Duty Senior Practitioner

Southwark Council; London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

An inclusive local authority in London is seeking a Duty Senior Practitioner to lead its All Age Disability and Learning Disability Service. This role involves managing urgent placements, overseeing safeguarding referrals, and supporting a dedicated team of social workers. Candidates should have frontline experience and a commitment to improving the lives of individuals with disabilities. Join a supportive team committed to professional development and collaborative practices.

Qualifications

• Experience managing or supervising staff within a social care setting.
• Skilled in strength-based assessment and statutory decision-making.
• Committed to anti-discriminatory practice and continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Provide oversight of duty work, including safeguarding referrals.
• Supervise a team of social workers and manage incoming cases.
• Shape a high-quality front-door service for individuals with disabilities.

Skills

Leadership in social work

Complex case triaging

Effective communication

Teamwork

Problem-solving

Education

Qualified social worker registered with Social Work England

Job description

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Do you see yourself making a real difference in the lives of people with learning disabilities?

Can you lead and support a high-performing social work duty team with confidence and compassion?

If yes, we have the perfect role for you!

Our All Age Disability and Learning Disability Service is looking for a passionate and dedicated Duty Senior Practitioner to join our team and help improve outcomes for our diverse communities.

About the Role:

This is an exciting opportunity to lead and manage the integrated duty team within Southwark’s All Age Disability and Learning Disability Service.

You will provide daily oversight of duty work, including incoming safeguarding referrals, urgent placements, unallocated cases, and short-term interventions. You will supervise a small team of social workers and an assistant practitioner, ensuring that all incoming work is triaged, managed effectively and progressed in a timely, person-centred way.

You’ll play a key role in shaping a responsive, high-quality front-door service for adults and young people with learning disabilities and/or other disabilities.

About You:

We are looking for a committed and confident social work leader who brings a mix of frontline experience, professional judgement, and the ability to motivate others.

You will be:

• A qualified social worker, registered with Social Work England
• Experienced in managing or supervising staff within a social care setting
• Confident in triaging complex cases and overseeing safeguarding and urgent interventions
• Skilled in strength-based assessment, outcome-focused planning, and statutory decision-making
• A clear communicator, strong team player, and effective problem-solver
• Experienced in using data, performance information, and audit tools to drive improvement
• Capable of quality-assuring practice and leading service developments
• Committed to anti-discriminatory practice and continuous improvement

About the Team:

Our All Age Disability (0–25) and Learning Disability (25+) Service provides a seamless care pathway for children, young people and adults with learning disabilities and other disabilities.

The adult duty function plays a central role in the team — acting as the first point of contact for adults, coordinating initial responses, and ensuring cases are appropriately assessed, allocated and progressed.

We are a values-led, inclusive and supportive team, committed to professional development, reflective supervision and co-production with service users and carers.

We also work closely with colleagues across health, education and other council departments, offering a collaborative and multi-agency approach to improving lives.

For detailed qualifications and requirements, please review the job description and person specification located at the bottom of the advert.

Contact Information:

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Jack Bagnall at [emailprotected] .