Adolescent Practitioner

Herts Legal Service - Hertfordshire County Council; Hemel Hempstead; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire County Council invites applications for Adolescent Practitioners to support families in Stevenage, Hemel Hempstead or Apsley. The role focuses on evidence-based, relationship-based work with 10+ children and their families, aiming to keep young people safely at home where possible.

You will work with the FSCIC/SASH teams, with evening and weekend flexibility, and you will join a committed multi-disciplinary service in Children’s Services.

Qualifications

• Experience with case management including assessment, action planning and reviews.
• Experience of planning, delivering and evaluating support activities for and with young people and their carers.
• Knowledge of the issues affecting young people at risk of Child Exploitation.
• Knowledge and understanding of Equality and Diversity Issues.
• Knowledge of safeguarding where children are at risk of intrafamilial harm, including substance misuse, domestic abuse and mental health.

Responsibilities

• Provide intensive, relationship-based support to children and young people aged 10+ and their families, helping them to remain safely at home where possible.
• Work with young people experiencing complex challenges, including family breakdown, exploitation, and other safeguarding risks.
• Build positive and trusting relationships with children, young people and families, tailoring your approach to meet their individual needs.
• Use evidence-based interventions and work alongside specialist professionals to help families achieve lasting positive change.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and partner agencies to develop and deliver effective support plans.
• Maintain accurate case records and ensure all work is recorded appropriately.
• Work flexibly to meet the needs of children and families, including occasional evening and weekend working.

Skills

Driving License

Education

Youth/Community Work Qualification

Job description

Job Introduction

Job Title: Adolescent Practitioners

Starting Salary: £35,570 progressing to £38,510

Hours:37 hours per week

Location: Apsley, Hemel Hempstead or Farnham House, Stevenage

Contract Type: Permanent and Fixed Term or Secondment opportunities available

Directorate: Children's Services

About The Team

Family Safeguarding – Stevenage and Hemel Hempstead

Salary: £35,570

Stevenage – Maternity Cover until 31 August 2027

Stevenage – Maternity Cover until 7 June 2027

Apsley – Maternity Cover until 30 June 2027

Family is at the heart of everything we do. The Family Safeguarding Children in Care (FSCIC) Team provides intensive, trauma-informed support to children and young people aged 10-18 who are at risk of entering care, returning home after family breakdown, or facing exploitation and complex challenges.

Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team, you'll help families make positive changes and improve outcomes for children and young people across Hertfordshire.

SASH - Stevenage

Salary: £35,570 progressing to £38,510

Permanent Contract

The Specialist Adolescent Service Hertfordshire (SASH) works with vulnerable young people aged 11+ who are experiencing complex challenges, including exploitation, mental health difficulties, family breakdown, substance misuse, and other safeguarding concerns.

Through a trauma-informed and relationship-based approach, we work alongside young people, families and partner agencies to reduce risk, build resilience and help young people achieve positive outcomes as they move towards adulthood.

About The Role

You will work directly with parents/carers and children who are at the edge of care, to achieve agreed goals through coaching, parenting intervention and applying relationship-based practice.

• Provide intensive, relationship-based support to children and young people aged 10+ and their families, helping them to remain safely at home where possible.
• Work with young people experiencing complex challenges, including family breakdown, exploitation, and other safeguarding risks.
• Build positive and trusting relationships with children, young people and families, tailoring your approach to meet their individual needs.
• Use evidence-based interventions and work alongside specialist professionals to help families achieve lasting positive change.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues and partner agencies to develop and deliver effective support plans.
• Maintain accurate case records and ensure all work is recorded appropriately.
• Work flexibly to meet the needs of children and families, including occasional evening and weekend working.

We offer flexibility to ensure families get the support they need. This role includes some evening and weekend work within extended service hours (weekdays 9am-10pm, weekends 2pm-10pm), which will involve working approximately 1 evening a week and 1 weekend day a month.

About You

No formal qualifications are required for the role, you will receive Motivational Interviewing training, NVR training and ARC training.

Essential

• Experience and understanding of case management including assessment, action planning and reviews
• Experience of planning, delivering and evaluating support activities for and with young people and their carers
• Knowledge of the issues affecting young people at risk of Child Exploitation
• Knowledge and understanding of Equality and Diversity Issues
• Knowledge of child development and adolescents, social, emotional and mental health needs.
• Knowledge of safeguarding where children are at risk of intrafamilial harm, including substance misuse, domestic abuse and mental health.
• Ability to engage effectively with vulnerable and challenging young people in a variety of settings and to achieve positive outcomes with them, including children at risk of admission due to mental health concerns.
• Diving License and access to a vehicle.

Desirable

• Knowledge of relevant legislation and policies relating to this service user group.
• Relevant professional qualification in Youth/Community work, Social Care, Health or Education.
• Previous experience of working with children and families

This is an exciting opportunity to join an innovative and passionate team who are achieving real change and positive outcomes for children in care and families of Hertfordshire.

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is Level 9. Please locate the job profile here:

Job profiles - Health and social care

Interview Date: TBC

Secondment

This role is open to secondments for eligible employees who work for HCC. If you wish to apply on a secondment basis, you must have your line manager's approval before submitting your application. You will be asked to confirm this within your application form. If you are not eligible for a secondment (e.g., you are currently on a fixed-term contract that would end before this position ends) or you indicate that your manager cannot support a secondment, your application will be considered on a fixed-term contract basis instead.

Additional Information

We are changing Hertfordshire County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). If you are employed by Hertfordshire County on 1 April 2028, it is expected that most roles will transfer to the newly-created unitary councils on existing terms and conditions under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings – Protection of Employment) principles.

LGR is one of the biggest changes we will face in a generation. It will reshape how we work and how services are organised and gives us a real opportunity to build something better. To find out more, visit https://www.hertfordshire-lgr.co.uk/

Disability Confident

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Safeguarding

This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

Driving Required

You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

English Fluency

The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.