The Roles

We are recruiting staff for a number of posts, at all levels, and to a number of different teams - so we are looking for social workers with different levels of experience. You will have the chance to work with fantastic teams, to feel supported in your work and gain the opportunity to develop your career.

NQSW: Salary range £26,277 - £29,236

Your starting salary will be on point 31 in pay grade 6 (currently at £26,277). Your first year will be an intensive yet supportive one, where you will have opportunity to continue with your learning in practice. Your learning will come from a range of:

• in-house training sessions, which will include the directorate's Integrated Induction and ICS Safeguarding
• specialist on-line learning resources
• external Specialist PQ at Masters Level
• one-to-one learning with your NQSW Practice Teacher.

You will have a dedicated Practice Teacher who will support you to reach the required standards of practice and knowledge to progress further in your career. This will enable you to take on more complex cases and produce a portfolio which demonstrates you have met these standards.

To give you support while learning you will have a carefully managed caseload to match your learning needs and you will receive additional Supervision, from both your Line Manager and your Practice Teacher.

It is hard work, but by the end of your NQSW status you will be more skilled, knowledgeable and confident. You will also receive an additional pay increment to reflect your increased abilities.

Additional link to CWDC website - NQSW Programme requirements

Social Worker: Grade 7 currently £28,636 - £34,549

You will be a competent and confident practitioner, able to hold a full caseload with an increased complexity. We will continue to fully support your learning and development throughout your career.

After successfully completing your NQSW Portfolio you will be eligible to undertake the Early Professional Development (EPD) Programme.

It is likely you will have completed or are undertaking your PQ Consolidation module. As you continue to build your knowledge and experience you will record this learning in order to evidence you have met the required 6 outcomes set by the Children's Workforce Developmental Council (CWDC) EPD Programme.

You will also continue to undertake training courses and further PQ Modules. Everyone has their own pace of learning. You may wish to take breaks between PQ modules, or you may be more interested in completing the Enabling Others PQ module and help to support the learning of others.

If you complete your Specialist PQ Award within five years you will receive an additional increment to take you to point 41, at the top of Grade 7.

Additional link to CWDC website - EPD Programme

Senior/Advanced: Grade 8 currently £33,661 - £39,855

Senior or Advanced Practitioners are separate posts that require an application and interview process.

At this level you will be assessed to receive the CWDC Advanced Social Work Professional Status. You will be supported to ensure you are able to meet the standards required for Status holders. Your knowledge, skills and experience will allow you to take on the most complex cases. You may co-work some cases and your expertise will support the development of less experienced workers.

Additional link to CWDC website - Advanced Social Work Professional Programme

Team Manager £38,961 - £43,931

There are exciting opportunities for team managers within our neighbourhood services. This includes our city-wide Referral & Assessment Service and our three neighbourhood teams working with children and families with complex needs on a more medium to long term basis. You should possess considerable post-qualifying experience in Children and Families work.

 

Case Study

My name is Leanne, I have been working for Coventry City Council for 6 months now and joined soon after qualifying as a social worker.

As a newly qualified social worker in Coventry I joined the NQSW Programme that provides me with 12 months extra support and development time. This has really boosted my confidence and helped me implement all my previous learning within real life practice.

My designated practice teacher supported me to identify the gaps in my knowledge and skills. Together, we designed a learning and development plan, which identified the best way to learn and gain experience and enable me to be a competent practitioner. This is shared with my line manager and so everyone who is involved in my development is aware of my learning needs and plan.

I enjoy learning and I want to progress confidently and quickly into my social work career. I will be applying to do my PQ Consolidation module by the end of my first 12 months and I am looking forward to entering the Early Professional Development Programme.

I have learnt so much in my first 6 months, part of this is my own commitment and the other part is the great range of training being offered in Coventry. In particular, I like to be able to access instant learning. When I visit a family there may be issues that arise where I am less experienced or knowledgeable, such as mental health needs. When I get back to the office I am able to log into the Social Care Learning Forum and see what training courses are available.

Some have instant access which is important for me to consolidate my learning and experiences and to help inform my assessments. I am able to access research and link to specialist sites as soon as I log in. This all forms part of my learning and development which in Coventry is seen as key to getting the best out of staff.

Your Future

At Coventry City Council we are currently looking to develop an additional Grade 8 post for social workers. This includes the 'Practice Educator' post, which the Social Work Task Force recently recommended as part of their Final Report. This post will be of interest to a social worker who want to develop their practice, specialising in the support and development of others.

At Coventry we want our social workers to have options and opportunities for a long and rewarding career. We understand that in order to retain our social workers we need to continuously support learning and development. In addition, we need to provide a varied career pathway that supports practitioners interested in remaining in front-line practice and ensure that salaries are reflective of the level of expertise.