required.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and partner agencies to deliver coordinated support, prevent escalation and improve outcomes for children.
• Maintain clear and accurate records, using supervision, feedback and reflective practice to continually strengthen the quality of your work.

What we’re looking for:

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills, experience and align with our behaviours:

• A recognised professional social work qualification, such as a CQSW, DipSW or equivalent and SWE registration
• At least 1 year UK experience of statutory social work with children and families within a UK local authority or a comparable setting.
• Up-to-date knowledge of children’s social care legislation, statutory safeguarding guidance.
• The ability to build trusting relationships while confidently assessing risk, analysing evidence and exercising sound professional judgement.
• Strong communication and partnership-working skills, together with a commitment to relationship-based, anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice.

To apply, we request that you submit a CV and answer the following 3 questions:

• Please tell us about what has motivated you to apply for a Social Worker role in Surrey's Family Help Service.
• Please tell us about your experience of undertaking statutory social work with children and families. What types of assessments and interventions have you been responsible for, and what were the outcomes?
• Please tell us about a time when you built trust and engagement with a child or family while managing concerns about risk or safeguarding. What was your approach and what was the result?

Surrey has both urban and rural areas and Social Workers will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK, access to a vehicle and be willing to travel across a wide geographical area. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.

An enhanced DBS ‘Disclosure and Barring Service’ check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children’s Barred List checks will be required for this role.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on Sunday the 15th of November 2026 with interviews planned to follow.

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description and our Life at Surrey Handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey.

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment. Please contact our dedicated CFLL Workforce Team via email at cfllworkforceteam@surreycc.gov.uk

Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation and will move to new authorities in April 2027. This role is currently employed by Surrey County Council and will remain so until then. If you are employed by Surrey County Council on 1 April 2027, your employment will transfer under TUPE arrangements to one of the new councils, with your current terms and conditions protected. The provisional allocation for this post is West Surrey Council, subject to final confirmation through the wider transition process later this year. Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council.

Our Commitment

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum shortlisting criteria as displayed on the advert, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we’re committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.

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