Adolescent Practitioner

Surrey County Council; Woking; Hybrid; GBP 34,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government organization in Woking is looking for two Adolescent Practitioners to support vulnerable young people and their families through a strengths-based approach. The role includes coordinating services, managing casework, and engaging with communities. The position offers a salary of £33,552 per annum, hybrid working options, and various benefits including holidays and an Employee Assistance Programme.

Benefits

26 days' holiday

Employee Assistance Programme

Carer's leave

Local government pension

Lifestyle discounts

Paid volunteering days

Access to learning resources

Qualifications

• Understanding of roles for practitioners with vulnerable young people.
• Experience in social work, youth justice, youth work, or teaching.
• Basic awareness of relevant legislation affecting children.
• IT skills including databases, email, Word, and Excel.
• Ability to prioritize and work under pressure with minimal supervision.
• Willingness to learn and undertake relevant training.

Responsibilities

• Support families through a strengths-based, trauma-informed approach.
• Coordinate support services for families.
• Record casework according to team policies and procedures.
• Lead practitioner for a caseload of families.

Skills

Emotional intelligence

Motivational interviewing

Team coordination

Case management

Education

Relevant experience in social work or education

Tools

Word

Excel

Job description

The starting salary for these full-time, permanent positions is £33,552 per annum based on a 36 hour working week.

We are excited to announce new opportunities for two permanent Adolescent Practitioners to join our fantastic Adolescent Service West Team. One team covers Guildford and is based either at the St Francis Centre in Guildford or Godalming Library. The other team covers Woking and is based in Victoria Gate in Woking.

These roles are open to hybrid working and as a team we split our time between collaborating together in the office, working within the communities we serve and working from home.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service (plus bank holidays)
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of our new Adolescent Service in Surrey, who bring together a range of services for young people including those who go missing, those who need support around their mental health, are involved in gang culture and are vulnerable to exploitation, including criminal and sexual exploitation.

Our team includes Social Workers and Adolescent Practitioners who are focused on achieving positive outcomes for young people. We are committed to doing things differently and innovatively; implementing a brand-new model for working with adolescents, taking into account current research and best practice.

The Adolescent Service is built on the belief that relationships are the key vehicle for achieving change. The service is underpinned by 'Relational Practice' principles; an intentional way of working where establishing, attending to, and maintaining empathetic and honest interpersonal relationships are prioritised. This approach includes our relationships and how we work with each other. Adopting this approach supports us systems that can be trauma-informed and respond appropriately to individuals' different needs and experiences. It supports everyone's ability to work restoratively to resolve conflict, repair harm and support change.

As an Adolescent Practitioners in our Regional Hub Team you will:

• Support whole families through a strengths-based and trauma informed approach, utilising motivational interviewing skills and effective relational approaches
• Coordinate key support services and professionals with families to form an engaged, active and effective Team Around the Family, with clearly defined roles and expectations as per the family plan
• Ensure casework is adequately recorded as per team policy and procedures, including timely and accurate case notes, assessments and reports
• Be the lead Practitioner for a caseload of families, maintaining positive contact and effectively managing the balance of providing hands-on support and coordinating relevant partners, as per a shared family plan, to keep them safe from harm

Shortlisting Criteria

We are looking for skilled and passionate individuals, who are dedicated to working positively with young people in sometimes challenging and complex situations, and who have the confidence and emotional intelligence to engage others.

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, you CV and personal statement will clearly evidence the following:

• An understanding of the roles and responsibilities of practitioners working with vulnerable young people
• Experience of working in a social work, youth justice, youth work, teaching, or probation environment
• Basic awareness of relevant legislation affecting working with children, including the Children Act (1989) and the Children and Adoption Act (2002)
• IT skills, including use of databases, email, Word and Excel
• Ability to prioritise and work effectively under pressure with minimal supervision
• Willingness to learn and undertake training relevant to the role

Transferable skills and experience from a youth work, youth justice, education, residential children home or social work background would align well to this role, where you will have the opportunity to gain further skills and experience in a dynamic and innovative environment.

Surrey has both urban and rural areas and you will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK, access to a vehicle and be willing to travel to your contractual base and across a wide geographical area. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long-term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.

The advert closes at 23:59 on the 16th November 2025 with interviews to follow.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

An enhanced DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children's and Adults' Barred List checks will be required for this role.

Local Government Reorganisation

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.

Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents!

Our Commitment

We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview.

Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we're committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.