An introduction to the Districts

A guide for children’s social workers

www.hants.gov.uk/childrenssocialworkcareers Contents Introduction 1 Hart and Rushmoor 2

East Hampshire 4

Havant 6

Fareham and Gosport 8

Eastleigh and 10

Basingstoke 12

Test Valley 14

New Forest 16

Children’s Services 18

Graduate Entry Training Scheme 20

Great reasons to be a social worker in Hampshire 21

Hayling Island beach huts. Introduction Hampshire’s unique rural beauty is showcased within the region’s two National Parks, country parks and picturesque villages. Located on the south coast of England, with excellent transport links to London, Bath, Oxford and Brighton, it is one of the best places to live and work in the UK.

Whether you already live in the region or have plans to move here, there is a pace of life to suit everyone, fantastic access to transport and wonderful places and spaces to inspire a career in social work.

Contact us at www.hants.gov.uk/childrenssocialworkcareers

An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers 1 Hart &Rushmoor Juliette Blake, District Manager for Hart and Rushmoor, is proud that her district celebrates multiculturalism and embraces differences. Our offices are located in , known as the home Farnborough, and we have a second of the British Army, has a real building in Aldershot, both in North mix of social classes and cultural West Hampshire. The offices are backgrounds. There are often five minutes from each other by car, street markets, and the high street with free parking at both sites. represents a wealth of cultures, from Poland, to Africa, to Nepal. It It’s an excellent place to commute is the multiculturalism of the area to. Guildford and Basingstoke are 20 which really adds to its vibrancy. minutes away, and a train to London takes about 40 minutes. We’re close Feedback from people who have to the M3 and M25, and there are worked with us is invariably positive excellent public transport links. – they like the relaxed atmosphere and openness of the management Our district offers a cross-section group. We work as a district, of client groups. Our social worker despite being in various teams, and teams are multicultural and embrace staff are supportive of each other. differences. We cater for the local We even have our own ‘pub Friday’ demography, where for just over 6% event, where people can attend of residents, English is their second the local pub after work as a way of language. There is a great variety ending the week. We strive to be a between the towns we cover. Hart learning environment for all, and to was named the most desirable place learn from each other’s strengths. to live in the UK in 2017 (Hart in Hampshire ‘best place to live in UK’ – BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/ uk-england-42377578).

2 An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers Clockwise from right, Yateley Common, Aldershot Military Museum, Farnborough Airshow, Hartley Wintney cricket green.

An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers 3 East Hampshire

Laura Mallinson, District Manager for East Hampshire describes the team’s rural location and being in the heart of Jane Austen country. We are based in the rural town of which she lived, and wrote her Alton, serving a rural district where famous, classic novels, is in nearby people are friendly and welcoming – Chawton and is now the Jane it is quite the norm for people you Austen Museum. don’t know to smile and say ‘hello’ as you pass them in the street. Not far from in Surrey, the town can be reached, by The area in which we are based is car, from the A339 and the A31 surrounded by picturesque villages which runs from the A3 (from and is often referred to as Jane London, the M25 and Guildford), Austen country – as the home in and the M3 for Winchester

Clockwise from above, The , Ashford Hangers nr Petersfield, Ashford Hangers nr Petersfield, Jane Austen’s House Museum – Chawton.

4 An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers and Southampton. The A272 Our offices are just off the high runs from the A31 at Alton, to street, close to a variety of shops Portsmouth. A mainline rail station and local amenities including the runs a regular, direct service to Alton Town Council Public Gardens. London Waterloo. Frequent bus Our large, open plan office spaces services run from Alton to outlying are set out over three floors and villages and other nearby towns, we also have access to the building’s as well as the cities of Winchester conference rooms and smaller and Guildford. meeting rooms.

Alton railway station also serves as Being under one roof means that a terminus for the restored steam our teams can foster good working railway running between Alton relationships. We enjoy a culture that and New Alresford: the Mid Hants encourages and supports flexible Railway which is fondly and better working and provides excellent known as The Watercress Line opportunities for staff development, – and so called because in times with full management support. past, it was used to transport fresh watercress to London.

Clockwise from above, The Watercress Line, Ashford Hangers nr Petersfield, Ashford Hangers nr Petersfield, Jane Austen’s House Museum – Chawton.

An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers 5 Havant

Kieron Lyons, District Manager for Havant is proud of the teams’ consistent high performance and how flexible working is championed. Covering the Havant area of Southampton – at Junction 5 of the Hampshire, we are based at the M27. From Portsmouth there are heart of a growing, vibrant town. ferries to the Isle of Wight, France The building in which we are based and Spain. is shared with Havant Borough Council and is also home to one Havant is a well established, of the County Council’s Register consistently high performing district Offices so you are often able to to work in. All social care teams catch a glimpse of an arriving bride work together under one roof and outside the office windows, as well are champions of flexible working, as the Mayor leading ceremonies in a modern open plan workspace, and hosting Royal Visits. complete with shower facilities and bike hire availability. Our offices are close to the M27 motorway and there is easy access Other advantages of working in a to Guildford and London, by road, modern, shared building include via the A3. On-site are three car an on-site café which opens for parks providing free parking for breakfast, with bacon sandwiches social care staff. and healthy alternatives, and operates throughout the day. The The local train station, with its building is adjacent to the gym which direct line to Portsmouth Harbour offers County Council staff a 10 per and London Waterloo, is a two cent discount on membership. minute walk across the road. There are regular bus services serving the The fact that the building is shared town, local villages and the cities with the Borough Council means of Portsmouth and Chichester. that we are sharing premises The nearest airport is located in with their teams who deal with

6 An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers housing and benefits, as well as the There is a variety of shops less Citizens Advice service. Available than two minutes walk away in the meeting rooms allow you to meet town centre. Slightly further afield with families in a confidential and but easy to get to is Portsmouth safe environment. With Havant Harbour, and the historic dockyard police station across the road, we where, among the attractions, are enjoy close, multi-agency working Nelson’s flagship HMS Victory and relationships with colleagues in the Mary Rose. Hampshire Constabulary. Also nearby are Job Centre Plus, the Anyone coming to work with us in health centre and the leisure centre. Havant, can expect to enjoy regular district nights out, team lunches, Christmas decoration competitions, as well as, of course, excellent progression opportunities (a well known strength of the district is its succession planning).

Clockwise from right, Hayling Island, Langstone Quay, Havant, Havant town centre.

An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers 7 Fareham &Gosport Vicky Richardson, District Manager for Fareham and Gosport, says that her teams are often among the first to host and deliver pilot projects and services. Fareham and Gosport are There are good transport links to predominantly urban areas, located both Fareham and Gosport. Located between the cities of Portsmouth close to the M27, the areas are also and Southampton. Both the seaside within easy reach of the M3 and and countryside are right on the A3 to the M25 and beyond. Both door step. Stokes Bay is three towns are served by a train station miles away whilst Titchfield Haven, and good, frequent bus services. renowned for its wildlife, is six miles From Gosport you can take a ferry away. Queen Elizabeth Country over to Portsmouth. And, from Park and the New Forest are easily Portsmouth, there are links to the accessible within a 30 minute journey. Isle of Wight and ferries to France The historic cities of Winchester and and Spain. Southampton Airport is a Chichester are also relatively close by. 20 minute drive away.

8 An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers Clockwise from below, View of Gosport, Titchfield Haven National Nature Reserve. Opposite, Gosport Harbour.

The communities of Fareham and one team has established its Gosport are diverse, with house own weekly ‘drop in’ behavioural prices in Gosport considerably lower support group for parents. than in other areas of Hampshire. Many practitioners in the district Our office is conveniently located, joined as newly qualified social close to local amenities and there is workers or support staff and have free parking. grown within their teams. This has produced a culture of supported Staff feel positive about working in learning, nurturing talent and the the district and practitioners work development of special interests closely with partner agencies to and expertise. ensure children and families receive appropriate interventions, planning Our teams deliver innovative or support. Whilst this work can be interventions and work very much in challenging, it is also enjoyable. partnership with external agencies, as a priority, to the advantage of children Where there are gaps in and families. We are often among community resources and provision, the first to host and deliver pilot the teams explore different ways projects and services for the benefit of working, maximising their of vulnerable children and families. knowledge and skills. For example,

An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers 9 Eastleigh & Winchester Richard Hadley, District Manager for Eastleigh and Winchester, says that his district is currently undergoing a ‘metamorphosis’.

We are based in Eastleigh, on the town is within easy reach of the New outskirts of the town centre, within Forest National Park, as well as the walking distance of the train station, sandy beaches of southern England. and local buses, close to Junction 5 of the M27, and Junction 12 of the Eastleigh is currently undergoing a M3. Southampton Airport is a five metamorphosis, aided by substantial minute drive. and ongoing investment. The town is becoming recognised as a hub Eastleigh is approximately nine miles for contemporary arts: The Point – from Winchester and seven miles converted from the old Town Hall from Southampton. We’re also and adjacent library – is now a centre commutable from London. The for performance, with emphasis on

Winchester

10 An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers dance, innovative new productions, gauge railway, has just opened a new community clubs, and classes. It waterside centre, and is perfect for also attracts many well known dog walking, cycling, or even canoeing. performers and comedians. More recently, the former sorting office Our offices are modern, with was converted into workspaces for parking available nearby. We also creative businesses, so there is a real have a wide range of shops and buzz about the town. facilities in the local area.

Even the street scene has been All of our social work teams are revamped, with new benches and located in the same building and lights creating a pleasant ambience have close working links with each in the town. There’s an emphasis other. To support this we operate on green spaces and leisure facilities. a peer supervision model, lite You’ll find Leigh Road Recreation bite learning sessions as well as Ground in the centre of town, with the more traditional case based its Edwardian bandstand and popular supervision. Committed to a culture playground, while Places for People of learning and improvement leisure centrehas recently opened, at all levels we are a culturally following a £25million upgrade to diverse, embracing and optimistic improve its facilities. Lakeside Country staff group who seek aspirational Park, with its 22 hectares of lake, outcomes for the children and meadow, and woodland, plus dual families that we work with.

Left to right, Winchester Cathedral archway, Leigh Road Recreation Ground, Lakeside Country Park, Performance time.

An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers 11 Basingstoke

Fiona Wraith, District Manager for Basingstoke, says that the leisure facilities in her district have really boosted the area.

Our offices are a couple of miles multi-screen cinema. There is also outside of Basingstoke town centre, Basingstoke Sports Centre, which in Dame Mary Fagan House. We has a pool, sauna, Jacuzzi and steam have a large, modern, open plan room, as well as a state-of-the-art office, which is three miles away gym, studios, squash courts, and from the railway station, with a main hall. regular bus service between the two. There is also a leisure park outside We are located around 30 miles of the town centre, with swimming from Southampton, and 50 miles pool, ice rink, bowling alley, cinema, from London, with good links to the and various restaurants and fast M3 and the M4, via the A33, and food outlets. It is also home to the frequent public transport service Milestones Museum, which tells the links around the district. history of Hampshire. Plenty to keep you busy on your days off! Basingstoke is part of the borough of Basingstoke and Deane, and was Our modern offices come with an old market town which expanded on- site free parking, kitchens, and in the mid-1960s. A mixture of break out areas, and a local bistro urban and rural, there are several delivers sandwiches and other picturesque villages within a couple refreshments daily. of miles of the town centre.

Development in Basingstoke has brought a huge boost to the town centre. Festival Place Shopping Centre, for example, Clockwise from bottom, has a wide range of shops, cafés, View of Basingstoke, Basingstoke Canal, and restaurants, as well as a large Milestones Museum, L’Arc statue, Shopping time.

12 An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers 13 Test Valley

Andrew Lund, District Manager for Test Valley enjoys working in a supportive environment with a positive atmosphere, based in the heart of Test Valley. Serving the Test Valley area of Baddesley, and areas of Tidworth. Hampshire, we are based in There are a number of primary Andover – a small market town schools and secondary schools in the with a population of approximately area as well as one special school. 63,000 people. The town is situated There are also two independent 18 miles west of Basingstoke, 15 schools located close by. miles north-west of the historic city of Winchester, 25 miles north of There is a large military presence Southampton and 65 miles south in the area as Army Headquarters west of London. are based in Andover, and there are garrisons located in Tidworth and Southampton, Heathrow and Middle Wallop. Our service users Gatwick Airports are easily hail from diverse backgrounds, and accessed. The A303 and M3 are here in Test Valley we welcome the easily reached by car, and there diverse and multicultural community. are good train services from the rail station in Andover to London A number of new housing Waterloo (every half an hour), as developments have sprung up in well as Salisbury, Yeovil and Exeter, recent times, comprising a mix of Basingstoke and Woking. Frequent one, two, three and four bedroom bus services run from Andover homes. A proportion of homes are to the outlying villages, as well as Ministry of Defence properties and Tidworth and Salisbury. social housing.

Andover is a small, friendly rural Our offices are based in Test Valley town. The Test Valley area also Borough Council’s office building includes the town of Romsey, parts in Andover. It is a purpose built of Southampton such as North office complex with plenty of free

14 An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers parking, and within walking distance We promote a supportive to the town centre, where a street environment and positive market is hosted every Thursday atmosphere in which to work, and Saturday. We enjoy use of the ensuring all teams are fully Council’s staff restaurant which supported at all times. offers both sandwiches and hot food at subsidised prices.

Our 60-strong team includes Family Support Workers, Family Intervention Team members, the Care Leavers Team and Spring Meadow Children’s Centre staff.

Clockwise from left, Wherwell Church, Thruxton racecourse, Stockbridge, Sir Harold Hillier Gardens – Romsey

An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers 15 New Forest

Vanessa Johns, District Manager for the New Forest area cites how teams being on the same floor makes for good joint working and support networks. We are based on the very edge Winchester. The airports at of the national park that is known Bournemouth and Southampton as the New Forest. It is a unique are either side of the Forest and can area, with a mixture of market and be reached in approximately half an coastal towns and rural villages. The hour’s drive. There are good train drive through the New Forest to links with South Western Railway, your clients’ homes will always be meaning you can be in London interesting – as you will often have within one and a half hours. Local the extra challenge of navigating bus services are also good. around ponies, pigs and donkeys on the roads that course through the Aside from Forest walks, the area common land of the New Forest – boasts a host of tourist attractions what more could you want! with perhaps the most well-known being Beaulieu Motor Museum and Peppa Pig World at Paulton’s Park.

Schools in the New Forest are excellent with a number of them achieving an Ofsted rating of ‘Outstanding’. Many other schools achieve an Ofsted rating of good. The New Forest is well connected for travel. The office is located Located in Totton, our office is an within just a few minutes of the easy walk to the high street and M271, making it easily commutable local shops. All the teams are based for those living and working in the on one floor, providing excellent surrounding cities of Southampton, opportunities for joint working and Bournemouth, Salisbury and support networks.

16 An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers Clockwise from right, Milford on Sea beach, Fordingbridge, The New Forest National Park, Lymington. Opposite, New Forest ponies.

An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers 17 Children’s Services Hampshire County Council has one of the top-rated Children’s Services departments in the country and has consistently been judged by Ofsted as good with outstanding leadership and governance. As a Local Authority appointed • created multi-disciplinary teams by the Secretary of State to be a focusing on the whole family’s ‘Partner in Practice’, we have the needs, addressing issues of mental freedom to innovate, be flexible health and domestic abuse. and trial new ways of working to improve frontline children’s social The quality of the people who work work. We are now in the next for us is fundamental to the service exciting stage of reforming children’s we deliver. We want to keep social care practice, and have: improving to provide an outstanding service, making a real difference to • expanded our team of social work children and their families. personal assistants to free up social workers from the necessary We will invest in you and provide and important administrative you with the support you need tasks, so they can concentrate on to be able to perform to your making a difference to children best, through regular supervision, and families that need support training and development.

• extended the use of volunteers who To find out about the benefits and offer mentoring, return from missing support you will receive as a member interviews and parenting support of the team and to see the latest vacancies, visit www.hants.gov.uk/ childrenssocialworkcareers

Social workers who are as good as you, should be working amongst the best in the profession

18 An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers Social workers who are as good as you, should be working amongst the best in the profession

An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers 19 children’s Graduate Entry social work Training Scheme

Accelerate your learning and experience as a newly or nearly new qualified social worker (NQSW) through our pioneering Graduate Entry and Training Scheme (GETS) – a scheme unique to Hampshire County Council.

GETS is an entirely new way of supporting our social workers through their Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) and will ensure you build the very best foundations in skills and confidence to ensure you are fully equipped for the challenges of frontline social work.

Following an individually tailored induction, as part of this scheme you will undertake secondments with at least three frontline service teams, where you will begin to develop your portfolio, before being appointed to a substantive role. Among the key benefits of our scheme is that you will be able to share your learning and experience with a wide network of peers, as well as call on their support.

This is an incredibly exciting time to be a social worker at Hampshire County Council. As a top performing Authority, and one of the few selected to be a Department for Education Partner in Practice, we have embarked on an ambitious journey to revolutionise practice and processes to allow social workers greater flexibility in the way that they work.

To apply, visit, www.hants.gov.uk/childrenssocialworkcareers

20 An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers great reasons to be 5 a children’s social worker in Hampshire

1 All the practical 4 Social work takes support you need, precedence over including professional paperwork with a development at every commitment to free up step of your career, social workers from the administrative support necessary and important and provision of new administrative tasks so technology for greater that you can devote more flexibility. time to making a difference to the communities and 2 Extensive employee families that need support. benefits package with flexible and part-time 5 An opportunity to help working options. shape the future of social care with a leading 3 A safe and supportive authority for innovation working environment and improvement. with positive team support and options to develop experience in a variety of casework.

An introduction to the Hampshire Districts – A guide for children’s social workers 21