Careers in adult social care
Social Workers
Reading has a great deal to offer Social Workers.
It’s a place of diversity and complex need and an ideal environment for Social Workers who are passionate about their practice and who thrive on variety in what they do. It’s a borough of sharp contrasts.
Our social work teams bring together an amazing set of skills, knowledge and experience. Whether you are already very experienced or in the early stages of your career, Reading is a place where you will continually learn and develop your practice. No two days are ever the same, and this is one of the main reasons why some of our team have committed the majority of their professional career to Reading. That means that there is a depth of expertise and knowledge within our teams that is invaluable.
Our Principal Social Worker role is testament to his: this is our most senior social work role, which is dedicated to raising quality within the teams, promoting best practice, evaluating new ways of working, and championing the work that we do. It ensures that our profession has a voice that informs and influences key decisions.
But we’re not just about those with buckets of experience. Newer members of the team bring different perspectives and ideas on how to improve practice. And it’s an environment where this fresh thinking is always welcomed.
We never stand still.
Team members tell us that they really value the access to training and development that is on offer. We see ourselves as a learning organisation, so it isn’t just about the mandatory professional development that Social Workers need to undertake. There are lots of opportunities to pursue specific areas of interest or specialisms if they can make a difference to the work that you do. Many of our team have availed of training opportunities to enhance their professional credentials, taking on additional responsibilities such as: Best Interest Assessors, Practice Educators, and Approved Mental Health Professionals. And we ensure people have access to management and leadership training to support their ongoing career progression.
If you are recently qualified you can be assured of the very best professional support in your early career. During your Assisted and Supported Year of Employment, we'll make sure that you benefit from the advice and mentoring of more experienced colleagues as you get to grips with putting what you have learned into practice.
There’s a clarity of organisational purpose and direction behind what we do. This consistency of strategic intent is vital to bringing about long-term improvements in quality of life and wellbeing in our community. And, with really well-established partnerships in place we have the formal and informal connections that enable us to make things happen quickly. Reading is a compact borough, so you can build really positive relationships with key stakeholders in the wider system.
Our structure charts for our Operations Team and our Safeguarding, Quality, Performance and Practice Team will give you a good sense of the different social work roles that exist within the Council.