Job Title: Senior Practitioner - Child Protection Court
Hours: 37 per week
Salary: HC9 £38,223 – £42,403 (plus £5,000 market rate supplement per year £43,223 - £47,403)
Welcome payment: £5,000 after 6 months completion in post
Relocation package: up to £10,000 available
Contract: permanent
Closing date: 17/11/2024
Come and join us on our Restorative Journey of Improvement to gain the best for children and families in Herefordshire
The Role
We are looking for a dynamic and passionate Senior Practitioner to help us on our improvement journey. Working within the Child Protection & Court Teams, you will work collaboratively with partner agencies to make a positive difference to society and the families that we work with.
As a Senior Practitioner, you will help develop our staff in their knowledge, experience, and practice. You will closely work with the managers to deliver high-quality service to our children, young people, and families. You will provide coaching, mentoring, training, and support to apprentices, step-up students, and family support workers. Leading on areas of practice development and training within the wider service, you will support the implementation of our practice standards, quality assurance framework, professional values, policies, and procedures.
You will be fully qualified (DipSW, CQSW, CSS, or equivalent), with a minimum of 3 years’ experience in statutory social care, and be dedicated to delivering positive outcomes for our children.
This is an exciting opportunity to join our developing team and contribute to creating a safe and supportive learning environment for Herefordshire’s workforce. You will be supported by an established team with a strong commitment to relationship-based practice, flexible working, and professional development.
If you would like an informal discussion about the role of Senior Practitioner, please contact Deborah Morgan, Service Director for the Child Protection & Court Teams, at 01432 261645, or by email at Deborah.morgan@herefordshire.gov.uk.
Herefordshire is on a journey, and we would like you to be part of our next chapter. This is an exciting opportunity to have a genuine impact on the local authority and help improve and protect the children and young people within it.
Herefordshire Council Child Protection & Court Teams
The Children’s Child Protection & Courts teams are based in the centre of Hereford with good transport links. The staff are welcoming and eager to offer help and guidance to anyone new to the team. There are 5 teams comprising a Team Manager, 1 Senior Practitioner, 6 Social Workers, and 4 family support workers. Working from the office allows everyone to connect and ask questions, with flexibility for home working.
We work alongside families to improve outcomes for their children, employing a restorative approach to social work that is evident in our team culture and senior management style.
The Social Workers collaborate closely with the Council’s Legal Team to complete Court applications, supported by court progression officers who help ensure we meet court timescales and identify necessary training.
Regular supervision takes place monthly, with an allocated supervisor available for both formal and informal sessions and case discussions.
We welcome new Social Workers and encourage you to consider joining us!
We Offer
A competitive salary, generous holiday entitlement, and access to our contributory pension and staff benefits scheme, which includes:
* Senior Practitioner starting salary: £38,223 – £42,403 per annum
* Market rate supplement: plus £5,000 per year
* Welcome payment: £5,000 for experienced social workers joining our children’s teams
* Relocation packages: support of up to £10,000
* Pension Scheme: Enrolment in the Local Government (LGPS)
* Professional development: protected time and budget to support social workers' development
* Career progression: clear pathways to progress to senior social worker level
* Generous Annual Leave: 31 days (pro rata) plus bank holidays, with the option to purchase an additional 10 days per annum
* Flexible working: flexi-time, job-share, part-time hours, and home working in some instances
* Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 access to support and counselling
* Payment of professional membership fees
Pick your perks – our benefits include access to a range of retail, leisure, holiday, and health benefits, including savings, cash back, and discounts.
About Us
Herefordshire is a beautiful, historic county located in the heart of the Marches on the border with Wales. We are one of the most rural and sparsely populated counties in England, with a wealth of unspoilt countryside, distinctive heritage, and lively market towns.
Our priority in Herefordshire is to keep children safe and give them a great start in life. It’s the priority for the council, our partners, and for all of us who work with Children & Young People.
We achieve this by having dynamic, dedicated, passionate, and professional staff working in a culture that focuses on what we can achieve with children and the relationships we build with families and partners. We have invested heavily in training and developing staff in our relational practice approach with our improvement partner Leeds City Council, making it an exciting time to join Herefordshire.
Herefordshire has a strong team ethos. Our teams are passionate about their work and the positive difference they make in people’s lives, supported by their managers and the council as a whole.
We take our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults seriously. All staff, visitors, and volunteers are expected to share in this commitment.
Herefordshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children & young people and vulnerable adults. If you are offered this position, it will be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service enhanced check and further pre-employment checks.
We welcome applicants regardless of personal characteristics or social identity. All requests for flexible working arrangements and reasonable adjustments will be considered.
The following candidates will be interviewed if they meet the essential criteria for the post:
* Those indicating they have a disability, as part of our commitment to the “Disability Confident” scheme;
* Those indicating in their supporting statement that they are Armed Forces Veterans or Reservists, as part of our pledge to support the Armed Forces Covenant;
* Those indicating in their supporting statement that they are Herefordshire care leavers, as part of our commitment to supporting young people leaving our care.
Please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification for more details of this role.
To apply, please submit your CV and complete the supporting statement within the application form, referring to the job description & person specification, detailing how you meet the specific requirements of the role.
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