Lead Child Protection Practitioner

About the role Why Experienced Child Protection Practitioners Choose Hillingdon

Following our Outstanding Ofsted judgement, Hillingdon continues to invest in innovative services that improve outcomes for children. Our new Multi-Agency Child Protection Team (MACPT) brings together social care, police, health and education professionals to deliver robust, timely and effective child protection responses.

As a Lead Child Protection Practitioner, you will operate at the highest level of child protection practice, influencing key safeguarding decisions across the borough while remaining focused on direct practice leadership rather than traditional line management.

• Ambitious, dynamic and welcoming teams where you will be supported in your practice and your professional growth
• Salary up to £62,766
• additional annual £4,250 Retention Payment
• SWE registration fee
• accessible office location minutes from Metropolitan and Piccadilly lines and M40
• Free PARKING
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements
• TOIL provided
• Rated Outstanding by Ofsted and CIT
• Manageable workload
• 100% permanent and experienced Senior Leadership Team
• Visible, accessible and supportive managers and senior leaders
• Regular reflective supervision and clinical consultation
• Excellent learning, development and career progression opportunities
• A relationship-based and trauma-informed practice model
• Modern, locality-based teams and working environments
• Opportunity to shape an innovative borough-wide multi-agency child protection model
• Up to 34 days annual leave rising to 37 days after long service, in addition to bank holidays.

The MACPT is a specialist, highly skilled service responsible for overseeing child protection concerns across Hillingdon. Working alongside partners from the Metropolitan Police, health and education, the team undertakes child protection investigations, leads strategy discussions and manages the child protection conference process to ensure children at risk receive the support and intervention needed to continue their growth and development.

The service provides expert analysis of complex safeguarding information and acts on behalf of the local authority in fulfilling statutory child protection responsibilities under the Children Act 1989 and Working Together 2023.

• Convene and chair multi-agency strategy discussions with partners.
• Lead and undertake Section 47 child protection enquiries.
• Chair Initial Child Protection Conferences and make evidence-based decisions regarding risk and significant harm.
• Provide expert analysis of complex safeguarding information from multiple agencies.
• Support legal planning and court processes where required.
• Work closely with Family Help practitioners and family networks to achieve sustainable change.
• Ensure children’s voices remain central to assessment, planning, and decision making.
• Act autonomously on behalf of the local authority in fulfilling statutory child protection duties.

• Social Work qualification and Social Work England registration.
• Significant recent frontline child protection experience.
• Expertise in safeguarding, risk assessment and section 47 investigations.
• Experience chairing complex multi-agency meetings and influencing professional decision making.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to evaluate complex information.
• Confidence in making autonomous decisions in challenging situations.
• Excellent communication, report writing and partnership-working skills.
• A commitment to achieving the best possible outcomes for children and young people.

This is a rare opportunity to join a pioneering service and become one of Hillingdon's recognised child protection specialists. You will have genuine influence over safeguarding practice across the borough while working alongside skilled multi-agency colleagues in an environment that values expertise, professional curiosity.

At Hillingdon, we are proud of what we've achieved:

• Outstanding Ofsted judgement
• Stable and experienced permanent leadership team
• Strong culture of support and collaboration
• Commitment to workforce wellbeing
• Investment in…