Children with Disabilities Social Worker

Beyond the base salary of £38,510 to £42,123 a year, Suffolk County Council is offering a retention payment of up to £4,000 annually for its Children with Disabilities (CwD) Social Worker vacancy — plus, notably, a relocation package worth up to £8,000, a car leasing scheme, and a £2,000 welcome loan for social workers moving to Suffolk specifically for the role. That's a substantial package layered on top of the headline pay figure, worth factoring in if you're weighing this against a similar role elsewhere.

The role sits within Suffolk's Children and Young People Disability Service, working across a hybrid and community-based pattern from bases in Ipswich, Bury St Edmunds, or Lowestoft.

About Suffolk County Council

Suffolk County Council describes itself as a modern, flexible, forward-thinking authority, with a particular focus on providing exceptional care and support to children and young people with disabilities. The Council operates a multi-disciplinary approach within its Children and Young People Disability Service, emphasising creative, collaborative, and compassionate working, alongside hybrid and flexible working arrangements as standard.

What the Role Involves

As a CwD Social Worker, you'll be part of a regulated, skilled team supporting children with disabilities and their families, helping them find solutions, promoting their rights, and empowering them toward independence. The role includes:

• Completing assessments and developing plans with children and families, shaped by their views, strengths, and desired outcomes
• Identifying and responding to safeguarding concerns and significant risk
• Analysing information and working with others to promote a child's safety and wellbeing
• Supporting children's communication, participation, and independence in collaboration with their family and professional network

Who Can Apply

• A relevant social work qualification and current Social Work England registration
• A full, current driving licence and access to personal transport, or the ability to meet the role's mobility requirements through other suitable means

On visa sponsorship: the listing states that sponsorship for a visa may be available for current UK residents — this isn't guaranteed sponsorship, and it's specifically framed around applicants already living in the UK rather than those applying from overseas.

Pay and Contract Details

• Pay: £38,510 to £42,123 per annum (pro rata for part time), plus a retention payment of up to £4,000 per year (pro rata for part time)
• Hours: 37 per week, with flexible working options available
• Contract type: Permanent
• Locations: Bury St Edmunds, Ipswich, or Lowestoft — hybrid and community-based
• Closing date: 11:30 pm, 6 October 2026

Benefits

• Up to 29 days' annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata for part time), plus an additional 3 uplift days
• 3 protected CPD days per year
• Relocation package of up to £8,000, a car leasing scheme, and a £2,000 welcome loan for new social workers moving to Suffolk
• Free on-site car parking at council buildings
• Flexible working options and support for health and wellbeing
• Detailed induction programme, including mandatory Signs of Safety training
• Staff networks open to staff, councillors, and partners sharing similar characteristics or experiences
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) membership
• Two paid volunteering days per year
• Performance-related annual pay progression, plus an annual cost-of-living increase

Applying — Read This Carefully Before You Start

This one has a genuinely specific application process worth preparing for properly rather than rushing:

1. Read the official Job and Person Profile document
2. Click "Apply Now" to start the online application
3. Upload a supporting statement answering three specific questions, each limited to 400 words, covering: an assessment and plan you developed with a child/family; a complex safeguarding situation you identified and responded to; and how your experience has helped you support a disabled child's communication, participation, and independence

Applications without a supporting statement will not be progressed. Supporting documents must be in PDF or MS Word format. If you're using AI tools to help draft your application, Suffolk County Council asks that the final submission still genuinely reflects your own skills and experience — inappropriate use may mean your application isn't processed.

For an informal chat about the role, contact Fran Arnold on 01473 264620 or fran.arnold@suffolk.gov.uk.

Start your job application here