Description Advanced Practitioner (Children Looked After) P05: £52,674 pa rising in annual increments to £55,710 pa incl. LW Permanent / Full-Time/ Hybrid Working We are seeking an experienced Advanced Practitioner to join our team within the Children Looked After (CLA) Service. About the CLA Service The Children Looked After (CLA) service provides support to children, young people, and unaccompanied asylum-seeking children (UASC) aged 0-16 who are in care. Our service is structured across four teams, each consisting of a Team Manager, Advanced Practitioner, Social Workers, and Personal Advisors (UASC team only). Our core aim in the CLA service is to ensure that the children and young people we work with are supported to achieve the best possible outcomes. As an Advanced Practitioner, you will support your team in delivering high-quality care planning and promoting the highest standard of social work. You will also be responsible for developing innovative and creative strategies to ensure that children in care are supported to develop their independence and achieve outstanding outcomes. Key Responsibilities : 1. Promote Effective Communication: Foster clear and effective communication with families, advising social workers and other professionals on the necessary steps to achieve positive outcomes for children. 2. Team Management Support: Assist Team Managers with day-to-day management tasks and performance monitoring 3. Support Complex Casework: Provide social work support for complex and challenging families, guiding and mentoring other social workers in the team. 4. Constructive Challenge: Challenge partners appropriately to ensure the best outcomes for children, young people, and families. 5. Mentorship and Supervision: Provide supervision and mentorship to newly qualified Social Workers and less experienced staff, supporting their development in handling complex and high-risk cases. 6. Autonomous Workload Management: Manage a complex workload with autonomy. 7. Legal: Sound knowledge of court work which includes care proceedings, PO and adoption. About You: We are looking for a compassionate, resilient, and experienced individual who has worked with children, young people, and their families in challenging circumstances. The ideal candidate will have: • A deep understanding of the developmental stages of children and the impact of trauma, neglect, and separation. • Proficiency in child protection legislation and statutory guidance, including the Children Act 1989 and 2004, and the Adoption and Children Act 2002. • The ability to build trust and rapport with children and young people, encouraging openness and honest dialogue. • Creative problem-solving skills to find innovative solutions for challenging situations, ensuring the best possible outcomes for children. • Experience in providing guidance and supervision to less experienced colleagues, supporting their development. • A commitment to ongoing professional development, staying up to date with the latest research, policies, and best practices in children’s services. About us: It is an exciting time to join Lambeth Council, we have bold ambitions for the future of Lambeth’s communities and residents through our Lambeth 2030 Plan ‘Our Future, Our Lambeth. To deliver on these ambitions, we have embarked our transformational One Lambeth Programme ensuring we are ‘connected by purpose,’ in everything we do to deliver excellence. We are proud to have recently developed a refreshed set of One Lambeth Values and Behaviours that were developed for staff by staff; Equity, Ambition, Kindness, and Accountability. For more information, please have a look at our dedicated One Lambeth Values and Behaviours page. About the Borough: Located in the heart of South London, Lambeth Borough is a vibrant community of over 317,600 residents. Stretching from the dynamic neighbourhood of Streatham in the South to the iconic landmarks of Waterloo in the North, we are proud to be the 9th largest borough in London. Our diversity is our strength, with more than 130 languages spoken, making Lambeth the home of the Windrush generation, London's largest LGBTQ community, and a thriving Portuguese-speaking community. With exceptional schools, lush green spaces including Brockwell Park, cultural gems like the Black Cultural Archives, and world-renowned institutions such as St Thomas's Hospital, Lambeth offers an enriching and dynamic environment. Why Lambeth: · Fantastic, modern working environment in the award-winning Lambeth Town Hall and Civic Centre buildings · Competitive Salaries · Up to 35 days annual leave, dependent upon continuous service · 5 Minutes from London Underground and excellent transport links into the centre of London · Hybrid/Flexible working · Cycle to Work Scheme (including City Bike Hire scheme) · Attractive Local Government Pension Scheme · Discounts at local restaurants. · Discount at our Active Lambeth Gyms How to Apply: If you're interest in this opportunity, click on the apply button and complete an online application by uploading a Cover Letter and CV. Please make sure your Cover Letter clearly evidences how you meet the criteria marked with an 'A' at shortlist stage on the job specification page. We operate an anonymised application process, so be sure to remove personal details when uploading your CV and Cover Letter. For detailed qualifications and requirements, please review the job description and person specification in hyperlink below: Job Description and Person Specification For any queries or further information regarding the vacancy, please contact Logan Pillay at lpillaylambeth.gov.uk. We are a Stonewall diversity champion; a Living Wage Employer and we guarantee to interview all disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the role. Successful candidates will be asked to apply for an Enhanced Certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Further information about the DBS can be found at www.homeoffice.gov.uk/agencies-public-bodies/dbs In addition, you will also be required to undertake a Cifas check from the Fraud Prevention organisation. Further information can be found here https://www.cifas.org.uk/ Closing Date: 30th March 2025 at midnight Lambeth aims for quality services and equal opportunities for all and is committed to safer recruitment