Practitioner - Children & Young People with Disabilities

We are currently looking for a Senior Practitioner to work in the Young People with Disabilities Mid team, based in County Hall, Chelmsford and working in the mid Essex geographical area. Working to the Children Act 1989 and 2004, Children and Families Act 2014, Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005, including all other relevant legislation pertinent to supporting children, young people and adults with Disabilities within the remit of Social Care.

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Please take a look at our, The Senior Practitioner role requires leadership in the team, providing both support and mentoring to newly qualified or less experienced staff, overseeing Duty, compiling reports for Team manager and wider service as required and deputising for the Team Manager when needed. They will oversee the review of some child in need plans particularly prior to closure and will have responsibility to lead in a practice area.

There will be good opportunities for own professional development and for being part of developing the team and service. There is an ethos of openness to the development of new ideas, particularly to reinforce our relationship-based focus, with service users, within the staff group and with partner agencies. The successful candidate will be expected to bring developed social work skills and high standards of practice to their own caseload as well as providing modelling, advice and support to colleagues.

They will be committed to systemic, relationship based social work, providing effective, innovative interventions and with the ability to build good partnerships, both with our external partners and within the organisation. Senior Practitioner accountabilities:

• Manage complex caseloads for children and young people with disabilities, providing assessments, advice, and support.
• Provide integrated services to help families meet needs and support transitions to adulthood.
• Monitor unmet needs and develop support networks.
• Assist team manager with team management, including chairing meetings, supervising team members, and deputising as needed.
• Commit to service development projects.
• Maintain records, produce reports, and participate in meetings and reviews.
• Build relationships with other teams and agencies to plan and implement support.
• Offer advice and advocacy for service users.
• Seek training and development opportunities.
• Undertake additional duties as required by the team manager.

Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role. Applicants must have a current, unrestricted right to work in the UK., Degree, diploma in Social Work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent.

• Provide specialist advice and professional expertise for social workers, contributing to practice standards and key principles.
• Assess complex social care needs and support vulnerable adults to ensure safety and promote independence.
• Work within statutory legal frameworks, policies, and guidelines, determining thresholds for intervention.
• Manage complex caseloads, maintaining accurate data, reports, and presentations.
• Participate in case conferences, court attendance, meetings, and statutory reviews, leading when necessary.
• Conduct assessments and plan responses to safeguard vulnerable adults.
• Build strong working relationships across the Council, with partners, and voluntary agencies.
• Demonstrate significant social work experience and understanding of relevant legislation, regulations, and guidance.
• Mentor newly qualified and experienced staff, providing expertise in professional practice.
• Chair meetings involving clients, family members, and multi-agency professionals.
• Develop relationships with partners, agencies, and the community to achieve joint objectives.
• Understand the financial implications of care packages.
• Make clear decisions to highlight and limit risks associated with intervention.

• Social Work England Registration as a registered social worker
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• IT/Word Processing Skills
• Evidence of recent practice at an experienced social worker level, supported by comprehensive working knowledge and experience within the field of practice in Children Services
• Preferably with experience of Child Protection work including section 47 investigations and assessments since the implementation of the Children's Act 1989.Considerable, recent experience of communicating with children of all ages and working in partnership with…