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Build a stronger future

Start a rewarding career in children's social care at Portsmouth City Council

Adam Shepherd talks about "the power of collaboration"

Adam Shepherd, head of the Family Support and Safeguarding Team at Portsmouth City Council, draws on over 30 years of experience in social care to lead a collaborative, multi-agency approach that empowers families in the family support and safeguarding team.

He is expanding his team and seeking skilled social workers passionate about making a difference. Discover Adam’s insights and what makes Portsmouth a unique place to work at Portsmouth City Council.

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Why Stronger Futures?

Take that next step into children's social care and create a brighter future for families, young people and children in Portsmouth.

We are looking for social workers who want to be part of a team that make a difference every day. We recognise that social work is a rewarding but challenging career. To support you, we will invest in your professional development and your wellbeing.

If you are looking for an opportunity to work in an innovative local authority, Portsmouth City Council will support you every step of the way. Regardless of where you are in your career, we can help you reach your potential in children's social care.

MAKE YOUR MOVE

Meet the team who are #ProudToBePortsmouth

Portsmouth is a fantastic city to practice in but what do team members say themselves.

Meet the team who help children, young people and families every day in the waterfront city, as they share their experiences working for the service.

Discover their stories and how you can join the team who are #ProudToBePortsmouth.

Dean who has worked in Portsmouth since 2019

Liam

5 years +
I joined Portsmouth City Council as a student and have progressed to an advanced social worker. Working within our family support and safeguarding team, we support families through child in need planning, child protection, and legal proceedings. I value Portsmouth's focus on our relationships with families, partner agencies and colleagues. My role is to help us grow as a team through reflection and learning to deliver effective interventions for our community.
Lauren who has worked in Portsmouth since 2017

Lauren

6 years +
I started working in Portsmouth within the central one locality team as a Social Worker in 2017. I completed my ASYE in this team and progressed to a higher-grade social worker in 2019. I became a team leader in July 2023 and manage the family support and safeguarding south team.
Karley - team leader managing the Battenburg Family Centre.

Karley

20 years +
I started working at Portsmouth City Council in the youth offending team as a social worker. I progressed and became a team leader managing the Battenburg Family Centre. In 2016, I developed the Stronger Futures Academy for newly qualified social workers which has been adopted by the children and families workforce.
Adam - a member of the frontline child protection team.

Adam

30 years +
I initially worked in residential care for older people transitioning to children's residential care, where I qualified as a social worker. I joined the frontline child protection team at Portsmouth City Council where I was seconded to work on a harmful sexual behaviour project. Since then, I have progressed to a senior practitioner, team manager and now head of service.

Explore your options

Children's services at Portsmouth City Council covers many areas and disciplines. Your future team could be in fostering or residential care. Explore what's possible and take a look at some of the opportunities available.

Building your futures team

Building your futures

Work with children and young people in the building your futures team to support individuals through long term fostering or reunification at home. Help young people prepare for independence prior to becoming care leavers as well as support those most at need into adulthood.

Safeguarding team

Safeguarding

Help maintain quality assurance and improvement in delivering services associated with the safeguarding of young people. From independent reviewing officers to child protection experts, the safeguarding team's role is both varied and essential.

Foster carer

Fostering

Help children find their forever home by helping us build relationships with Portsmouth's caring community. From completing assessments of prospective carers to providing supervision and support, the role is both challenging and rewarding. Through training and support, we encourage carers to develop through the fostering and social work teams enabling us to form stronger ties and relationships.

Prospective adopters

Adoption

Make an impact by assessing, matching and supporting adoptive parents for Portsmouth's children. By working with other partners, this dynamic team links those who want to make a difference with prospective adopters. The team also offer support services to children/carers where special guardianship orders have been made.

Workers in residential care

Children's homes

Start a rewarding career in care at one of three children's homes. The service supports children and young people from ages 5 - 18 years old. Each location is managed by experienced co-ordinators who support the most vulnerable young people in the city.

Harm and exploitation prevention team

Harm and exploitation

Work with children aged 10 - 17 years old on reducing offending and re-offending in Portsmouth. Help deliver restorative justice to support victims which is the preferred model of working across all children's services at Portsmouth City Council. Make a difference and help turn around a young person's life.

News from Stronger Futures

Get the latest information from Portsmouth City Council

What do children, young people and families say about us?

Every February, we undertake a survey to gather the views of children, parents, young people, care experienced and foster carers about the support they receive from Portsmouth City Council.

The voice of our community is so important. Two people have shared their transformative journey in Portsmouth alongside their experiences working with social care practitioners.

Feedback included:

Icon showing three people

The first time I came to this country, I had no place to stay, no family and unable to speak English. They put me in foster care which made me feel safe as I learnt the English language.

I want to say thank you to Portsmouth City Council for supporting me through education, providing money for living and activities to do. Thanks to all the social workers and personal advisors - they were helpful. Thanks to the Job Centre too.

Personal advisor feedback, care-experienced adult seeking safety

Icon showing three people

Thank you so much for supporting me and my child. It's been a very long journey that I will never forget, never dreamed of working alongside you from the start but look how it turned out.

We now have good chats and a lot of support from you. The mistakes made in the past - we can't change them; we can only modify our behaviours going forward and that's with all the kind support from you.

Social worker feedback from parent

Our partners

Portsmouth City Council works with different partners to support families across the city collaboratively to improve outcomes and build stronger communities.

    Making a stronger future together

    Hear from our social workers who share their experiences supporting Portsmouth's children.

    What are the rewards of working in Portsmouth?

    What are the rewards of working in Portsmouth?

    • I really enjoy being able to work with children and families, um, when they can be, feel that they can be honest and open about the challenges that they're facing.
    • Due to the size of Portsmouth, I feel like you really get to know the people in Portsmouth, the services and the other professionals, which gives us the opportunity to promote communication and provide that multi-agency support to families.

    What makes Portsmouth such a special place to work?

    What makes Portsmouth such a special place to work?

    • Worked at Portsmouth for such a long time, and I have no, plans to leave Portsmouth because I really enjoy working for Portsmouth.
    • They are such a lovely employer. Everybody is kind. Everybody works in a restorative way.
    • The training has been amazing, and everyone is just really supportive.
    • It's a small, tight-knit community.

    What are the challenges in your role?

    What are the challenges in your role?

    • The challenges of my role is that any career in social work is demanding.
    • It is demanding emotionally. It is demanding also in terms of time. But actually what's important is that if you're a committed person and you're committed to supporting children and their families, you see the benefits of actually providing that time and commitment.
    • And um, but it is a fast-paced job, and it's a role that requires lots of commitment.

    What career opportunities are available?

    What career opportunities are available?

    • So I've been working for Port City Council since 2017. I initially came in as an A-S-Y-E, which is the assisted support program for newly qualified social workers, and in 2019 I completed my high grade.
    • I'm now one of the team leaders in South. What I like about working in Portsmouth is I think it's a really restorative city. I think that there's a lot of support in Portsmouth, and I think there's a real sense of leadership and commitment.
    • I think that because I've worked here for such a long time, the support's always been quite evident. I feel that we've got a really good A-S-Y-E academy and really good support for our students.
    • I think that we've just adapted the family safeguarding model, which is really working for children and families, and obviously we've got a good offstead rating, and some areas are outstanding.

    Start your journey with Stronger Futures

    Our teams are passionate about what they do, ensuring Portsmouth's children, young people and families are supported. Explore your options at Portsmouth City Council.

    Find out more
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