FAST social workers

Join our child protection Family Assessment and Safeguarding Team (FAST) and get a great package of support and benefits.

Our Ofsted inspection in January 2023 said our FAST teams 'work diligently to assess, support and protect children with a range of complex issues and their work is made more manageable by the support they can draw on from the wide range of support services. Practice remains at a consistently high standard in all teams.'

Financial benefits

• Salary up to £43,517
• Financial rewards of up to £12,000 for continued service *
• A £2,000 welcome payment **
• Up to £10,000 relocation package and interest free loan scheme, subject to qualifying conditions
• Outstanding quality work recognition payments
• An award-winning career average pension scheme that gives you an additional 15.5% towards your contribution
• An assisted vehicle purchase scheme (subject to eligibility)

* For eligible service in FAST teams as a Level 2 or Senior Social Worker paid £3,000 after year one, £4,000 after year three and £5,000 after year five. (Pro rata basis for part time employees. Payments subject to tax, national insurance and pensionable).

** For qualified and experienced social workers (grade J and above with 2 years' post qualified experience) and team managers new to Norfolk County Council in FAST and Looked After Children.

Everyday practice benefits

• Challenging but manageable caseloads
• Small well-supported teams
• Managers and senior leaders who back you up with those tough decisions you often have to make
• Our technology platform and equipment is first class, enabling you to connect and collaborate remotely
• A very clear practice vision focusing on restorative approaches based on Signs of Safety
• Priority parking and refurbished office spaces

Our new operating model supports practitioners, with:

• Streamlined paperwork - so you can spend less time filling in forms and writing reports
• Two members of support staff for every social work team to reduce your admin
• Dedicated court work facilitators to support you
• Continuous development of the professionals that you as a case-holding social worker can call in to help you, including: domestic abuse specialists, homebased support workers, substance misuse workers
• A Children's Advice and Duty Service (CADS) team to triage cases to the right teams, so you can focus on where you can make the biggest difference
• We're working towards aligning mental health practitioners more closely to our teams. We have already seen reduced contacts, referrals, and a big reduction in the amount of assessments which do not lead to ongoing work

Flexible working, generous leave and support

• We offer flexible working arrangements including condensed four-day week working, nine-day fortnights and other options
• We offer a generous annual leave entitlement - plus the opportunity to purchase up to two weeks of additional annual leave through our salary sacrifice scheme
• We offer maternity, paternity and adoption pay and time off to support you as your family grows. There is an independently-run nursery within the Norfolk County Council grounds which offers priority spaces to our employees
• We offer support if you care for relatives or friends who are older, disabled or seriously ill
• We are committed to promoting the health, safety and wellbeing of our social workers. We provide access to services that support your health and wellbeing, such as confidential counselling and advice, fast-track physiotherapy and NHS Health Checks for employees over 40

Career development

We support Continuing Professional Development with one day of protected time every month, and a Teaching Partnership with the University of East Anglia.

Inclusive employer

We are committed to equality and inclusion and welcome applications irrespective of gender identity, disability, marital status, ethnic origin, age, pregnancy status, religion or belief, or sexual orientation. We are proud to have achieved Carer Friendly Employer Status, Disability Confident Leader Status, the Employer Recognition Scheme award for the Armed Forces Covenant and to be one of the authorities piloting the workforce race equality standard (WRES).

Apply to be a child protection social worker