Childrens Practitioner

Herts Legal Service - Hertfordshire County Council; Farnham; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

Hertfordshire County Council is hiring Children's Practitioners for the MASH in Stevenage. You will be the key contact for safeguarding concerns, recording details accurately and assessing needs with guidance from management.

The role involves multi-agency collaboration and telephone-based information gathering to support vulnerable children and families. This permanent, office-based post requires excellent communication skills, the ability to work autonomously within a team, and strong

Qualifications

• Experience working with children and families is required.
• Excellent communication skills in both verbal and written form.
• Ability to work autonomously while being a team player.
• Strong organisational and analytical skills to prioritise work.

Responsibilities

• Signpost services and deliver safe, child-focused care.
• Assess risk levels and identify needs with management guidance.
• Record key details accurately using computerised systems.
• Collaborate with professionals to achieve the best outcomes for children.

Skills

Experience with children and families

Excellent communication

Autonomous teamwork

Tools

Computer skills

Job description

Job Introduction

Job Title: Children's Practitioners - MASH

Salary: £32,578 progressing to £35,570 pa

Hours: 37

Location: Stevenage (office based)

Contract Type: Permanent

Directorate: Childrens Services

About The Team

The Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) is a team of professionals including Police, Probation, Safeguarding Nurses, and Children's Services—who work together to protect vulnerable children in Hertfordshire. They handle concerns and referrals from the public and professionals, deciding whether children need safeguarding or early help services.

Hertfordshire has strengthened its frontline support through the Gateway, which combines MASH functions with a triage service for families. The team includes social workers and skilled Children's Practitioners, working to provide timely, appropriate support.

By using Motivational Interviewing, the team helps more children stay safely with their families, following recommendations from the Independent Review of Children’s Social Care.

This role is primarily based in MASH, but you may also work within the Gateway service.

About The Role

Working as part of Hertfordshire’s Front Door team, you’ll help signpost services and deliver safe, child-focused care. As a Children's Practitioner, your role is to be the key contact for concerns raised from various sources, accurately recording key details and identifying needs with guidance from management. You will assess risk levels using your understanding of the different tiers of service provision, to support decision making to ensure children and families receive the appropriate support.

This is a fast paced but rewarding role, where you will be working with families and professionals to gather information primarily over the telephone, using computerised systems to record and maintain accurate information, attending regular team meetings, and collaborating with professionals to achieve the best outcomes for vulnerable children and young people.

About You

Essential Requirements

• Although there are no specific qualifications required for this role, previous experience in working with children and families is required.
• Excellent communication skills - both verbal and written, in addition to having good computer skills.
• Ability to work autonomously whilst being a team player.
• Excellent organisational skills to ensure that work is prioritised and completed within the set timescales.
• Sound analytical skills to make robust recommendations and plans.
• Effective rapport building skills and ability to demonstrate professional curiosity.
• Ability to maintain a good standard of work in a fast-paced environment.

Desirable

• Experience of SEND
• Additional specialisms in areas such as child exploitation or contextualised safeguarding would be welcomed as such knowledge and expertise would enhance the function and performance of our newly developed Gateway.

If you thrive in a fast-paced environment, this role offers the chance to work within an “Outstanding” rated local authority and contribute to improving good outcomes for vulnerable children and families. In return, we can offer you support and professional development, along with a range of competitive benefits including local government pension scheme.

Interview Date: 5th, 6th, 8th and 9th October

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 8. Please locate the job profile here:

Job profiles - Health and social care

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 aDisability Confident employerand 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.