Children's Social Workers - Level 2/3 - Children in Care Team
- Salary BCP Band I (SCP 28-31) £39,152 - £41,771 per annum pro rata, plus £4,234 per annum & BCP Band J (SCP 32-35) - £42,839 - £46,142 per annum, plus £5,719 per annum
From 1 December 2025, our refreshed Pay and Reward package comes into effect, bringing a new approach to how we recognise and reward roles across the Council. This means the salary for this role will be changing. The pay range for this role
(Level 2 - 3) will be £42,839 - £53,460 (pro rata for part time colleagues) from 1 December 2025 and pay protection will not apply.
Currently the Recruitment & Retention Supplement for Level 2 is a fixed amount of £4,234 per annum (pro rata for part time colleagues)
From 1 December the Recruitment & Retention Supplement for this role may be up to £1,331 per annum (pro rata for part time colleagues)
Currently the Recruitment & Retention Supplement for Level 3 is a fixed amount of £5,719 per annum (pro rata for part time colleagues)
From 1 December the Recruitment & Retention Supplement for this role may be up to £3,249 per annum (pro rata for part time colleagues)
Recruitment and Retention Supplements are in addition to the base salary. They are temporary, and awarded solely at the discretion of BCP Council, in accordance with our Interim Salary Supplement policy, which will be replaced by the new Pay and Allowances policy being introduced on 1 December 2025.
You can also find out more about the new terms and conditions that we are introducing on our careers site on, 'More than just a job' brochure
This is what our current workforce say about working for Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council (BCP) in Dorset:
"As for a social worker, there is career progression that is encouraged within BCP and it's a a very rewarding job and something that I absolutely love" "It's a lovely place to come and live and work. So if if you're not from the local area, come down to Dorset. It's a wonderful county and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole are vibrant, busy urban areas right on the sea front" "I've never felt so supported" About our team:
BCP Council Children's Services have 4 Children in Care Teams which are made up of 1 Team Manager, 1 Assistant Team Manager, 6 Social Workers and 2 Family Support Practitioners. The teams are co located alongside the other Children's services teams at the Civic Centre Bournemouth, but work flexibly across the BCP area.
Our goal:
To ensure that all aspects of the child's life and development are being actively supported, especially the quality of care the child is receiving where the child lives.
Our work:
The Children in Care team are dedicated to ensuring all looked after children receive the best possible care and support to meet all their needs. Workers will work alongside the child, carer, family and agencies to ensure a good, up to date care plan is in place to meet their needs.
BCP Council is the corporate parent to around 500 children and young people at any one time. This figure rises when the needs of care experienced young people aged 18-25 who are transitioning out of care are included.
Are you also passionate about making a real difference in children's lives? Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Council is looking for dedicated, compassionate and experienced Social Workers to join our team at Levels 2 & 3 We are proud to have achieved a GOOD rating from Ofsted in Dec 2024, recognising our commitment to providing excellent care and support for children and families. At BCP, we welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are committed to continuing building a diverse and inclusive workforce. Your unique experiences and perspectives will help us continue delivering outstanding care to children in our community. If you are an experienced Social Worker we want to hear from you. If you are reflective, proactive and resilient, have the desire to make a real difference and ensure children and their voices are at the heart of everything you do, Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council could be the place for you?
It is a really exciting time here in BCP Children's Services and you have the opportunity to make a real difference to the lives of our most vulnerable children and young people and impacting on our improvement journey. We are committed to recruiting, developing and supporting outstanding dedicated social workers, to enable our children to grow and flourish. If you like a challenge, want to work in an authority where you can feel the difference you are making, then please give us a call.
If you are interested in this level of social work, you will need to:
- have experience of a mentoring role in front line SW of less experienced staff including new and newly qualified staff, and SW students on placement;
- have post-qualifying award (e.g Practice Education), and/or be willing to undertake Practice Education training;
- be already working to the DfE Knowledge and Skills statements for child and family practitioners;
- be able to work with very complex referrals and complex casework and have high quality skills in analysis of risk and decision making;
- have strong and confident presentation skills;
- have strong conflict resolution skills;
- have a commitment to continuous professional development;
- develop and maintain a professional network, to share expertise and in order to support the outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.
We will require you to:
- be able to travel across the full Council area in a timely manner.
- have significant experience of front line SW safeguarding.
We can offer you:
- Full induction, with a very supportive Practice Fundamentals offer.
- Clear career progression pathway and excellent learning opportunities.
- Manageable and diverse caseloads.
- Regular Supervision.
- 25 days annual leave (pro rata, for those without continuous service), plus bank holidays.
- Competitive salary with access to local government pension scheme.
- Flexible working arrangements in our newly refurbished Civic Offices with Local Offices near to where you need to work.
- Employee Assistance Programme.
- Relocation Scheme.
- Staff network groups.
For an informal discussion about any of the roles above, please contact:
Shan Searle, Service Manager for Children in Care at
Check out our academy website for more details BCP Partnership Academy
About BCP Council
BCP Council provides services to a diverse community of 400,000 residents and employs more than 5,000 people. Our area includes over 15 miles of beautiful world-renowned coastline. We can offer career defining roles to transform and improve services. By working with us, you can help deliver a vision of a thriving, word-class, prosperous and inclusive place for generations to come.
Our Benefits
A Place to Thrive - Join BCP Council At BCP Council, we're not just building a workforce- we're transforming how we recognise and reward our people.
From 1 December 2025, we're proud to introduce a new Pay and Reward package, shaped through close collaboration with our trade union partners. This marks a significant step forward in how we recognise and reward our colleagues, reflecting our commitment to creating a modern, inclusive, and supportive workplace.
Our enhanced offer includes fair and transparent pay, modernised terms and conditions, and a comprehensive benefits package designed to attract and retain talented individuals. Whether it's flexible working, wellbeing support, or opportunities for career progression, our new approach puts people first- we're excited to welcome new colleagues into a Council that's evolving to meet the needs of both our workforce and our communities.
Check out our attractive enhanced benefits and find out more about the new Pay and Reward package at ( Employee benefits Working for BCP link to careers page)
Be the difference - Join an organisation that values you More About us Working for BCP
DBS
BCP Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of the community and expects all staff and volunteers to share the same commitment. Applicants to this post will be required to complete the appropriate level of Disclosure & Barring Service Check. Please refer to the Job Description or Role Profile for more details.
Attached documents
- Social Worker JD and PS BCP.pdf