Lead Child Protection Practitioner (Fixed Term Contract for 12-Months)

Shape the future of child protection practice

“I like the environment at Walsall, everyone is friendly and approachable. I like that I cover a diverse locality, I enjoy working with people from various different backgrounds I also like that I have good management, senior management and a very supportive team” (Annual health check)

Walsall is implementing the Families First Programme, based on the National Children’s Social Care Review and Stable Homes Built on Love. To do this we are creating a combined, multi-agency locality Family Help Service, with locality social workers supported by you a Lead Child Protection Practitioner.

About the job:

The Lead Child Protection Practitioner role will lead alongside the multi-agency network around a family to ensure child protection practice is of the highest standard and supported by the right expertise, careful, rigorous thinking, and care and respect. You will work alongside allocated social workers and other professionals to undertake Child Protection Enquiries and oversee Child Protection Plans.

About you

Your background will include extensive post qualifying social work experience within a local authority or equivalent. You will utilise your practice knowledge and experience to influence the direction of child protection right across the Walsall.

Our Offer

To provide the right conditions for you, we are committed to manageable workloads, high support from managers, essential paperwork only, enabling technologies, and all social workers including Lead Child Protection Practitioners will receive training in Systemic Family Practice.

Wellbeing is at the heart of our work. We offer specialised clinical supervision, a 9-day fortnight to support work/life balance, flexible working and specialist employee assistance and therapeutic support when it is needed. We know we need to make social work a career people want to stay in.

In this role, you will be supported to identify your specialisms in child protection, and access to training to develop your expertise. This forms a part of our ongoing commitment to your development.

We are committed to anti-discrimination and equality and to developing a workforce that reflects the communities we service.

Salary Scale £46,464 - £51,515 (+10% Retention Payments after 2 years, increasing at 4 and 6 years)

Closing date: 13 th September with interviews to take place 20 th September.

Would you like to talk to a social worker about the realities of working in Walsall?

If so, please contact Hannah Thompson Principal Social Worker how will connect you with one of our practitioners: Hannah.Thompson@walsall.gov.uk 01922 650363

View Job Description & Employee Specification

Walsall Council takes seriously the responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of all the children and young people entrusted to our care and it is our expectation that all staff will share this commitment. We will ensure continuous development and improvement of robust recruitment processes and procedures that promote a culture of safeguarding amongst our workforce. Completion of an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check is a requirement for working with children and young people.

Note: Applicants appointed to posts that require an enhanced DBS clearance must declare any periods of time that they have lived, studied or worked abroad and be prepared to provide an Overseas Criminal Records Certificate (OCRC) or a Statement of Good Conduct (SOGC) relating to anytime they were overseas.

This post is covered by the Government’s Code of Practice on the English Language Fluency Duty for public sector workers. The postholder will be required to communicate verbally with customers and provide advice and/or information in accurate spoken English.

Important note: When completing your online application form, you will be asked to enter supporting information. You must enter a detailed supporting information statement describing how your skills, abilities and experience meet the specific criteria included in the employee specification. If you do not include a supporting information statement, you will not be shortlisted. Please also ensure that you complete the work history and qualifications sections of your application form. Please do not add a CV as we do not accept them. See our Information for Applicants leaflet for further information.