Advanced Practitioner - Children in Care

Job Description

Team:
Children in Care As an

Job Description
Advanced Practitioner – Children in Care – Grade 9
Salary: £54,267 - £58,461 per annum
Team:
Children in Care As an Advanced Practitioner within the Children in Care Team
, you will play a vital role in delivering high-quality statutory social work to children and young people who are looked after by the Local Authority. You will hold a reduced but complex caseload
, working with children where practice requires enhanced expertise, professional oversight and skilled intervention. Your focus will be on ensuring that care planning is child-centred, aspirational and outcome-focused, and that children’s lived experiences remain central to all decision‑making. You will provide practice leadership within the team, supporting and developing social workers to deliver consistently strong, relationship‑based and strengths‑focused practice. This will include offering professional consultation, modelling high-quality direct work with children and young people, supporting reflective supervision and contributing to the development of confident and skilled practitioners.

You will play a key role in embedding high standards of permanence planning, life‑story work and preparation for independence. The role includes oversight and quality assurance at critical points in a child’s journey, including Looked After Reviews, care planning, permanence planning and pathway planning for care‑experienced young people. You will support robust assessment, planning and review processes, ensuring that statutory responsibilities are met and that plans are purposeful, timely and responsive to children’s needs.

You will work closely with children, carers and families, as well as a wide range of multi‑agency partners
, including health, education, commissioning and independent reviewing services, to ensure coordinated and effective care arrangements. You will also contribute to service development through audit activity, learning reviews and reflective practice forums, helping to drive continuous improvement across the Children in Care Service. Havering offers a supportive and learning‑focused environment
, with strong management support, regular supervision and access to professional development through the Social Care Academy. This role provides an excellent opportunity for an experienced practitioner to influence practice, strengthen outcomes for children in care and make a meaningful difference to the lives of care‑experienced children and young people.

Key aims and objectives of the role include:

• Delivering high-quality, child-centred practice for children and young people in care
• Providing professional leadership and expert consultation to support and develop social workers
• Promoting high standards of care planning, permanence planning and corporate parenting
• Supporting effective oversight, quality assurance and defensible decision‑making
• Contributing to service learning, development and continuous improvement

This is a rewarding opportunity for a skilled and reflective practitioner who is passionate about improving outcomes for children in care and supporting excellence in social work practice.

About You

You will be an experienced, confident and highly skilled social work practitioner with a strong commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people in care. You will bring advanced professional judgement, a clear understanding of corporate parenting responsibilities and the ability to support high-quality practice in complex and emotionally demanding situations.

You will be a qualified Social Worker
, holding a CQSW, Diploma in Social Work or equivalent qualification
, and be registered with Social Work England
. You will have substantial post‑qualifying experience within children’s social care, including significant experience of working with Children in Care
, care planning, permanence planning and care proceedings. You will demonstrate a strong understanding of attachment, trauma and the impact of care experiences on children’s development and identity.

As an Advanced Practitioner, you will have demonstrable experience of providing practice leadership
, supporting,…