About our award-winning social work teams

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Hartlepool Council awarded Supportive Social Work Employer Award (Silver) at the Social Worker of the Year Awards 2024.

Hartlepool Council Children’s Services were inspected in March 2024 and rated as outstanding by Ofsted.

In 2023/24 LGA Employers Standards Health Check for Registered Social Workers identifies Hartlepool as the best performing Local Authority in the country for the second consecutive year.

Read what Ofsted said about our Children's Services

Children’s Services were inspected in March 2024 and rated as outstanding by Ofsted with Inspectors stating that:

  • "The small, but confident, ambitious and influential leadership team models expected behaviour, which sets clear expectations for staff. They are highly visible and inspire staff to perform well for children in Hartlepool. The grip they have on children’s social care and individual circumstances is exceptional.
  • There is a relentless focus on the ongoing recruitment and retention of frontline managers and social workers, resulting in a stable workforce with very limited use of interim workers. This means that children are benefiting from enduring and trusting relationships with a consistent worker.
  • The workforce has access to an extensive training offer. The local authority is investing well in ‘growing their own’ social workers with investment in national recruitment and step-up programmes. Students are well supported to ‘flourish safely’. There has been an improved focus on family networks and children’s voices. Newly qualified social workers are well supported through a well-established assessed and supported year in employment programme."

Read what an independent review of Adult Social Care said about our social care workforce

The review was carried out in May 2023 and found that:

  • "The most common words people working in adult social care used to describe the organisational culture were: supportive; person centred; enabling; and proactive.
  • Workloads were reported as busy, rather than unmanageable – with front line colleagues generally expressing confidence that managers took into account their skill set and existing workload when allocating work to them.
  • In care management teams, colleagues reported excellent access to ongoing professional learning and development opportunities.
  • People are proud to work for adult social care and the wider council. Everyone asked stated that they would recommend working for adult social care to families and friends.
  • Staff gave very positive feedback about the social work apprenticeship scheme and the support provided to newly qualified social workers."

Read what our social workers and service-users say

A Social Work Apprentice in Adult Social Care said:

"I am grateful for the opportunity of the apprenticeship, and the ongoing support and guidance provided by adult social care in particular my mentors and my practice educators. I have thoroughly enjoyed my apprenticeship which has provided me with the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills across the department and strengthened my passion for social work. Without this opportunity I would not have been able to progress in my career, thank you again."

Two Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs) said:

"I haven’t once regretted my decision since joining HBC as I have been really supported with my peers and managers and also the ASYE programme has been great. I am feeling a little more confident in my own abilities and hopefully with time and more training I will continue to improve and progress."

"I have had full support from the ASYE coordinators and my colleagues. I was able to attend any training that was identified, I had allocated time to complete my portfolio and had lots of peer support. Overall my experience was positive."

Some of our service users said:

"Throughout her time as mam’s social worker L has been a constant support to the family, working tirelessly to achieve the best outcomes for mam’s care. She has signposted us to various agencies enabling us to support mam the best way we can and her dedication and commitment has been outstanding.” - Carer about a Locality Assessment Team

“Thank you so much to you all for all your support, you have no idea how greatly appreciated it has been. I would have given up without you all over the last 6 months. I only wish we could keep you permanently. Thank you so much again, you are truly angels and certainly don’t get the credit you deserve.” - Service user about the Preventative Mental Health Team

“G explained everything really clearly, G always put my Mam’s needs at the heart of every conversation. She was extremely attentive and empathetic to our concerns. She spoke to my Mam on a level that she understood and gained her trust straight away, G has been excellent throughout and continues to be. At a time when social workers often get a bad rap, G has been a credit to the Council and has gone above and beyond her role in order to get the best support for my Mam. I am truly grateful.” - Carer about the Hospital Discharge Service

“I don’t know where me or my daughter would be without her. She has stuck up for our rights so many times and she listens to me when I call her. Nothing is ever a bother to her, my daughter is autistic and she loves her social worker. We’re just so grateful to her. I don’t think she knows how grateful we because of her we can now start a new life, we haven’t had that for a long time, she has never judged us once. I thank her for that.” - Parent Carer about a Preventative Mental Health Team Social Worker

Hartlepool Council awarded Supportive Social Work Employer Award (Silver) at the Social Worker of the Year Awards 2024.

Hartlepool Council Children’s Services were inspected in March 2024 and rated as outstanding by Ofsted.

In 2023/24 LGA Employers Standards Health Check for Registered Social Workers identifies Hartlepool as the best performing Local Authority in the country for the second consecutive year.

Read what Ofsted said about our Children's Services

Children’s Services were inspected in March 2024 and rated as outstanding by Ofsted with Inspectors stating that:

  • "The small, but confident, ambitious and influential leadership team models expected behaviour, which sets clear expectations for staff. They are highly visible and inspire staff to perform well for children in Hartlepool. The grip they have on children’s social care and individual circumstances is exceptional.
  • There is a relentless focus on the ongoing recruitment and retention of frontline managers and social workers, resulting in a stable workforce with very limited use of interim workers. This means that children are benefiting from enduring and trusting relationships with a consistent worker.
  • The workforce has access to an extensive training offer. The local authority is investing well in ‘growing their own’ social workers with investment in national recruitment and step-up programmes. Students are well supported to ‘flourish safely’. There has been an improved focus on family networks and children’s voices. Newly qualified social workers are well supported through a well-established assessed and supported year in employment programme."

Read what an independent review of Adult Social Care said about our social care workforce

The review was carried out in May 2023 and found that:

  • "The most common words people working in adult social care used to describe the organisational culture were: supportive; person centred; enabling; and proactive.
  • Workloads were reported as busy, rather than unmanageable – with front line colleagues generally expressing confidence that managers took into account their skill set and existing workload when allocating work to them.
  • In care management teams, colleagues reported excellent access to ongoing professional learning and development opportunities.
  • People are proud to work for adult social care and the wider council. Everyone asked stated that they would recommend working for adult social care to families and friends.
  • Staff gave very positive feedback about the social work apprenticeship scheme and the support provided to newly qualified social workers."

Read what our social workers and service-users say

A Social Work Apprentice in Adult Social Care said:

"I am grateful for the opportunity of the apprenticeship, and the ongoing support and guidance provided by adult social care in particular my mentors and my practice educators. I have thoroughly enjoyed my apprenticeship which has provided me with the opportunity to gain knowledge and skills across the department and strengthened my passion for social work. Without this opportunity I would not have been able to progress in my career, thank you again."

Two Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs) said:

"I haven’t once regretted my decision since joining HBC as I have been really supported with my peers and managers and also the ASYE programme has been great. I am feeling a little more confident in my own abilities and hopefully with time and more training I will continue to improve and progress."

"I have had full support from the ASYE coordinators and my colleagues. I was able to attend any training that was identified, I had allocated time to complete my portfolio and had lots of peer support. Overall my experience was positive."

Some of our service users said:

"Throughout her time as mam’s social worker L has been a constant support to the family, working tirelessly to achieve the best outcomes for mam’s care. She has signposted us to various agencies enabling us to support mam the best way we can and her dedication and commitment has been outstanding.” - Carer about a Locality Assessment Team

“Thank you so much to you all for all your support, you have no idea how greatly appreciated it has been. I would have given up without you all over the last 6 months. I only wish we could keep you permanently. Thank you so much again, you are truly angels and certainly don’t get the credit you deserve.” - Service user about the Preventative Mental Health Team

“G explained everything really clearly, G always put my Mam’s needs at the heart of every conversation. She was extremely attentive and empathetic to our concerns. She spoke to my Mam on a level that she understood and gained her trust straight away, G has been excellent throughout and continues to be. At a time when social workers often get a bad rap, G has been a credit to the Council and has gone above and beyond her role in order to get the best support for my Mam. I am truly grateful.” - Carer about the Hospital Discharge Service

“I don’t know where me or my daughter would be without her. She has stuck up for our rights so many times and she listens to me when I call her. Nothing is ever a bother to her, my daughter is autistic and she loves her social worker. We’re just so grateful to her. I don’t think she knows how grateful we because of her we can now start a new life, we haven’t had that for a long time, she has never judged us once. I thank her for that.” - Parent Carer about a Preventative Mental Health Team Social Worker

Page published: 20 Jan 2025, 10:17 AM