Role: Senior Practitioner

Team: Social Work - Care Planning and Court Team

Location: Tamworth

Salary:  Grade 10 - £37,890 -£41,881 per annum

Working Pattern: 37 Hours per week | Permanent | Full time | Part time | Flexible

Our team

We’re currently looking for a Senior Practitioner to join our Care Planning and Court Team based in Tamworth. This team is responsible for a high number of children in care and proceedings in the Family Court. Our team have a reputation for providing high quality support to our ‘Looked After Children’, and for their detailed analytical assessments, reports and evidence which they present to the Courts. Our team always seek to achieve placement stability and sound permanency planning, as well as reunification support. Also, we’re a supportive bunch who enjoy working together to achieve positive outcomes for our children and young people in South Staffordshire.   

What we’ll need from you

You’ll need to be a Senior Practitioner that’s used to working in a busy team environment. You’ll pride yourself on being able to engage and communicate effectively with children, with a focus on wanting to help children in care to reach their full potential. Working closely with our colleagues in Safeguarding, Fostering, Adoption and Friends and Family Teams you’ll make sure we take a joined-up approach to ensuring best outcomes for our children. As a Senior Practitioner there will also be other key activities, you’ll be involved in such as:

• You’ll be responsible for assessments and statutory responsibilities for looked after children.
• You’ll assess and plan for children in authority care who can return home, be placed with friends or family or into long term fostering
• You’ll take the lead in research and developing evidence-based practice, sharing your findings with the team
• You’ll represent the team at meetings and forums
• You’ll deal with children at a more complex level
• You’ll coach and mentor less experienced colleagues to make sure we are developing the team as much as possible

Our benefits

Our people are central to everything we do and so we’ll make sure you’re well supported and given the opportunity to develop and progress. We‘ve also recently launched our new aspiring team managers programme and you can find out more about this and more on our website https://www.childrenssocialcarecareers.co.uk/

We’ve created a supportive working environment here at Staffordshire County Council because we recognise the benefits of enabling our employees to achieve their full potential whilst enjoying a healthy work-life balance. We’ve achieved this by offering more flexible working practices and supplying the tools and equipment needed to enable more smart, agile and remote working.

And here’s just some of the other benefits we have here at Staffordshire:

• Generous holiday entitlement from 24 up to 33 days (plus 2 extra statutory days and bank holidays) depending on job role and length of service
• The option to buy up to an additional 2 weeks annual leave
• A range of flexible working options, depending on your job role, which includes agile working, flexible retirement
• Family Friendly Policies - maternity, adoption, paternity and parental leave
• An excellent local government pension scheme
• Volunteering Scheme
• Training and development opportunities, including coaching and mentoring
• Access to health and wellbeing support (including Occupational Health, Physiotherapy and Counselling Services)
• Eye care vouchers
• Car lease scheme / cycle & car loan scheme / employee car share scheme
• Bus and rail travel discounts

So, how do I apply?

Just click on the ‘Apply’ button. If you do have technical issues please contact recruitment@staffordshire.gov.uk and the team will help you.

Closing Date: Thursday 4 February 2021
Interview Date: ASAP following a suitable application

For more information about the role or should you have any requirements to assist you in applying for this role please contact: laura.chetta@staffordshire.gov.uk

How will we store your details?

By submitting your application form, you are giving your consent to the processing of your personal data in the ways described Here

Our recruitment process

It’s important to know as an authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children and young people/vulnerable adults and we expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment with us.  Bearing this in mind, this position is subject to a criminal records check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly CRB) and so, if applicable you should disclose details of unspent and unfiltered spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions and convictions in your application form.