Pictured: Victoria Collins, Director of Adult Services (centre) with Tejal (left) and Adele (right), experienced social workers at Milton Keynes City Council
As new industry research shows pay has firmly overtaken all other factors to encourage social workers to change jobs, Milton Keynes City Council has announced its latest competitive recruitment package for new and experienced social workers.
The city council is offering a ‘Golden Hello’ payment worth up to £6,000 for new starters alongside reimbursement for social work registration fees.
Social workers are guaranteed a starting salary between £32,909 and £42,503 at the city council, plus they’ll receive an annual payment of up to £4,000 per year (depending on experience) for joining. Financial support is available for people relocating to the city.
Questioning around 2,500 social workers across the country, this week the Community Care annual jobseeker survey has shown that pay is the biggest factor for 55% of social workers, followed by work/life balance.
A wide variety of roles are available within the city council’s adult social care team, from assistants and apprentices through to senior social workers and Approved Mental Health Professionals (AMHPs), who can earn up to £47,573. All AMHPs also receive an additional allowance on top of their annual salary.
Social workers ensure that residents receive the right support to improve their quality of life. This might mean helping people with complex needs to live independently at home providing support to people with dementia, learning disabilities, mental health needs, autism, or physical disabilities.
Like all councils, Milton Keynes City Council has a mixture of directly employed social workers and agency staff and by attracting more of the former, it will reduce significant agency expenses.
“Our social workers do an incredible job. As our city continues to grow, we will continue to expand our teams, and we’re looking for people who can demonstrate kindness, patience, and compassion. We have all sorts of opportunities available and will offer you the support and training that you will need to succeed. If you want a rewarding career and the chance to make a positive difference to people’s lives, we would love to hear from you.”
You can search for available roles and find out more about the Golden Hello, as well as training and career opportunities - and thoughts from current care team members - at www.mkcounciljobs.org.uk/social-work-careers