Last updated: 22 January 2024
Next review: 22 January 2025
In Waltham Forest, we understand what good social work is worth. Our strong set of social work managers are looking for skilled social workers to join our diverse and energetic teams.
We'll support you to develop at Waltham Forest; in 2022/23, we promoted 38 social care staff to new positions. The Council will invest in your development to help you find your specialty, providing you with a minimum of four hours protected time each month for your professional development.
Ask one of our managers about social work in Waltham Forest through our simple form.
Why Waltham Forest?
-
Highly competitive work package, including an annual performance-related bonus and 16.7% employer contributions to your pension
- Manageable caseloads with support from a highly experienced management team
- Flexible working arrangements, alongside a minimum of 29 days annual leave plus bank holidays and the opportunity to buy additional annual leave
- Minimum of four hours of dedicated professional development time every month
- Personalised training budgets to spend on accredited post-qualifying modules from local universities or other course providers
- We take your career development and progression as seriously as you do - over the last 12 months (2022/23), we promoted 38 social care staff
- Ofsted say our leadership is outstanding; staff surveys tell us social workers agree
- Our social work teams are diverse, inclusive, and safe. Active employee-led networks drive inclusive practice
- You’ll work from a stunning, refurbished, and regenerated set of historic buildings that make up the town hall complex, with modern and flexible workspaces.
Waltham Forest is one of the most ethnically diverse areas in London and we believe it is this diversity that makes the borough so great. More than two-thirds of residents are from a global majority background. Around a third of residents are born outside the UK and around one in five are EU nationals.
Waltham Forest has excellent transport links. Served by the Central Line, Victoria Line, and two overground lines, as well as a train line. It takes under 15 minutes to get to the City (by the overground to Liverpool Street or Central Line to Bank), the West End (by the Victoria Line to Oxford Circus), or Stratford (via bus links).
Financial benefits
We offer a highly competitive renumeration package, including an annual performance-related bonus for social workers engaged in direct work plus, for newly qualified social workers, £1,000 on appointment and £1,000 on satisfactory completion of the ASYE programme.
Newly qualified social workers
Salary: £34,341 - £35,217
Annual performance bonus: £1,000 on appointment, plus £1,000 on satisfactory completion of the ASYE programme
Social workers
Salary: £36,138 - £43,815
Annual performance bonus: £3,000 for children's social workers; £2,000 for adults' social workers
Senior Practitioners / Practice Managers
Salary: £43,815 - £46,857
Annual performance bonus: £3,000 for children's social workers; £2,000 for adults' social workers
Advanced Practitioners
Salary: £46,857 - £49,890
Annual performance bonus: £3,000 for children's social workers; £2,000 for adults' social workers
Team Managers
Salary: £53,946 - £57,102
Annual performance bonus: £3,000 for children's social workers; £2,000 for adults' social workers
Heads of Service
Salary: £66,978 - £70,572
Annual performance bonus: £3,000 for children's social workers; £2,000 for adults' social workers
Assistant Directors
Salary: £86,599 - £97,889
Annual performance bonus: £3,000 for children's social workers; £2,000 for adults' social workers
Other financial benefits include:
- 16.7% employer contributions to your pension
- Annual performance-related bonus for social workers engaged in direct work - £3,000 for social workers within children’s social care; £2,000 for social workers within adult social care.
- Free parking for social workers
- Interest free loan to buy your annual season ticket or travelcard for travel to and from work
- Childcare deposit loan scheme
- Dedicated staff benefits portal with discounts for online retailers and local shops
- Discounted eye tests and glasses
- A range of cycle schemes
- Discounted gym membership with GLL (Better)
Professional Development and Progression
We take your career development and progression as seriously as you do. Over the last 12 months (2022/23) we have promoted 38 social care staff.
- All our social workers are entitled to a minimum of four, dedicated hours every month to focus on their learning and development.
- Our career development framework is underpinned by a core training offer that provides depth and breadth to your progression.
- In addition, personalised budgets help social workers develop their specialisms.
What's it like to work at Waltham Forest?
Interested in working for us? Hear from our staff on why we think Waltham Forest is a great place to be a social worker.
Heather Flinders, Strategic Director
Daniel Phelps, Corporate Director
Kathi Gittens, Assistant Director
Darren McAughtrie, Corporate Director
What our residents say
"My occupational therapist treated me with respect and dignity at all times, and made repeated visits, going out of his way to check everything possible had been done to adapt my new home."
"My relative who was resident in a care home stated how happy she was and how staff were so caring. Please pass on my sincere thanks"
"I have the best social worker. She listens to me when I need to ask her something and she is always clear with me: that's why she is the best."
"She's been my social worker for many years and she knows and understands me very well, especially my quirky ways and my Lego models"
"I’d like to thank you for all your efforts in arranging my relative’s move to a care home. It hasn’t been easy over the last few months but you have shown the difference it makes to have social workers with compassion, understanding and local knowledge"
100% of respondents from child social care and 100% from adult social care either strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, ‘The training provided allow me to meet my Continuing Professional Development (CPD) needs.’
100% of respondents from child social care and 100% from adult social care either strongly agreed or agreed with the statement, ‘The training organised helps me to understand and effectively meet the needs of service users.’
- OHC Report
Social workers appreciate the opportunity to continually develop and progress in their careers and are supported to do so.
- Extract from Ofsted inspection report January to February 2019.
Staff undertook training and received regular supervision to help support them to provide effective care. Staff we spoke with had a good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).
- Extract from CQC inspection report June 2017.