1 The Open University jobs in England & Wales

In this post you will work towards becoming a social worker by completing a degree in social work (an integrated degree apprenticeship). At least 1 day of your working week will be dedicated to study, but you will need to commit time to additional study and completing assignments. You will primarily work within a hub with other social work trainees supported by a lead practitioner who is an experienced social worker (we have 4 hubs, based in localities within the county each supported by a lead practitioner). You will experience a variety of work with children and families, which will gradually increase in complexity as your skills and knowledge develop. You will complete a 10 day shadowing placement and 2 further placements (1 of 70 days and 1 of 100 days) in our social work teams. You will be supported to implement Durham's practice model, which is a strengths-based and safety-focused approach to practice, grounded in partnership and collaboration with families. We encourage you to come along to an online briefing where you will be able to find out more and ask questions about these roles and the degree programme., We are a proud equal opportunities employer and recognise the value of difference, having a diverse talented workforce brings new ideas and new perspectives, which will facilitate growth and improvements to services.

We are looking for 8 practitioners with experience of working with children, young people and families who are ready to take their careers to the next level by training to become social workers., You will be joining us at a fantastic time. Inspectors have just judged our Children's Services as outstanding. You can read the full report here https://files.ofsted.gov.uk/v1/file/50276863,

• To have a real enthusiasm for social work with children and families as a career.
• A relevant professional qualification at level 3 or above e.g. nursing, mental health, education, criminal justice, youth work, therapeutic practice, counselling.
• GCSE grade C or above in English and maths, or a certified equivalent such as functional skills level 2.
• Recent experience of working with children and/or families.
• To meet the requirements of the Open University social worker degree apprenticeship programme. You can find out more here: Social Worker Degree Apprenticeship | Open University
Please note: To be eligible for apprenticeship funding you must not have previously studied towards a Social Work qualification, or currently be studying towards a Social Work qualification.

Durham County Council currently operates a hybrid working policy where a model of 2 days in the workplace and 3 days at home/remote will apply. This model is pro-rated for part time roles and arrangements are at managers discretion, alternatively you can work all of your contracted hours within the workplace if you prefer.

This is a temporary role for 3 years while you complete a social work degree apprenticeship (https://www.instituteforapprenticeships.org/apprenticeship-standards/social-worker-integrated-degree-v1-1). You will earn a salary for the whole 3 year period and the costs of your degree will be fully funded by Durham County Council's apprenticeship levy. Following successful completion of your social work degree and registration with Social Work England you are guaranteed a permanent social work role working with children and families in Durham. Our social workers currently start in post on Grade 9 (£34,314) and are eligible for a £2,000 welcome payment. Ongoing post qualifying support and training opportunities are provided by our excellent Social Work Academy., We offer generous rewards and benefits that are designed to help you perform at your best:
• Competitive salaries and 27 days holiday per year rising to 32 days after five years continuous local government service.
• Option to purchase up to 10 additional days annual leave per year.
• Excellent work/life balance through schemes including job sharing, compressed hours and flexi-time (allowing up to 13 flexi days per year).
• Hybrid working (home and office working).
• Excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS). Plus, top up options - Salary Sacrifice Shared Cost AVC scheme and standard AVC scheme for members of the LGPS.
• Wellbeing Portal and access to an Employee Assist Scheme.
• Wide range of learning and development opportunities including professional qualifications, coaching and mentoring.
• Employee Benefits Portal and Lifestyle Savings Scheme (discounts across a host of major retailers).
• Discounted DCC gym membership.
• Staff networks run by staff for our staff, including Race Equality and Diversity, Disability, LGBT+, Armed Forces, Carers, Menopause.
• Trade Union membership.
• A range of other salary sacrifice schemes such as car leasing.
Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions. Take a closer look: https://www.durham.gov.uk/article/26895/Rewards-and-benefits