Main Responsibility

What is a Consultant Social Worker?  

The Consultant Social Worker (CSW) role is pivotal to the participants’ first year on the programme. Each CSW is responsible for four participants who are undertaking their Postgraduate Diploma in Social Work. CSWs work with participants using a unit model approach – a systemic practice model for working with families, with cases managed through weekly unit meetings. These meetings provide a dynamic learning environment and a reflective space to think systemically about the cases in the unit.

The role offers those who wish to remain in practice the opportunity to do so alongside the chance to take on supervisory and management responsibility for a small team. For more information about the exact responsibilities of a CSW, please see the CSW job pack.

What is a Deputy Consultant Social Worker?  

The Deputy CSW supports the participants’ line manager (the CSW) in developing the participants’ social work practice, offering co-working and shadowing opportunities and deputising for the CSW during any periods of absence.

The role is an excellent development opportunity for social workers who have aspirations of being managers or practice educators in the future. For more information about the exact responsibilities of a Deputy CSW, please see the Deputy CSW role guide.

What will I get from the CSW role?

The Consultant Social Worker position offers the opportunity to:

• Step up to a management-level role without leaving practice.
• Access to a high-quality systemic training programme.
• Demonstrate through a portfolio of work that you meet the Practice Educator Professional Standards (Stage 2).
• Receive support and mentoring from one of Frontline's practice tutors.
• Influence and shape practice, and practice education, across your local authority.

What will I get from the DCSW role?

The Deputy Consultant Social Worker position offers the opportunity to:

• Gain experience in management and teaching; the role is a fantastic opportunity for those looking to progress into management roles. 
• Access to a high-quality systemic training programme, including teaching on different practice models. 
• Demonstrate through a portfolio of work that you meet the Practice Educator Professional Standards (Stage 1).
• Gain evidence for CPD. 
• Influence and shape practice, and practice education, across your local authority (for example, by co-working cases with students).
• Possible reduced caseload (if agreed by your team manager)

The Ideal Candidate

How to apply:  

1. Complete an application form: follow this link to complete an online application form
2. Anonymous scoring: the panel, which includes a representative from Frontline and the local authority, will anonymously score the applications. These scores will be carried forward and considered in the overall hiring decision, should you be progressed to the next stage.
3. Attend an interview, week beginning 5 June, if shortlisted, you will be asked to complete a role play and interview. 

If you have any questions about the application process or the role, please contact Liz Fuller, Deputy Principal Social Worker (Staffordshire CC), or you can also visit our FAQs page for more information.

About Staffordshire County Council

We are no ordinary county council:

Our Values:

The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.

Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:

We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.

We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too. 

Our benefits:

We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance. 

In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to a range of benefits.

Our recruitment process:

As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities

As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Silver Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post. 

As you’ll know safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children and young people/vulnerable adults is important to us and that’s why this position is subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. If applicable you should disclose details of unspent and unfiltered spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions and convictions in your application form.