Social Worker - Learning Disability & Autism Service; Adults

Social Worker - Learning Disability & Autism Service (Adults) Closing in 22 days (20 February, 2026) Job details

Department:
Social Care

Working pattern:
Full Time

Location:

Somerset

Transform lives, champion rights & support adults to achieve their full potential.

• Locations:
• Mendip
• Bridgwater
• Full time, 37 hours per week
• Starting salary £37,280 rising to £41,771 per annum
• Hybrid working opportunities
• 30 days annual leave entitlement
• At Somerset Council, we are proud to support our frontline workers with access to innovative AI technology
  . Our greatest asset is our dedicated workforce, and we need to ensure we evolve with technology and new ways to invest in them. We’re currently utilising Magic Notes
  , which has proven to help social workers reduce the amount of time spent on administrative work, allowing them to focus on using their skillset and creativity to support our shared vision of improving the life chances and outcomes for adults in Somerset.

We are able to offer sponsorship for this role if you are already residing in the UK. As such, we are able to proceed with candidates who already have a sponsorship and are looking to apply this to a new opportunity if successful.

Working as part of a small, supportive Learning Disability and Autism service in the West or East of Somerset, completing Care Act assessments, reviews, mental capacity assessments, Safeguarding Enquiries and Court of Protection work. We operate a duty system in both sides of the County that everyone in the team participates in. This offers different ways of working with the people we support for example using motivational interviewing skills and crisis intervention work and positive risk management.

You will be given the opportunity to work closely with colleagues and specialist professionals to contribute to decision making as part of our weekly Peer Forum discussions. These are designed to enable a “critical friend” approach to request for increases to personal budgets and packages of care.

We work closely with other specialist teams in the Authority such as Preparing for Adulthood, Commissioning, Occupational Therapy, DOLS team, Mental Health, Safeguarding, and CHC as well as having close links and partnership working with our LD Health colleagues in Somerset Foundation Trust.

We advocate working in a strength based and personalised way, operating under the three conversations model to enable people to live more independent and fulfilling lives with positive outcomes.

Our goal of working with people to develop gloriously ordinary lives remains the same throughout our practice which means:

• Encouraging people to be independent, helping them grow their confidence and make the most of the support available to suit their individual needs.
• Identifying what people and families are worried about or what they want to achieve, exploring what support they already have and what they need.
• Developing great knowledge of your local area and working in partnership with local agencies.
• Providing creative solutions.
• Being a critical part of developing our new and exciting Adult Social Care service.

We offer ongoing support, training and guidance to help you be the best you can be. But to be successful in this role you will:

• Be a qualified Social Worker and be registered with Social Work England.
• Have access to/use of a vehicle is an essential requirement for this role.

At Somerset Council, we work hard to attract the best staff and we want to make sure that once you are on board, you are well supported and rewarded for the work you do.

We offer great training and development opportunities, with supportive management. As well as this, we have some fantastic employee benefits available:

• This grade offers 30 days
  annual leave (plus bank holidays) and the option to request to buy up to 2 weeks additional annual leave pro rata.
• Hybrid working options where the role allows.
• A clear career pathway with apprenticeships, professional, leadership and academic programmes and qualifications, regular CPD opportunities and a corporate coaching and…