Making a difference in Social Work

What this means for our children

We are proud of how everyone within our Children and Families Service Department is working hard to transform the lives of vulnerable children and young people.

By developing positive relationships and strong partnerships, we are creating the conditions that enable children and young people to fulfil their potential.

By working with families to make positive changes or finding the best possible care away from home, we are keeping children and young people safe, secure and happy – so that they thrive and achieve.

Our aim is to safeguard and support the development and learning of children and young people, so they grow up feeling safe, secure, happy and healthy, and are ready to be Halton’s present and Halton’s future.

We know that our social work teams must have everything they need to physically and mentally do their job to make this difference.

That’s why, in joining us, you will always be fully supported to:

–              Put children and young people at the heart of everything you do

–              Develop your knowledge, skills and experience

–              Make sure the needs of children and their families are understood and met

Our Story

Our journey is very much one of moving forward so that our teams are supported to ensure that children and young people receive the very best service from us.

We’re on a journey for excellence

Together, we are committed to making a difference.

From the moment you reach out to us to apply for a role, you will discover that our aspiration is for all children and young people in Halton to be safe and have a positive start in life.

Our promise to you

Supporting you and your career

We listen carefully to what our social workers want and need.

We know that to be fully effective in your role that you need to have:

• Manageable caseloads
• Regular structured reflective supervision
• A tailored training programme to support your career goals
• Peer-to-peer support and learning
• A clear understanding of the strategic direction of the service
• The opportunity to be creative in your role

This all starts from day one with a structured and informative induction designed to introduce you the team and our approach to systemic practice.

Why choose Halton?

As all our social work colleagues who have made a move to Halton will say, the Borough chose them.

Halton really is a special place to live and work. Nestled between Liverpool and Manchester, Halton spans the twin towns of Widnes and Runcorn (and surrounding villages) on either side of the River Mersey.

As thriving industrial towns, Widnes and Runcorn have remained inseparable since the Industrial Revolution.

From Green Flag award-winning parks and medieval ruins to state-of-the-art theatres and expansive shopping centres, there’s no need to look beyond Halton to fill your leisure time. Few places have three canals and miles of footpaths and nature reserves on their doorstep!

Besides joining a great team in a lovely location, what are the other benefits of moving to the Borough, though?

• Lower house prices. The average house price in Halton (£143,400) is below the national average for England. There is also an abundance of new homes being built.
• Renting a home starts at £400 per month for a two-bedroom terraced house and up to £800 per month for a three-bedroom semi-detached home.
• Education opportunities exist for all age groups with a well-established pathway from youngsters taking their first steps into nursery through to college students deciding on their future careers.
• Excellent employment opportunities are plentiful, especially within the logistics, industrial and manufacturing sectors. Plus, the wages of employees in Halton are slightly higher than the average for England.

Travelling to and from Halton

Halton has excellent travel links to Liverpool, Manchester, Chester, and London. Travelling to and from the Borough is made easy by the modern network of roads, expressways and railways.

By Road

Located within the M56 and M62 corridors, Halton is close to Liverpool, Manchester and Chester.

By Bus

Halton’s 17km dedicated Busway makes it incredibly easy to travel around the Borough.

By Rail

Two railway stations take you to Liverpool in 20 minutes, Manchester in 40 minutes, and London in less than 2 hours.

By Air

Halton is ideally located between Manchester International Airport and Liverpool John Lennon Airport, one of Europe’s fastest growing regional airports.

Why Join Us?

Whether you are at the start of your social work career or are in management, you will find Halton Borough Council a great place to practice and progress.

Why? Because we value your individual experience, knowledge and creativity and support you in developing your skills to make a difference in the lives of children and young people.

Our benefits package explained

• We realise that social work can be just as challenging as it is fulfilling. Therefore we take great care to make sure that you are supported and rewarded.
• Generous annual leave
• Starting at 25 days plus 8 bank holidays; increasing after 5 years’ service (pro rata for part-time staff).
• Structured training
• Tailored training programme designed to progress your practice knowledge and support career progression.
• Flexi time and agile working
• Allowing you to alter your start and finish times in accordance with service needs.
• Free Car Parking
• For all our staff at all local authority sites.
• Employee Health initiatives
• Access to a range of wellbeing support services and healthcare initiatives
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Generous pension contributions and the option to top up your pension monthly.
• Car leasing / salary sacrifice
• Subtract the cost of your car before tax is deducted from your salary using our salary sacrifice car lease scheme.
• Employee discounts
• Benefit from agreed discounts at a wide range of local and national retailers, outlets and leisure facilities.