Social Worker - Pre-Birth Support

Help shape a brighter beginning - Pre‑Birth Social Worker

Your experience can make a difference before a child is born. Join us in Devon and help families prepare for a safer, stronger start together.

This is a 12-month fixed-term opportunity. Secondment applications will also be considered. If you're interested in this opportunity on a secondment basis, please obtain approval from your line manager before applying.

Bring your passion and expertise to a role with real purpose, with an annual Retention Payment of £2,000.

About Us - Making a Difference from the Start

A baby's story begins long before birth and so does our work. In Devon's Children & Families Service, you'll support families during pregnancy, helping create the safest and most nurturing start for every baby. It's demanding, meaningful work, grounded in restorative practice and strong relationships.

We look beyond immediate concerns to understand the whole family: their strengths, their challenges and the changes that could make a lasting difference. By building trust with parents and sensitively addressing risks early, we create space for reflection, change and hope as families prepare to care for their child.

Your Role - Turning Early Support into Lasting Change

As a Pre‑Birth Social Worker, you'll use your experience where it can have a lifelong impact. Working alongside families from conception to birth, you'll build relationships, understand risks and help turn plans into practical steps towards a safer start.

You will

• Carry out comprehensive pre‑birth assessments, exploring the baby's experience in utero and how parental circumstances may affect their wellbeing
• Build trust through honest, restorative conversations that encourage insight, accountability and meaningful change
• Recognise family strengths, address risks early and develop safety plans before birth
• Bring families and partner agencies together, leading and contributing to timely, coordinated planning
• Combine compassion with professional curiosity, keeping the baby's voice at the heart of every decision
• Contribute clear, analytical assessments and undertake court work where needed

At every stage, your focus will be on giving each child the strongest possible foundation for safety, attachment and long‑term wellbeing.

From First Conversations to a Baby's Arrival

You'll keep the baby at the centre while supporting families through each stage:

• Early Pregnancy: Building relationships with parents, exploring histories, strengths, and potential areas of concern
• Mid Pregnancy: Deepening assessment through observation, multi‑agency information gathering, and reflective engagement
• Late Pregnancy: Supporting families to prepare practically and emotionally, while ensuring robust safety and care planning
• Pre‑Birth Planning: Working restoratively with families and networks to create sustainable, safe plans for the baby's arrival
• At Birth and Beyond: Ensuring that plans are implemented with care, sensitivity, and a continued focus on permanence and stability

This is your opportunity to help shape a child's future before patterns become established offering timely, thoughtful support when it can make a lasting difference.

What You'll Bring

You're an experienced, reflective and compassionate Social Worker who believes in the power of early intervention. You understand how a child's earliest experiences can shape their life, and you're ready to use your skills to help families make positive changes.

You will bring

• A strong understanding of pre‑birth assessment frameworks, attachment, and child development
• The ability to engage parents in restorative dialogue, balancing support with appropriate challenge
• Confidence in risk analysis, decision‑making, and safety planning
• Experience working within multi‑agency partnerships and court processes
• A commitment to holding the baby's experience at the centre of all practice
• A Social Work qualification and registration with Social Work England
• Completion of your ASYE and a commitment to ongoing professional development

Our Offer to You

We offer a strong package of benefits that recognises your contribution and supports your career and wellbeing:

• £2000 Retention payment per annum pro rata. Recognition of your continued commitment.
• Reimbursement of your annual Social Work England registration fee.
• Generous annual leave, and the ability to purchase additional annual leave.
• Free onsite parking, modern on-site amenities, & flexible hot-desking options available.

• Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme - more information can be found on the Peninsula Pensions website.

• Promotion of a healthy work-life balance and flexible working options where possible.
• An employee benefits platform that offers discounts at over 900 national & local high street retailers
• Access to ongoing learning and development opportunities.
• Employee Assistance programme & a variety of wellbeing services for the times you may need some additional support
• Cycle to Work & Electric Vehicle salary sacrifice schemes.

For more information about working for Devon, please visit our Working for Devon page.

The salary will be determined by qualifications, skills and experience. Please refer to the relevant Job Descriptions and salary ranges below:

Social Worker: £40,444* per annum
Experienced Social Worker: £41,177 - £48,738* per annum

Please click here to see the Job Description for Social Worker (Grade F)

Please click here to see the Job Description for Experienced Social Worker (Grade G)
*Plus an additional £2,000 retention payment.

Sponsorship Opportunities: We welcome applications from internationally trained and qualified candidates who are now residing in the UK and interested in joining our team.

Thinking of relocating? Subject to qualifying conditions, you may also be eligible for a generous relocation allowance to help you make Devon your home.

For any queries or an informal discussion about this role, please contact Emma Youngs on 01392 383000, or email emma.youngs@devon.gov.uk

Ready to make a difference? Apply by 13 December 2026.

Interviews will take place throughout the campaign, so we encourage you to apply early. The advert may close before the published date if we receive sufficient applications.

How to apply

Please ensure when completing your application form that you provide a supporting statement which demonstrates how you meet the essential and desirable criteria as described in the person specification of the job description. Applications may not be taken forwards if the supporting statement is not adequately completed.

Internal Applicants, please note: If you are an existing DCC employee, please use your iTrent Employee Self Service (ESS) details to log in and apply.

We welcome applications from candidates seeking a secondment. Please ensure you have approval from your current line manager before applying.

Additional Information

• Internal Applicants: If you are an existing DCC employee, please use your iTrent Employee Self Service (ESS) details to log in and apply.

• This role requires Social Work England Registration (SWE).
• This role requires a DBS disclosure

• DCC embraces the positive benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to providing an environment that is inclusive and safe. We welcome applications from people who share our commitment to stop discrimination, challenge inequality and promote diversity across Devon. More information can be found on our Equality and Diversity webpages.
• For details on the use of AI in applications and Devon County Council's use of AI in Recruitment please see Use of AI in Our Recruitment Processes - Working for Devon | Devon County Council
• We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
• This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• Personal data we collect from you will be processed in accordance with the Applicant privacy notice.

REQ101909 - Children's Social Worker