Social Worker (PW3)

BARNARDO'S

35,390 - 43,392 per year

Newry

Part-time

31st March 2026

Listed today

Please note due to the high volume of applications for some posts, this advert might close before the displayed closing date. We recommend that you apply for this role as soon as possible.

We are seeking an experienced and motivated Social Worker to join our established assessment team within the Newry and Armagh Family Centres.

This is a part‑time role, working 22.2 hours per week (3 days).

Our service has been operating for over 30 years and is recognised for its high‑quality support to children, young people, and families experiencing a range of challenges. We work alongside families to promote safety, stability, and positive change.

About the Role

As a Social Worker within the Family Centre, you will play a key role in delivering targeted support and undertaking direct work with children and families. This will include completing high‑quality assessments of parenting capacity and protective parenting ability, contributing to court‑directed work where required, and providing therapeutic interventions such as mediation that promote positive outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

Undertake assessments to identify strengths, risks, and support needs
Provide evidence‑based therapeutic and practical support recommendations to children, young people, and their families
Contribute to multi‑agency planning and partnership working
Prepare high‑quality written reports, including those for court proceedings
Maintain accurate and timely case records in line with organisational standards

Our essential criteria for this role:

A professional qualification in Social Work recognised by NISCC & Registered with the NI Social Care Council on appointment.
Post-AYE experience working in a social work role
Experience working with children, families, or adults, with strong assessment and safeguarding skills
Experience of undertaking complex assessments and/or court directed work and contributing to statutory decision making forums including the provision of written reports
Experience of working therapeutically with children/families effected by adverse experiences e.g. trauma, social disadvantage, family breakdown, parenting difficulties, mental health, domestic violence and substance misuse
Experience of applying child protection/safeguarding policies and procedures
A full UK driving licence, business insurance and access to a car for work purposes (this will be waived for candidates with a disability who can demonstrate alternative means of meeting the mobility requirements of the post).

Please read the Job Description and Additional Information Page for a full outline of responsibilities. When completing your application, please refer to the essential critera required and clearly demonstrate your suitability for the role.

What We Offer

A warm, supportive team environment
Full induction and ongoing supervision
Excellent training and development opportunities
The chance to be part of something truly meaningful

Role Details

Hours:22.2 hours per week (3 days)
Location:Newry (with travel to Armagh Family Centre, plus occasional travel across the Southern Trust area)

We may also create a waiting list for similar roles across Barnardo's NI over the next year.

Interested?

Apply now and show us how you meet the essential criteria in the Additional Information Sheet.

Questions?
Email: Recruitment.SupportTeam@barnardos.org.uk

Successful applicants will be required to complete an Enhanced Access NI check with Child and Adult Barred List.

We know that our colleagues go above and beyond in delivering our vital work, driven by their passion and commitment to Barnardo's values.  We also know that we can only realise our ambitions and achieve better outcomes for more children, thanks to the talent, hard work and creativity of our people.

For all these reasons, we are committed to a new approach to pay and reward, to ensure it is fair, attractive and progressive, which was rolled out in April 2023. This is a positive change for the charity, and a part of our People & Culture Strategy. It will assist us in supporting colleagues to belong, thrive and grow in their colleague journey at Barnardo's and in time will offer clear routes of progression for colleagues in both their career and their pay.

Whilst the full pay band and salary range is advertised, our approach to starting salaries is to appoint between the minimum to mid-point of the pay band – this ensures that pay steps are available to reward our colleagues annually based on their contribution to excellence and alignment to our values and behaviours.  More details on Barnardo's pay framework can be found upon application.

Workplace Offer: What it means for you

Our hybrid working initiative is based on trust, flexibility and empowerment. We understand our workplace offer means different things to different people, and we encourage those conversations. This may mean working at one of our stores, services, working at home, in the community, at one of our Collaboration Hubs or depending on the role any combination of these. Please read through the advert carefully to understand the remits of hybrid working that will be specific to the role.

Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.
Annual Leave entitlement for full-time colleagues is 26 days per annum, increasing to 27 days per annum, after 3 years Barnardo's service, 29 days per annum, after 5 years Barnardo's service and 30 days per annum, after 7 years Barnardo's service. Those working less than full time are entitled to the same level of holiday pro rata
The ability to buy up to another 5 days annual leave via our Buy Your Leave scheme
A host of family friendly leave options including company Maternity Paternity and Adoption pay; together with all family additional leave options
Service related sick pay from day 1
Access to a Group Personal Pension with a matched 4% or 6% contribution from Barnardo's. Ability to pay via salary sacrifice to garner both tax and NI savings on your own contribution
Death in service cover of 4x annual earnings for all staff contributing to our Group Personal Pension
Cycle2work scheme
Interest free season ticket loans
Discounts and cashback from at high street shops including major supermarkets, cinemas, gyms, leisure/theme parks, holidays and much more via our Benefit Portal
20% discount at Barnardo's stores
Opportunity to purchase a health cash plan to claim towards dental, glasses, therapy etc
Free access to round the clock employee assistance program for advice and support
Access to Barnardo's Learning and Development offer

*T&C's apply based on contract

We are committed to being an inclusive employer and cultivating a culture where everyone can belong and thrive through inclusion and connectivity. We want our workforce to be reflective of the communities we work with, and for equality, diversity and inclusion to be embedded in everything we do. We are a Disability Confident Leader, are progressing our ambition to be an anti-racist organisation with Anti-Racism Commitments and actions in place and have networks for colleagues who are disabled, LGBT+, Black and Minoritised Ethnic and Women. We particularly encourage applications from Black and Minoritised Ethnic and/or disabled candidates who are currently underrepresented in our workforce. For disabled applicants, we offer reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

Reference number:22688
Job Title:Social Worker (PW3)
Location:Newry
Locality:Newry and Armagh
Contract type:Permanent
Hours:22.2
Salary:£35,390 – £43,392 (FTE) (£21,234 - £26,035 pro rata)
Closing Date:31 March 2026
Interview Date:10th and 17th April 2026.

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