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You must be a Social Worker registered with Social Work England to apply.

An independent review of our service concluded: "The practice culture here is strong, focused upon helping families make effective changes and your staff speak with passion about Bristol’s children and families" In our last SW Survey 90% of social workers reported they were satisfied with supervision, 95% reported good support from managers in complex situations, 98% report ready access to management support outside supervision and 94% believe Bristol has a positive learning culture.

If you would like to work for Bristol, do apply to join us.

We still work in offices based in the locality they serve. The area Services carry out assessment and offer support for Children in Need, through to Child Protection and Court Work. We have three Area offices located in the neighbourhoods they serve (South, North and East/Central). There is free parking at all our offices.

Services are organised in 26 small units across the city. Each unit has a Team Manager, 3 Social Workers, a Support Worker, and an Administrator. The unit provides excellent support and allows practice to shine. High levels of supervision and support are factors that help Social Workers practice well.

Bristol City Council has supported Social Workers and students to continue to come to work safely in our area offices, rather than be at home, throughout the pandemic. All three offices have free parking and easy access to local amenities.

The team members sit together and create a supportive and creative space in which to practice.

Alongside the social work teams, each area office houses the Early Help and Youth Offending teams so there are really good opportunities for joint working. We have good relationships with partners in other agencies and voluntary organisations in the city. There is an emphasis on whole-family working.

Whether you are looking for a new challenge or want to broaden your knowledge and expertise, Bristol may have an opportunity for you. We can offer 'taster' sessions if you want to visit our service before you apply.

We have a very stable workforce with very low numbers of agency workers. Bristol City Council is an innovative and forward-looking organisation which attracts investment and opportunities for development of services and projects, to support statutory work. We have an excellent training and progression programme for our social workers.

Social Workers in Bristol use Signs of Safety and systemic practice principles in their work with Children and Families. We are committed to supporting families in making lasting change, reducing statutory intervention in family life, and keeping children safely within their family network.

Have a look at our short film about Bristol – City of Hope. City of Hope – We Are Bristol. Bristol has diverse populations which reflect the vibrant City in which we live. Discover more about Children & Families Social Work in Bristol on our recruitment site.

At Bristol City Council, we go that extra mile for our people; we offer a work environment which is supportive, giving you the chance to use your skills and develop new ones within a high-profile organisation.

Join us and you will receive a generous rewards package including flexible working, membership of the Local Government Pension scheme, and a generous annual leave allowance. Bristol is introducing a clean air zone which is great for our environment. We are also able to offer an innovative ‘salary sacrifice’ scheme to help our staff lease a brand new car. In addition, you will be working in a supportive environment where you will have the chance to make Bristol a better place and contribute to its future success.

How do I apply?

If you share our values and are ready to be part of our exciting journey please select the apply button below.

If you are particularly interested in working in a specific area, please state this in your application form. Your stated preferences will be discussed with you at interview. We are very flexible, and always work to match successful candidates to the jobs and locations where they will do their best work.

Please note that this role is subject to an Enhanced DBS Check.

If you would like to talk over the opportunities available or find out more information about Social Work in Bristol, please do contact Katrina Murphy, Area Manager South on 0117 3574949 / 07795091412 or Anne Farmer, Area Manager East/Central on 0117 9036785 and talk things over.