Senior Practitioner - Family Support & Protection, North

Location:

Chelmsford Salary: 38,564 - 57,988 per year Employment:
Part time Category:
Social Care Posted:
Valid to:
Apply:  Essex County Council Senior Practitioner - Family Support & Protection, North Essex Permanent, Part Time
48,205 to 57,988 per annum (full time equivalent)
Actual Salary 38,564 to 46,390 per annum (based on 29.6 hours per week)

Location:

Colchester Working Style:
Community-based worker

Closing Date: 11th October 2026 Interview Date: 20th October 2026

This is a Part Time position 4 days per week (29.6 hours) Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role. Applicants must have a current, unrestricted right to work in the UK. Family Support & Protection (FS&P) Family Support and Protection works with families facing long-term, complex challenges. This involves interventions lasting over three months, addressing situations where children are under child protection or child-in-need plans, or where they can no longer live at home, necessitating care proceedings.

The Opportunity Children and Families is a service where social work thrives, fostering a culture of collaboration, integrity, and compassion. Our mission is to promote the development and wellbeing of children, young people, and their families, shielding them from neglect and abuse. By partnering with various agencies, we deliver early help, family support, and effective social work interventions that build resilience, remove barriers, and enable children and young people to envision a brighter future.

The Role of Senior Practitioner As a Senior Practitioner, you will manage a complex caseload and provide expert supervision and coaching to colleagues, driving positive change for children, young people, and families. You will also deputise for the Team Manager, leading the team and managing duty services. Join us in making a tangible difference in the lives of children and families, helping them overcome challenges and achieve their full potential.

Together, we can create a supportive and nurturing environment where every child can look forward to a brighter future.

Accountabilities As a Senior Practitioner, you will:

Provide Expert Guidance:

Offer expert advice and professional supervision to social workers, contributing to the development of practice standards.

Assess and Support:

Evaluate complex social care needs and develop support plans for vulnerable individuals, children, and families.

Ensure Compliance:

Work within statutory legal frameworks, policies, and guidelines, determining when statutory intervention is necessary.

Manage Caseloads:

Handle a complex caseload, ensuring accurate and timely data, reports, and presentations.

Lead in Critical Situations:

Participate in case conferences, court attendances, meetings, and statutory reviews, taking the lead when a social care perspective is required.

Safeguard and Promote Welfare:

Conduct assessments and plan interventions to safeguard and promote children’s welfare.

Build Strong Relationships:

Foster effective working relationships across the Council, with partners, and voluntary agencies to help people get the best start in life and age well.

Deliver Expertise:

Provide high-level expertise in specific practice areas, leading and contributing to their development.

Achieve Targets:

Meet individual and shared targets and objectives defined annually within the performance management framework. Join us in this pivotal role where your expertise and leadership will make a significant impact on the lives of children, young people, and families. Together, we can build a supportive community and create brighter futures. The Experience You Will Bring A recognised social work qualification i.e. Diploma, degree or master’s in social work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent, with…