Practice Consultant - Social Worker

Practice Consultant – Social Worker | temporary contract to cover maternity leave for 12 months (secondment opportunity) | £43,822 to £48,227 per annum pro rata (Scale K) | 30 hours per week | Norwich - countywide

We offer a £2000 welcome payment for qualified and experienced Social Workers/Occupational Therapists (grade J and above), Practice Consultants and Team Managers new to Norfolk County Council. Amount to be repaid in full should they leave within two years of employment.

For experienced Social Workers new to Norfolk County Council we promise to try and match or better your existing salary, provided it’s in the spectrum of the grade advertised.

Who Cares? We do.

An opportunity is arising within the Adult Mental Health Social Care service and the continuation of the Countywide Mental Health duty team. We are looking to arrange Practice Consultant cover for a year to cover maternity leave. We would be willing to consider full time or job share. Hybrid working arrangements are in place for you to either work from several different office bases or from home.

You will be involved in the daily operational requirements of this role which involve allocating duty work and supporting Assistant Practitioners on duty across the five locality teams. Typically, functions may include Protection of Property duties, Crisis assessments, commissioning of urgent packages of care and the initial management of safeguarding referral contacts. We are also operating a Test and Learn pilot with our mental health care provider NIHCSS (Norfolk Integrated Health & Community Support Service).

You will need to demonstrate an ability to work under pressure, be well organised and able to effectively prioritise and risk assess cases being referred into the locality teams predominantly from SCCE.

Knowledge and experience of working with people with mental health needs is desirable, however not essential as you would be offered a robust induction period prior to the current post holder finishing. You will be supported to continue with the development of this role with regular supervision, training and support.

You will be required to work collaboratively with colleagues in a fast-paced environment, liaising with a number of professionals from both within Norfolk County Council and external agencies. Whilst much of the work will be over the telephone, there are occasions where face‑to‑face assessments and interventions are required so the successful applicant would need to be able to drive and have access to transport.

You will be responsible for supervising some practitioners who cover the duty function on a permanent basis. This is a great opportunity for a Social Worker wanting to gain experience in management.

At Norfolk County Council we are committed to our employees’ learning and development. We offer all Social Workers and Occupational Therapists a protected half day per month for continuing professional development and training.

We want our people to be inspired and motivated to work well together, make the most of our work spaces, enjoy a healthy work‑life balance, and deliver excellent services to Norfolk and its people. Flexibility is built into the way we work, with hybrid working a key feature for many roles. Our technology platform and equipment are first class, enabling you to connect and collaborate remotely.

We operate a talent pool scheme whereby candidates who are not successful on this occasion may be considered for a period of up to 3 months for equal positions.

Please ensure you include a statement in your application to demonstrate why you feel you meet the person specification and job description for this post. CVs submitted without a supporting statement about this post will not be accepted. You need to be registered with Social Work England/or HCPC as a practising social worker/Occupational Therapist.

Any queries please make contact with Leigh Heyes, Team Manager on or via email  or Hannah Mayes, Practice Consultant on or via email

Before you apply, we recommend reading the full Job Description and Person Specification to help you demonstrate you meet the criteria.

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