Social Worker (Duty) - Council HQ

Job Details

Grade: 9A

Hourly Rate: £24.74 - £26.72

Salary: £45153.19 - £48766.68 per annum

Hours: 35 per week

Interview Date will be 16th July 2026

 

Role Purpose

This is an excellent opportunity to work within the integrated Social Work and Health Scottish Borders Learning Disability Service (LDS). The service is based in Newtown St Boswells and is within easy commuting distance from the south side of Edinburgh. It provides support across the whole of the Scottish Borders area.

This post offers dynamic, day-to-day multi-disciplinary working within a well-established and highly respected team. Practitioners from all professions are strongly committed to delivering the best possible outcomes for adults with learning disabilities, as well as their informal and formal carers.

The Duty Social Worker role sits within a busy and responsive learning disability service, providing a vital front-line function to individuals, carers and professionals. Working as part of the duty system, you will manage a varied and often fast-paced workload, responding to new referrals, prioritising need and ensuring timely and proportionate responses. This includes supporting individuals with a wide range of needs, communication styles and levels of risk, requiring a high level of professional curiosity, adaptability and person-centred practice. You will work closely with colleagues across health and social care to coordinate immediate supports, manage risk and ensure continuity of care, while maintaining a strong focus on rights, inclusion and positive outcomes.

The service places a strong emphasis on Continuing Professional Development and delivers two team development days each year, coordinated and led by a multi-disciplinary staff CPD group. Peer supervision is actively encouraged, alongside a clear and consistent commitment to regular, high-quality management supervision.

If you are successful in securing this post, you will be part of a supportive and friendly team of health and social work professionals who share strong values and a person-centred focus. You will have the opportunity to learn from colleagues across disciplines with specialist expertise, while further developing your own skills and knowledge across a wide range of both challenging and highly rewarding situations.

Whilst this post is advertised as a Duty Social Worker role, the successful applicant will also be expected to undertake a broader range of duties commensurate with a qualified Social Worker, including assessment, care management and What Matters conversations, as well as responding to referrals, prioritising incoming work, and managing urgent or crisis situations. This includes risk assessment, arranging immediate supports and liaising with partner agencies. There is also an expectation that the post holder will play an active role within the Adult Protection Framework by being, or working towards becoming, an accredited Council Officer once in post.

 

Essential

Professional Social Work qualification

Council Officer Accreditation or ability and willingness to become accredited when in post

Registration with SSSC

A current driving licence and use of a vehicle is an essential requirement of this post. * If you have a disability which precludes you from holding a drivers licence, Scottish Borders Council will take into account its responsibility to make reasonable adjustments to allow for your disability. Should it be possible to make such an adjustment in order that you can undertake the travel responsibilities of the post, this will be taken into account in consideration for this role.

 

Informal Enquiries

Informal enquiries may be made to Rebekah Underwood + Laura Douglas by telephone on 01896827280 or by email at rebekah.underwood@nhs.scot

Scottish Borders Council is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from all minority groups and individuals who identify with one or more of the protected characteristics as defined by the Equality Act 2010. In particular from candidates who assess themselves as having a disability, under the Disability Confident Employer scheme this guarantees an interview to those individuals who meet the essential criteria of the post. All appointments will be made on merit.

Scottish Borders Council is committed to providing support for Armed Forces Veterans. Showing its commitment to the Armed Forces Covenant, the Council guarantees an interview to veterans who meet the essential criteria of the post. All appointments will be made on merit.