No excuses

No holding back

Our Journey

Your future

Bring it on

Welcome

We are on a journey to make children's services great.

There’s no denying it’s been a challenging time for Children’s Services at Wirral. After an inadequate Ofsted inspection in September 2016, we knew we had to change and change quickly. That’s why we have been, and continue to be, on an unprecedented journey of improvement.

We have reviewed and renewed our vision, the way we deliver social care across the borough and how we work with partners. We have introduced new systems, processes, and training to make sure our social workers are given the right support to deliver only the very best services for our children, young people and their families.

Our journey isn’t over yet but we’re getting there and making huge progress towards where we want to be – creating a Wirral that is a great place in which to grow up. Now is your chance to join the Wirral winning team.

We think there are three good reasons why you should join Wirral

Leadership Leadership

We have a new outward looking, innovative and high performing senior leadership team. Our Director has a track record of improving Children’s Services and has appointed an ambitious and talented senior leadership team who provide the stability and confidence needed to take us to the next level.

Agile Working Agile Working

We have created a culture of trust built on high expectations that has enabled us to provide all our social workers with the tools they need to do a great job. You will have support from our leaders and managers to develop and the right technology to allow you to work flexibly around the needs of our children and young people.

The Journey The Journey

We have laid the foundations - if you are passionate about improving the lives of children, young people and their families, enjoy a challenge and want to join us on our journey towards excellence, then this is the right opportunity for you.

So, if this sounds like you - get in touch and Bring it on!

Your social care career

  • What’s it like to practise social work in Wirral
  • We want our social workers to have the support, freedom, equipment and resources to do their best possible work. We give you the tools you need to succeed and trust you to use them as you see fit.

    You’ll join a close-knit team of like-minded, enthusiastic professionals, striving to achieve the best possible outcomes for our children.

    Your voice is important to us. Through staff engagement days, and other open channels of communication, we’re using feedback to constantly improve the way we do things. Our central hub allows you to talk with people across the organisation, allowing you to have those important face to face conversations with whoever you need whenever you need to.
  • Development & Training
  • To be an excellent social worker, you need excellent professional development training. That’s why we have invested heavily in our development training program over the past two years, offering resources for professionals at all levels.

    There are more opportunities now – as well as training and development for new starters, we are dedicated to supporting you at each stage of your career, allowing you to progress to where you want to be.

    Our Supporting Families Enhancing Futures (SFEF) Programme is a new model we’ve developed for working with children, young people and their families. These resources are available for all members of our social care team, giving you helpful advice and fact-sheets to support your daily work.
  • New ways of working
  • A vital part of our journey has been changing the way we work to better support our social workers.

    Our new centralised support and management hub has completely transformed the way we work. Bringing everything into one central building means easy access to people and resources. But it’s not just about convenience, our hub is the heart of our Children’s Services and social care workforce - offering a place of support and a community of professionals. If you need to talk to someone, you know where to come. The hub gives you plenty of opportunities to discuss and work with colleagues across the organisation, giving you the network you need to succeed.

    Our agile working scheme offers a range of locations and bases across Wirral enabling you to work both in Council and Partner buildings whilst retaining a central location as the administrative hub. This enables you to work close to the families you support.

    All our social workers are provided with a Microsoft Surface Pro and mobile phone, giving you the tools to work on the go. Your devices are equipped with a range of apps and online resources to help with both learning and direct work with families - providing you with the support you need wherever you may be.
  • Download our structure charts
We want our social workers to have the support, freedom, equipment and resources to do their best possible work. We give you the tools you need to succeed and trust you to use them as you see fit.

You’ll join a close-knit team of like-minded, enthusiastic professionals, striving to achieve the best possible outcomes for our children.

Your voice is important to us. Through staff engagement days, and other open channels of communication, we’re using feedback to constantly improve the way we do things. Our central hub allows you to talk with people across the organisation, allowing you to have those important face to face conversations with whoever you need whenever you need to.
To be an excellent social worker, you need excellent professional development training. That’s why we have invested heavily in our development training program over the past two years, offering resources for professionals at all levels.

There are more opportunities now – as well as training and development for new starters, we are dedicated to supporting you at each stage of your career, allowing you to progress to where you want to be.

Our Supporting Families Enhancing Futures (SFEF) Programme is a new model we’ve developed for working with children, young people and their families. These resources are available for all members of our social care team, giving you helpful advice and fact-sheets to support your daily work.
A vital part of our journey has been changing the way we work to better support our social workers.

Our new centralised support and management hub has completely transformed the way we work. Bringing everything into one central building means easy access to people and resources. But it’s not just about convenience, our hub is the heart of our Children’s Services and social care workforce - offering a place of support and a community of professionals. If you need to talk to someone, you know where to come. The hub gives you plenty of opportunities to discuss and work with colleagues across the organisation, giving you the network you need to succeed.

Our agile working scheme offers a range of locations and bases across Wirral enabling you to work both in Council and Partner buildings whilst retaining a central location as the administrative hub. This enables you to work close to the families you support.

All our social workers are provided with a Microsoft Surface Pro and mobile phone, giving you the tools to work on the go. Your devices are equipped with a range of apps and online resources to help with both learning and direct work with families - providing you with the support you need wherever you may be.

What Our Social Workers Say

“I’ve seen a huge amount of the change over the past few years. I watched people leave as the service was struggling, but always knew that things would get better – and they have. Paul Boyce, our director, has made a fantastic input and I’ve got high hopes for everyone’s future. These changes will be the making of the organisation.”

L Gibbon, Social Worker – Assessment & Prevention Team

“I like the flexibility and support that comes with working at Wirral, the council have been incredibly supportive for me and my family over the past few years. There’s also been huge improvements in the last 12 months, with more transparency and everyone aiming to the same overall goal. It feels like the organisation is making big steps to improve and they are well and truly in this journey.”

Maria Belton, Social Worker – Assessment & Prevention Team

“I’ve been at Wirral since November last year. It felt like the right fit for me and I wanted to be part of the journey towards achieving a better Ofsted. The best part of working here is the trust, you’re not micromanaged, and the support. The Managers are visible, and you always know where to go for advice.”

Andy Tutte, Social Worker – Assessment & Prevention Team

Who we need

We’re looking for social workers that want to join us on our journey - if you want to be part of something special, you’ve come to the right place.

As a Wirral Social Worker, you will be expected to make a difference to the lives of those who need it most. In partnership with the wider council and other agencies, you’ll help build better futures for Wirral’s children, young people and families.

We need professionals who will get on board with what we’re doing. You’ll need to be dedicated and ambitious – we’ll trust you to adapt to the way we work and support you to do a good job.
Whilst you’ll work independently a lot of the time, we’re also looking for people who are strong team players. We’re a team that has each other’s backs and supports each other, every step of the way.

You’ll need to be personable, passionate and professional. You’ll enjoy working with children of all ages, and their families, and take real pride in what you do. You’ll be competent and trustworthy – someone we can rely on to do their best.

We’ll give you the support, training and facilities, you’ll give us your commitment.

Why Wirral?

Location

You might not have considered Wirral before, but we’re a Borough that has so much to offer – close to the vibrant City of Liverpool. You’ll discover an area of great natural beauty, with lots going on, from farmers markets to live music events – you’ll be surprised by the wealth of culture and leisure activities available throughout the year.

This is a great place to raise a family, with excellent schools, affordable housing and fantastic facilities for children. And we’re so well connected, with excellent transport links.

We’re lucky enough to be surrounded by beautiful blue flag beaches and stunning countryside, with the North Wales National Park less than an hour away and the Lake District and Peak District less than a two hour’s drive away.

If you prefer the city life, the City of Liverpool is only ten minutes away by train or tunnel or ferry across the Mersey!  There is so much culture on offer including museums, art galleries architecture, theatres, restaurants, nightlife, the famous Albert Docks, and of course the Beatles!  Alternatively, you can visit the beautiful Roman City of Chester which is only 30 minutes away.

Read more on Imagine Wirral

Benefits

Working for Wirral Council, you’ll have access to a generous benefits package designed to support a healthy work life balance.

This includes:

Why Wirral?
Competitive Salary
We have benchmarked our social worker and team manager salaries with other North West authorities to ensure they are very competitive.
Generous annual leave
Enjoy 27 days annual leave, rising to 32 after 5 years of service.
Pension Scheme
Wirral currently pays a 14.6 percentage contribution of your salary into the highly rated Local Government Pension Scheme
Cycling
Get involved in our Cycle to Work scheme to save money on bikes and equipment
Employee Assistance Programme
Offers you confidential support and advice - available over the phone and when you need it
Volunteering
You can request up to 2 days off per annum to volunteer within the community.
HCPC - help with Registration Fees
We’ll give your £50 towards your HCPC renewal fee
Employee Benefits Website
Enjoy online and in-store discounts for a range of shops and activities
Learning and Development
A coordinated programme of training for your career progression matched with your HCPC registration.

Moving to Wirral?

Here’s why you should relocate your social work career to Wirral…

Housing

Wirral is a highly affordable place to live with some of the lowest house prices in the country.

Average house price

£214,788 – 3 bed, semi-detached

£54,799 – 2 bed flat

Average commute

40 mins - compared to 74 in London and other major cities!

Living

The cost of living is significantly lower in Wirral than in other cities

£70.10 - Monthly Travel Card in Wirral

£1.95 Average price for a pint

£18.50 Average price for a monthly gym membership

Parks and Green Spaces

There are over 1,500 hectares of public open space and parks in Wirral.

Great for cyclists and dog walkers. Ideal for families wanting to settle down.

Competitive relocation package
available to those candidates that meet requirements

Our Roles

Apply now