Lead Child Protection Practitioner

Gateshead Council; Gateshead; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 53,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Annual leave 28-32 days

Flexible hours

Hybrid work

Learning & development

Health & wellbeing

Cycle to work

Salary sacrifice car scheme

Discounts & salary sacrifice

Job summary

Gateshead Council seeks an experienced Lead Child Protection Practitioner to shape safeguarding practice across Children’s Social Care and the safeguarding partnership. You will provide expert analysis, lead strategic discussions, and ensure timely protection for children at risk.

You will chair Initial Child Protection Conferences, oversee Plans and mentor practitioners and partners, driving high standards and meaningful family participation within a hybrid working environment.

Qualifications

• A recognised Social Work qualification and registration with Social Work England.
• Extensive experience of statutory children's social care and a proven track record of high-quality child protection practice.
• Significant post-qualifying experience within children's social care.
• Extensive experience of child protection investigations, risk assessment and safeguarding decision-making.
• The confidence to provide professional challenge and influence practice across a range of services and agencies.
• Experience of leading or chairing complex professional meetings.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to make defensible safeguarding decisions in complex situations.
• Experience of quality assurance, auditing, workforce development and service improvement.
• A full driving licence and access to a vehicle (or actively working towards this)

Responsibilities

• Attend Strategy Discussions to provide expert safeguarding analysis & threshold advice.
• Facilitate Day 5 Reflective Reviews and Day 10 Decision-Making Checkpoints.
• Meet with children, parents and carers before Initial Child Protection Conferences.
• Chair Initial Child Protection Conferences with robust, child-centred decision-making.
• Provide oversight of Child Protection Plans to identify drift and delays.
• Offer professional challenge, coaching and support to practitioners and safeguarding partners.
• Contribute to quality assurance, workforce development and safeguarding learning across the partnership.

Skills

Social work experience

Analytical ability

Lead meetings

Safeguarding knowledge

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Social Work qualification & SWE registration

Job description

As part of our implementation of the Families First Partnership Programme and the development of our Multi-Agency Child Protection Team, we are investing in a new generation of safeguarding leadership roles that strengthen decision-making, improve family participation and ensure children are safer for longer. We are looking for experienced and highly skilled social work professionals to join us as Lead Child Protection Practitioners (LCPPs). This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of child protection practice in Gateshead, influencing decisions at the most critical points in a child's journey whilst supporting practitioners, managers and safeguarding partners to achieve the very best outcomes for children. Building safer futures through partnership and professional courage. What you will get to do The Lead Child Protection Practitioner is a specialist safeguarding leadership role providing expertise, oversight, challenge and professional support across Children's Social Care and the wider safeguarding partnership. You will play a central role in strengthening the quality of safeguarding analysis and decision-making, ensuring that children experiencing, or at risk of, significant harm receive timely and effective protection. Working within locality-based teams, you will:

• Attend and contribute to Strategy Discussions, providing expert safeguarding analysis and threshold advice.
• Facilitate Day 5 Reflective Reviews and Day 10 Decision-Making Checkpoints to strengthen professional analysis and collective decision-making.
• Meet with children, parents and carers before Initial Child Protection Conferences, helping families understand the process and supporting meaningful participation.
• Chair Initial Child Protection Conferences, ensuring robust, child-centred and evidence-informed decision-making.
• Provide oversight of Child Protection Plans, identifying drift and delay and ensuring plans remain focused on improving outcomes for children.
• Provide professional challenge, consultation, coaching and support to practitioners, managers and safeguarding partners.
• Contribute to quality assurance, service improvement, workforce development and safeguarding learning across the partnership.

Unlike traditional conference chair roles, this position combines oversight, leadership and meaningful engagement with families, practitioners and safeguarding partners. Gateshead's evaluation demonstrated that this hybrid approach strengthens safeguarding practice, improves workforce confidence and enhances family engagement.

• A recognised Social Work qualification and registration with Social Work England
• Extensive experience of statutory children's social care and a proven track record of high-quality child protection practice.
• Significant post-qualifying experience within children's social care.
• Extensive experience of child protection investigations, risk assessment and safeguarding decision-making.
• The confidence to provide professional challenge and influence practice across a range of services and agencies.
• Experience of leading or chairing complex professional meetings.
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to make defensible safeguarding decisions in complex situations.
• Experience of quality assurance, auditing, workforce development and service improvement.
• A full driving licence and access to a vehicle (or actively working towards this), alongside the ability to use systems effectively and manage performance, budgets and recording requirements

Most importantly, you will be passionate about safeguarding children, strengthening professional practice and ensuring that the child's lived experience remains at the centre of everything we do.

Do you want to help make Gateshead a place where everyone thrives? If that sounds like you, keep reading - we might be the perfect match. We're delighted that you're interested in working with us. You'd be joining us at a very exciting time. We pride ourselves on our ambitious and forward-thinking approach to taking care of Gateshead and its people, and we passionately believe that our employees reflect that spirit in truly enabling Gateshead to thrive. At Gateshead Council you'd be a highly valued member of a team that recognises and respects the skills that you bring to your role, encourages creativity and passionately advocates a great work / life balance. Our actions speak louder than words, and with flexi-time and hybrid working available across many of our roles, as well as a full suite of outstanding employee benefits, we're confident that it isn't just the salary that attracts our staff. Be the difference - Join Our Multi Agency Child Protection Team At Gateshead, we are ambitious for children and families.

• Competitive Salary: We offer fair and transparent pay that reflects your skills and experience Salary £49,817 - £53,051 + a temporary 5% R&R allowance.
• Outstanding Pension Scheme: We don't just offer a great salary - we invest in your future too. Find out what benefits a Local Government Pension provides: https://twpf.info
• Generous Annual Leave: Enjoy 28 days of annual leave, rising to 32 days after 5 years (2 of which can be fixed by the Council), plus the option to buy up to 10 extra days.
• Flexible Working Hours: Benefit from up to 26 flexi days per year (subject to business needs), giving you more control over your time.
• Hybrid & Flexible Working: We support a healthy work-life balance with flexible and hybrid working options.
• Learning & Development: Access a wide range of training, development, and progression opportunities to help you grow your career.
• Health & Wellbeing Support: From discounted gym memberships through our partner GLL to mental health resources, we care about your wellbeing.
• Cycle to Work Scheme: Save money and stay active with our tax-efficient cycle to work programme.
• Electric & Hybrid Car Scheme: Get behind the wheel of a brand-new electric or hybrid vehicle through our salary sacrifice car scheme in partnership with NHS Fleet Solutions - a cost-effective, environmentally friendly way to drive (after 12 months service).
• Exclusive Discounts & Salary Sacrifice: Through our VIVUP employee benefits platform, enjoy discounts on shopping, travel, and services - plus salary sacrifice options on white goods, electronics, and more, helping you spread the cost of essential purchases (after 6 months service)