Social Worker - Waikato Hub

About this role

• Use your skills to enhance the wellbeing of women in prison!
• Work alongside the Wāhine in our care to support them to make positive change!
• Fulltime position, Based at Waikeria Prison – Specifically supporting the new women's units (Rangiora & Ngaio units – Waikato Hub in the Waikato region.

Mō te tūnga | About the role

We're hiring Social Workers to join a new women's unit in the Waikato region. It's part of the Auckland Region Women's Corrections Facility (ARWCF), but the unit itself is based at Waikeria Prison — so if you're in the area, this could be a great fit.

The primary purpose of the Social Worker role is to support and enhance the well-being of women in prison, particularly vulnerable women, and mothers. The role is part of a multi-disciplinary team including corrections officers, case managers, programmes and health staff who all work to guarantee women's wellbeing in prison and assist them to navigate their time in custody and build a better future for them and their children on release.

Specifically this position focuses on working with women who are mothers to support their continued parenting, navigate the statutory child protection processes and strengthen the relationships with their children; leading practice in the mothers with babies units; supporting pregnant women through their pregnancy in prison and planning for their child; supporting young women in positive youth development; working closely with the statutory child protection agency where the mother is in prison; and adopting innovative approaches to support women's wellbeing in prison.

For more information on the key responsibilities of this role, please refer to the Job Description.

Ngā pūkenga me ngā wheako | Skills and experience

• Knowledge of and experience in social work with women, including those with trauma histories
• Can operate effectively in a Māori cultural setting and has an understanding of the Treaty of Waitangi. 
• Knowledge and experience of trauma informed practice models
• Ability to make sound professional judgements tailoring solutions to individual circumstances.
• Ability to build and maintain effective working relationships with a wide range of people to facilitate the accomplishment of work goals
• Ability to maintain professional boundaries
• Ability to be flexible and adapt behaviour to reflect diverse situations and people, and deal positively with difficult situations and people
• Know when to seek guidance from others on matters of operational policy and procedure
• Effectively manage time and workload, taking responsibility for learning and development, while maintaining a balance between work and personal life
• A Social Work qualification recognised by Social Workers Registration Board is essential – we are open to graduates who have provisional registration with SWRB

Ngā painga | The benefits

The full salary range is $82,886 – $102,194. Appointment and remuneration will reflect skills and experience relevant to the role.

Mō mātou | About us

Join Ara Poutama Aotearoa - Department of Corrections, where your work will contribute to improving public safety, reducing re-offending, and address the overrepresentation of Māori in correctional facilities. As a values-led organisation, we use the principles of rangatira (leadership), manaaki (respect), wairua (spirituality), kaitiaki (guardianship), and whānau (relationships) to guide our work and achieve the goals of our Hōkai Rangi strategy.

We value inclusion and diversity in our workforce, and as a Public Service organisation we are committed to building a workforce that reflects the public we serve. We strive to make our recruitment process fair, and we encourage you to discuss reasonable accommodations with us if required.

Tono ināianei | Apply Now

To submit an application and view the position description, click the apply link. All applications must be submitted through our careers site to ensure transparency – applications received via email will not be considered.

When applying, submit a tailored CV and a cover letter describing your motivation for joining the department highlighting relevant skills and experience and the alignment to our work.

Applications close on: 1st November 2026

If you have any questions or want to learn more about a career with us, contact mahiwaikeria@corrections.govt or visit careers.corrections.govt.nz.