Emergency Duty Team Social Worker

As an Emergency Duty Team Officer, you will provide emergency social work services across Bristol, BANES, North and South Gloucestershire, making sound judgements and responding effectively in a range of challenging situations.

Working outside normal office hours as part of a small team of social work practitioners, you will respond to contacts from members of the public and professionals where urgent social care intervention is required. We have opportunities for full time (37 hours), although we would consider part time and encourage applications from AMHP warranted social workers.

• Using your knowledge of relevant legislation, including the Mental Health Act, Children’s Act and Care Act, to make informed decisions and provide an appropriate response to each situation.  
• It will be your responsibility to keep up to date with social work practice, service developments and policy objectives, ensuring statutory duties and service standards are met.
• Working closely with partner agencies and statutory organisations, including the police and health services, you will build and maintain effective working relationships. 
• You will complete all necessary forms, including maintaining a call log, indicating the action taken and ensuring details are reported to the appropriate duty desk. 

• We require you to be a qualified Social Worker with relevant registration to practice (SWE Social Work England).
• AMHP warranted if applicable.
• It is essential that you have relevant post-qualifying experience along with extensive knowledge of dealing with complicated cases.
• You will have the ability to undertake complex risk assessments and communicate outcomes effectively, both in verbal and written format.

• You will be working to a 10 week rolling rota, covering nights, weekends and bank holidays. This includes 2 weeks off rota (part time workers will be agreed around this model).
• We welcome applications for part time or full time hours for this post, please specify on your preference on your application 
• Once you have completed the induction programme there will be opportunities to work from home.
• We are also offering this as an internal secondment opportunity, you should first seek your line managers permission before applying. 
• Please note that due to the nature of this role, it is a requirement of employment that an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check covering both Child and Adult Workforce is obtained.
• You will be expected to travel throughout the authority and surrounding area so you must have a full, valid driving licence with regular access to a vehicle or have an alternative means of travel.
• Business Insurance will be need to be added to your insurance policy.
• EDT Social Worker non AMHP £42,123 to £45,529 per annum (including an out of hours shift allowance of 26% = £53,074 to £57,366 per annum
• EDT Social Worker AMHP £46,579 to £49,817 per annum. (including an out of hours shift allowance of 26% = £58,689 to £62,769 per annum.
• These posts attract a gross lump sum £3,000 ‘recruitment payment’ pro rata offered to enable social workers who have already successfully completed their ASYE to join our permanent workforce. This is payable upon successful completion of your probationary period (after approximately 3-6 months) and is subject to eligibility criteria.
• These posts are currently eligible for a market factor £3,000 ‘retention payment’ pro rata, payable in November annually to those with two years’ service with the council in Children’s Social Care In an eligible post, inclusive of any ASYE period.

Interviews will be held on Friday 25th September 2026

• As part of our benefits package, you will receive generous annual leave (pro rata), employee wellbeing support and you will have access to a range of staff discounts, including eye tests, travel, shopping and leisure activities.
• We recognise that our diverse team of skilled and dedicated people make us a great place to work. We welcome applications from everyone and ensure that individuals are selected, promoted and developed on the basis of their merits and abilities.  
• We invest in the careers of our people and we are recognised for the quality, breadth and depth of our training and development offer, which helps our people make the greatest long-term difference in their work.
• What’s special here is the strength of the team ethos. We are a relatively small local authority, so managers know staff well. They can plan their services to ensure teams have manageable caseloads and have effective supervision so feel supported to make decisions which are right for the children and young people they work with.
• We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. Ensuring all our staff are given right skills, knowledge and support to recognise and respond effectively to potential abuse or neglect.

Our teams at South Gloucestershire Council are making a real difference to the lives of people who live, work and learn here. 

• We're building and shaping communities which people are proud of.  
• We're planning for the future; building and improving the roads, railways, schools, green spaces, and houses.  
• We’re providing essential services across our communities to ensure they are safe and well maintained.  

We've achieved a great deal, but we need talented and dedicated people to ensure we continue to make a difference.  

We’re making a difference, be part of it! 

To view the full job description, please click this link: Emergency Duty Team Social Workers Job description