Social Work Assistant

Overview

Are you passionate about helping people live as independently as possible and making a real difference in your local community? If you're looking for a rewarding role where no two days are the same, this could be the perfect opportunity for you.

As a Social Work Assistant within Adults & Health, you will play a vital role in supporting adults to achieve their personal wellbeing goals. Working alongside Social Workers, Occupational Therapists, healthcare professionals and community partners, you'll help deliver person-centred support that promotes independence, choice and positive outcomes.

About us

Buckinghamshire Council is a relatively new organisation that combines the strengths and expertise of the previous five councils in the county to create positive change for local people, communities, and businesses. We are firmly focused on the future and have made a clear commitment to serve residents better and to provide stronger representation for Buckinghamshire, both locally and nationally. 

We are a team of social workers and social work assistants who work in Hospital Discharge and Intermediate Care.

 

About the role

This is a varied and rewarding role that offers the opportunity to work directly with individuals, their families and carers to ensure they receive the right advice, support and interventions at the right time. You'll contribute to assessments, reviews and support planning, helping people access services and resources that enable them to live safely and independently.

Working as part of a supportive multidisciplinary team, you will respond to enquiries, gather information, provide guidance on care and support options and help identify early intervention and preventative solutions. Depending on the team you join, you may also support Social Workers with more complex cases, manage a small non-complex caseload or contribute to assessments and reviews that focus on achieving positive wellbeing outcomes for individuals.

This role is ideal for someone who enjoys building relationships, solving problems and working collaboratively with professionals and community organisations. You'll have the opportunity to develop your knowledge of adult social care, strengthen your assessment skills and make a meaningful difference to the lives of vulnerable adults across the county. 

 Key Responsibilities

• Supporting the delivery of strength-based interventions that promote independence and wellbeing.
• Responding to enquiries from individuals, families and professionals and providing advice and information about care and support services.
• Assisting with assessments, reviews and support planning for adults with care and support needs.
• Working closely with Social Workers and other professionals to achieve positive outcomes for service users.
• Maintaining accurate case records and reports using appropriate systems and software.
• Supporting individuals to access preventative services, community resources and early intervention support.
• Working in partnership with carers, providers, voluntary organisations and healthcare professionals.
• Identifying and escalating safeguarding concerns relating to vulnerable adults.
• Contributing to team meetings, service improvements and collaborative working arrangements.
• Ensuring services are delivered in line with quality standards, safeguarding legislation and regulatory requirements.

For a full list of responsibilities and duties, please refer to the Job Description.

Mobile:

A ‘mobile’ role gives you the flexibility to schedule your own diary, so you can meet with colleagues and clients in a variety of locations. You’ll access digital folders and resources on your laptop and be able to use the network wherever you are based. Working from home will be common, as well as meeting your team in the office where necessary.

About you

We're looking for a compassionate, organised and proactive individual who is passionate about supporting vulnerable adults and improving their quality of life. You'll be someone who can build positive relationships with people from a wide range of backgrounds, demonstrating empathy, professionalism and a genuine commitment to person-centred care.

To be successful in this role, you'll need strong communication and interpersonal skills, the ability to manage competing priorities and confidence working within a busy professional environment. You'll be comfortable working independently when required, while also contributing effectively as part of a wider team. A solution-focused approach, sound judgement and a commitment to continuous learning will be essential.

You will ideally have experience working with vulnerable adults and supporting individuals with a range of care and support needs. You'll understand the importance of partnership working and be able to collaborate with colleagues across social care, health and community services to achieve the best possible outcomes.

We are particularly interested in candidates who have:

• Experience working with vulnerable adults and people with care and support needs.
• An understanding of adult social care, assessment processes and support planning.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and best practice within health and social care.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills.
• The ability to work effectively with a range of professionals, including Social Workers, Nurses and Occupational Therapists.
• Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage competing demands.
• Experience using Microsoft Office applications and case management systems.
• A commitment to continuous professional development and reflective practice.
• A Health and Social Care qualification or certificate.
• Education to A Level standard or equivalent.

For full details of the essential and desirable criteria, please refer to the Job Description.

This role offers an excellent opportunity for someone looking to further develop a career within Adult Social Care while making a meaningful and lasting difference to the lives of vulnerable adults and their families.

We understand that candidates may use AI tools to assist with their applications. While we welcome innovation, we expect all submissions to reflect your own experience, skills, and achievements accurately. Please ensure your application is truthful and demonstrates your personal capabilities, as this will be assessed during the selection process.

Other information

For more information about this role, please contact Sarah Beeks at [email protected] for an informal discussion.

Closing date: 11th November 2026

Interview Date: 19^th/20^th November 2026

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

Our values

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements. We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants, shops and auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme. In addition to the opportunity to gain membership to Costco, we have discounted gym memberships, travel discounts with Arriva and much more.

https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/