Exeter
Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of adults who are Deaf and those who have hearing or sight loss? We are seeking a dedicated and skilled Social Worker to join our Sensory Team, providing specialist support across the county of Devon.
About the Role
This is a unique opportunity to work with Deaf and visually impaired adults across Devon, delivering high-quality social work services that promote independence, dignity, and wellbeing.
You will be responsible for:
• Conducting assessments of need (in British Sign Language where appropriate)
• Developing and reviewing care and support plans
• Safeguarding
• Providing advocacy and guidance
• Supporting individuals to access services and live fulfilling lives.
Working as a member of the Sensory Team, you will work closely with individuals, families, and partner agencies to ensure that visually / hearing impaired and Deaf adults receive the support they need in a way that is culturally and linguistically appropriate.
About You
We are looking for someone who:
• Is a qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England (newly qualified is acceptable)
• Holds a Level 3 qualification in British Sign Language (BSL)
• Has experience or a strong interest in working with Deaf people
• Understands the importance of Deaf culture and communication needs
• Has an awareness around sight loss
• Is confident in undertaking assessments and care planning
• Has excellent interpersonal and advocacy skills
• Is able to travel across Devon as required
What We Offer
• A supportive and inclusive working environment
• Opportunities for professional development
• Flexible working arrangements
• Competitive salary (Grade F/G depending on experience)
• Mileage and travel expenses covered (additional to commute)
Join us in making a real difference in the lives of Deaf, hearing impaired and visually impaired adults across Devon.
Social Worker Career Pathway
We have implemented the first phase of a new Social Worker Career Pathway within our Adults Services, with our vacancies available at the Social Worker (Grade F) or Experienced Social Worker (Grade G) levels. Our Social Worker and Experienced Social Worker roles align with the national Professional Capability Framework (PCF) for Social Workers, which provides a robust structure for all local authorities to use as a way of standardising professional capabilities and provides a clear career pathway.
This is a fantastic opportunity to provide you with an achievable, clear pathway for your career; to enable you as a practitioner to reflect and identify your own practice and development on the PCF pathway.
If successful in being shortlisted for interview, your experience, skills and knowledge, will be assessed against the PCF domains and if found appointable, this will determine your appointment to either the Social Worker (Grade F) or Experienced Social Worker level (Grade G).
With on-going learning and support from your line manager, those appointed as a Social Worker will be able to evidence incremental learning and submit an application in due course for progression to the Experienced Social Worker (Grade G) via a portfolio of supporting evidence against the PCF framework.
What we can offer you
- We are committed to your continuous professional development, doing all we can to help you to get the most from your career. You will receive excellent support and supervision, with regular opportunities to discuss and reflect on your practice, both with your line manager and peers.
- We offer 26 days annual leave, plus Bank Holidays, rising incrementally to 31 days after 5 years’ service.
- Flexible working opportunities are available, these include part-time hours, flexitime, compressed working hours and homeworking (this is subject to the needs of the role – please discuss at further at interview)
- Offer an opportunity to enter a generous Local Government Pension Scheme.
- As a place to live and work, Devon is hard to beat with top-performing schools, universities, vibrant cities, pretty villages and some of the most scenic coast and countryside in the UK. Living and working in Devon as a Social Worker has never been more attractive.
For an informal discussion please contact: Alyson Badnell at alyson.badnell@devon.gov.uk Tel: 01392 383949.
Interviews are to be held on 12 February 2026
How to apply
Please ensure when completing your application form that you provide a supporting statement which demonstrates how you meet the essential and desirable criteria as described in the person specification of the job description. Applications may not be taken forwards if the supporting statement is not adequately completed.
Internal Applicants, please note: If you are an existing DCC employee, please use your iTrent Employee Self Service (ESS) details to log in and apply
Does the job role include personal care?: No
Working Patterns:
TBC
Essential details:
- DCC embraces the positive benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to providing an environment that is inclusive and safe. We welcome applications from people who share our commitment to stop discrimination, challenge inequality and promote diversity across Devon. More information can be found on our Equality and Diversity webpages.
- Happy to Talk Flexible Working- The Council offers flexible working arrangements in terms of when and where people work e.g. hybrid working, part-time, condensed hours etc.
- We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
- This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
- Personal data we collect from you will be processed in accordance with the Applicant privacy notice.
- For more information about Working for Devon please visit our Working for Devon page.
- We cannot consider visa sponsorship at this time. UK Right to Work is required. For further guidance on right to work in the UK, please visit: Work in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
- This role requires a DBS disclosure.