Advanced Social Work Practitioner

Nottinghamshire County Council; West Bridgford; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

A Place to Belong

Professional Growth

Work-Life Balance

Generous Leave

Job summary

Nottinghamshire County Council's Children and Families Department is seeking an Advanced Social Work Practitioner to lead complex child and family cases in the Ashfield area. You will supervise a small team, support practice development and work with partner agencies to secure positive outcomes.

The role emphasizes reflective practice, strengths-based assessments, risk management, and professional development for staff, with flexible working and commitment to safeguarding.

Qualifications

• Recognised Social Work qualification and registration with Social Work England.
• Minimum of three years post-qualification experience in child and family statutory social work.
• Demonstrable expertise in complex casework and assessments, including court-related assessments.
• Experience supervising or mentoring others (practice education or ASYE mentoring).

Responsibilities

• Lead and guide the allocated social worker for children with complex family circumstances.
• Supervise and support a small group of staff and social work apprentices.
• Collaborate with the Team Manager to ensure high-quality assessments and risk management.
• Facilitate reflective practice and group supervision for professional development.
• Promote strengths-based approaches to empower families and achieve positive outcomes.

Skills

Compassionate Communication

Analytical Acumen

Collaborative Spirit

Reflective Resilience

Education

Social Work qualification & registration (Social Work England)

Job description

The Children and Families Department takes a strengths-based approach to working with each other, children, young people and families, and our partner agencies. We call this 'Our Nottinghamshire Approach'. Watch the two minute animation to learn more.

Nottinghamshire County Council is dedicated to making a difference in our community. We believe in supporting our residents to live with dignity, choice, and independence. Our team is rooted in community values, working together to empower each other and ensure everyone can thrive.

An exciting opportunity awaits you as an Advanced Social Work Practitioner in the Family Support & Safeguarding Team in Ashfield, Nottinghamshire. Join a dynamic team of experienced social workers, family support workers, and specialists dedicated to making a positive impact on the lives of children and families facing complex challenges. You will play a vital role in supporting social workers and enhancing their skills in assessment, analysis, and risk management.

As an Advanced Social Work Practitioner, your key responsibilities will include:

• Leading and Guiding: Act as the allocated social worker for a limited number of children with complex family circumstances.
• Supervising and Supporting: Provide supervision for a small group of alternatively qualified staff and social work apprentices.
• Collaborating and Co-working: Work closely with the Team Manager to support social workers in high-quality assessments and risk management.
• Facilitating Reflective Practice: Support reflective and group supervision for social workers to enhance their professional development.
• Promoting Strengths-Based Approaches: Use a strengths-based approach to empower families and promote positive outcomes.

To succeed in this role, you will need:

• A recognised Social Work qualification and registration with Social Work England.
• A minimum of three years of post-qualification experience in child and family statutory social work.
• Demonstrable expertise in complex casework and assessments, including court-related assessments.
• Experience in supervising or mentoring others, such as practice education or ASYE mentoring.

We are looking for candidates who possess:

• Compassionate Communication: The ability to communicate effectively and build positive relationships with children, families, and colleagues.
• Analytical Acumen: Strong analytical and decision‑making skills to assess complex situations.
• Collaborative Spirit: A team-oriented mindset, ready to work alongside others to achieve the best outcomes for families.
• Reflective Resilience: A commitment to reflective practice and continuous professional development.

At Nottinghamshire County Council, we offer:

• A Place to Belong: A friendly, inclusive workplace where everyone is valued.
• Professional Growth: Opportunities for continuous professional development and training.
• Work-Life Balance: Flexible working arrangements to support your personal and professional life.
• Generous Leave: A competitive leave package to ensure you have time to recharge.

For an informal discussion about this opportunity please contact Ruth Wood on 01158546148 or by email [e-mail].

Appointment to this post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check.

Nottinghamshire County Council strives to ensure that it goes beyond the requirements of the Equalities Act and prides itself on beingaccredited as a Disability Confident Leader Organisation.

Under the Disability Confident scheme (formerly known as the Guaranteed Interview Scheme)we would like to ensure applicants with disabilities are offered an interview if they meet the minimum criteria for a job.Please let us know if this is something you would like to be considered for.

A job share scheme is available for all full‑time posts: both permanent and temporary, unless otherwise stated.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and we expect all staff to share this commitment and undergo appropriate checks.

Nottinghamshire County Council strongly encourages applications from all candidates from different walks of life, irrespective of gender, marital status, disability, race, religion, belief, pregnancy and maternity status, age or sexual orientation.