Lead Child Protection Practitioner

About The Role

Job Title: Lead Child Protection Practitioner
Salary:HC10 £ 46,142 - £50,269 plus £5,000 market forces supplement (£51,142 - £55,269)
Welcome payment: £10,000 (see attached guidance)
Contract:Permanent
Hours: 37
Location: Hereford
Relocation package of up to £10,000 available
Closing date:31/08/2026

Make a Difference Where It Matters Most
We are seeking an experienced and highly motivated Lead Practitioner to join our Multi-Agency Child Protection Team (MACPT). This is a key role at the heart of safeguarding, working with partners to ensure timely, effective, and child-centred responses to risk.
You will play a critical role in supporting high-quality practice, driving performance, and ensuring that children at risk of harm receive the right support at the right time.
This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a dynamic and evolving service that places children at the centre of everything we do. You will have the opportunity to influence practice, shape service delivery, and make a real impact on the lives of vulnerable children and families.
We are proud of our restorative approach to social work - a way of working that is firmly embedded in our team culture and management style. Collaboration and reflection are at the heart of how we practice: senior managers are always available for guidance and support, especially when navigating complex cases.
Curious about what it’s really like to be a Social Worker with us?
Want to know what it really feels like to work with our passionate and dedicated Social Work teams? This short video gives you a glimpse into the heart of our service and shows why Herefordshire Council could be the perfect place for your next career move.

• Provide practice leadership and oversight on complex child protection cases
• Support the decision-making and quality assurance of Section 47 enquiries
• Work closely with partners including police, health, and education to ensure robust multi-agency safeguarding responses
• Offer coaching, mentoring, and reflective supervision support to social workers
• Be a part of strategy discussions and meetings, ensuring clear risk analysis and planning
• Drive continuous improvement and contribute to service development

We are looking for a confident and skilled practitioner who:

• Registered with Social Work England and holding a recognised Social Work qualification (Degree in Social Work, DipSW, or CQSW).
• Has substantial experience in frontline child protection and safeguarding
• Has a minimum of 3 years’ experience in frontline child protection and safeguarding
• Demonstrates strong analytical, risk assessment, and decision-making skills
• Has experience of multi-agency working at a strategic and operational level
• Can support and challenge practice to ensure excellent outcomes for children
• Is passionate about developing others and embedding high standards of practice

A competitive salary, holiday entitlement, and access to our contributory pension and staff benefits scheme, which includes:

• Salary range of £46,142 - £50,269 per annum
• Market rate supplement: £5,000 per annum
• Welcome Payment: £10,000 (see attached guidance)
• Relocation packages: support of up to £10,000
• Professional development: protected time and budget to develop yourself and your career
• Enrolment in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Career progression: clear pathways to progress
• Annual Leave: 31 days’ annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays. You can also purchase an additional 10 days per annum during the request period
• Flexible working: including the potential for job-sharing, part-time hours and agile working.
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 access to support and counselling
• Payment of professional membership fees (based on role requirements)
• Pick your perks - our benefits include access to a range of retail, leisure, holiday and health benefits. This includes savings, cash back and discounts.

We're proud and excited to unveil our new recruitment video, a celebration of Herefordshire's people, places, and purpose. Set in the heart of England and filled with pride, compassion and possibility, the video…