Skip to main content

Working in Cambridgeshire as a children’s social worker

Page Contents

Considering a children's social work role in Cambridgeshire? Here is a bit more information about us.

Working in Cambridgeshire

All staff have an allocated work base, being your main place of work, but you can access many of our corporate buildings across Cambridgeshire to work, hold and attend meetings. Enabling you to meet other teams, access lots of information, transfer between teams effortlessly, and work more efficiently with families and colleagues.

In children's social care we have offices across the county from Wisbech to Cambridge and Huntingdon to Ely, with some of our teams working locality based and others countywide. Our Chief Executive is passionate about Cambridgeshire County Council being a "flex-first" employer.

We know that the work-life balance and wellbeing of our Social Care staff is of the utmost importance, so we support our staff with family-friendly policies and creative working arrangements, whether than be on a formal contractual, or informal basis.

There are many benefits when working with us.

Career opportunities

We are passionate about nurturing social workers career development here in Cambridgeshire.

Hear from Joanne Banks about her progression story with us.

"Jo initially joined us in our Child Protection Team and progressed from Newly Qualified Social Worker to Head of Service"

Joanne Banks

Jo joined Cambridgeshire County Council as a Newly Qualified Social Worker and has progressed to Head of our Regional Adoption Agency.

While undertaking her Economics Degree, Jo became interested in working with vulnerable families through volunteering opportunities. This consisted of working with children with additional needs, families from deprived backgrounds and supporting children to have contact with their absent parents. It opened Jo’s eyes to a very different area of work and gave her a sense of an alternative career to what she had gone to university for, so after completing the Economics Degree, Jo started a Masters in Social Work.

Jo initially joined us in our Child Protection Team and progressed from Newly Qualified Social Worker, to Social Worker, to Senior Social Worker and then onto Team Manager. Despite this being a step away from working with children and their families, she always loved being involved in supporting Social Workers with their work and offered the opportunity to shape the team to enable staff to offer better support to children and families. In 2011, Jo moved on to a Group Manager Role during the implementation of a new model.

After working in Child Protection for 8 years, Jo was offered an opportunity to join the Adoption Team as a Team Manager which was a brand new and exciting area outside of her skill set. Jo then progressed to the Adoption Manager after 3 years.

In 2020, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough set up the Regional Adoption Agency which offered a potential to take a different approach to how adoption services were provided in the area, but also came with a lot of change and instability for the workforce. Jo took the step up to the Head of the Regional Adoption Agency in 2021 which was a very different role as she became responsible for the whole service as opposed to the more hands-on roles she held previously.

We asked Jo what advice she would give to someone starting out in Children’s Social Care and she said:

"One of the most valuable is to bring an open and curious mind to all aspects of your work and don’t be afraid to ask questions. You have a wealth of experience around you in colleagues and managers so use their skills and expertise to grow your own social work practice.”

Living and Working in Cambridgeshire Banner Image

Living in Cambridgeshire

Cambridgeshire is known for its picturesque countryside, historic cities, and world-renowned university. The county is home to the city of Cambridge, which is famous for its stunning architecture, cultural events, and academic institutions. The city is also known for its punting, a popular leisure activity on the River Cam, which runs through the city.

Cambridgeshire has many charming towns and villages that offer a range of amenities and services. The county is known for its strong economy, particularly in the technology and bioscience industries, which offer many employment opportunities.
Cambridgeshire is also a great place for outdoor activities, with plenty of green spaces, parks, and nature reserves.

Living in Cambridgeshire can offer a mix of urban and rural lifestyles, with plenty of opportunities for education, employment, and leisure activities.

Here is some more information about each district in Cambridgeshire.

The city of Cambridge is the county town and the largest settlement in Cambridgeshire. It is home to the world-renowned University of Cambridge, a wide range of cultural attractions, and a thriving economy. The city is also known for its historic architecture, including King's College Chapel and the Round Church.

This district is located south of Cambridge and includes several towns and villages. It is a popular area for commuters who work in Cambridge, as well as for those who enjoy rural living. South Cambridgeshire is home to several science and technology parks, including the Cambridge Science Park and Granta Park.

This district is in the west of the county and includes the town of Huntingdon, which is the birthplace of Oliver Cromwell. The district is also home to the historic market towns of St Ives and St Neots, as well as several nature reserves and parks.

This district is in the east of the county and includes the town of Ely, which is known for its historic cathedral and riverside location. The district is also home to several smaller towns and villages, as well as the famous Wicken Fen Nature Reserve.

This district is in the north of the county and includes the towns of Wisbech and March. It is a predominantly rural area with a strong agricultural sector, as well as several nature reserves and waterways, including the River Great Ouse.