Lead Child Protection Practitioner

TAMESIDE COUNCIL; Tameside; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Induction and tailored support

Systemic practice training

Regular reflective supervision

Shape MACPT and practice improvement

Job summary

Tameside Council in Tameside is seeking a Lead Child Protection Practitioner to drive high-quality practice, lead complex safeguarding work and embed systemic and multi-agency approaches across Children’s Services.

You will champion relationship-based, strengths-based practice and collaborate with families, professionals and partners to deliver safer outcomes for children and families within the Families First reforms.

Qualifications

• Qualified social worker with substantial experience in statutory children’s services.
• Strong knowledge of child protection processes, legislation and safeguarding frameworks.
• Experience with children at risk of significant harm and managing complex risks.
• Commitment to relationship-based, strengths-based and systemic practice.
• Ability to work with children, families and multi-agency partners to achieve positive outcomes.
• Confidence to provide practice leadership in a multi-agency environment.
• Passion for anti-discriminatory practice and inclusive services.
• Focus on ensuring children’s voices and best interests remain central.

Responsibilities

• Drive high-quality practice and supervise colleagues.
• Lead on complex child protection work and decision-making.
• Embed systemic and multi-agency approaches across the service.
• Shape and embed the new Multi-Agency Child Protection Team.
• Support delivery of Families First reforms and improved outcomes.

Skills

Child protection knowledge

Multi-agency collaboration

Leadership

Relationship-based practice

Anti-discriminatory practice

Communication with families

Systemic practice

Education

Social work qualification

Job description

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: Grade J. Scale 40 - £51,356 to Scale 43 - £54,495 with a professional bar at Scale 41 - £52,413**

Hours Per Week: 36

Base Location: Tameside One, Market Place, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 6BH

Assessment Date: 24th September 2026

The Role

Are you passionate about making a real difference in the lives of children and families? Do you bring compassion, curiosity, collaboration, conversation, and courage to your practice? If so, Tameside is looking for you.

This is an exciting time to join Tameside Children's Services as we continue our improvement journey and shape our services around the ambitions of the Families First reforms. We are seeking skilled and motivated Lead Child Protection Practitioners to join our developing service and play a pivotal role in the implementation of our new Multi-Agency Child Protection Team.

A New Vision for Child Protection

At Tameside, our Heart of Support Practice Approach is at the centre of everything we do. Underpinned by our 5 Cs: Compassion, Curiosity, Collaboration, Conversation and Courage, we are committed to building meaningful relationships with children, families and partners that create lasting change.

As we respond to the Families First reforms, we are establishing a Multi-Agency Child Protection Team that brings professionals together around children and families to strengthen collaboration, improve decision-making and deliver more effective support. This is a unique opportunity to be part of designing and embedding a new way of working that places families, networks and relationships at the heart of child protection.

Alongside this, we are launching an exciting programme of systemic practice training across our workforce. This investment will support you to think differently, work relationally, and understand children within the context of their family and community networks. The systemic model aligns strongly with the reforms, helping us build on strengths, harness family support, and achieve sustainable change for children.

As a Lead Child Protection Practitioner, you will play a key role in driving high-quality practice, supporting colleagues, leading on complex child protection work, and helping to embed systemic and multi-agency approaches across the service.

What You'll Bring

You will be an experienced and skilled practitioner with:

• A recognised social work qualification and substantial experience within statutory children's services.
• Strong knowledge of child protection processes, legislation and safeguarding frameworks.
• Experience of working with children at risk of significant harm and managing complex risks.
• A commitment to relationship-based, strengths-based and systemic practice.
• The ability to work effectively with children, families and multi-agency partners to achieve positive outcomes.
• The confidence to provide practice leadership, challenge and support within a multi-agency environment.
• A passion for anti-discriminatory practice and promoting inclusive services that reflect the diverse needs of families.
• A strong focus on ensuring children's voices, lived experiences and best interests remain central to decision-making.

Why Tameside?

At Tameside, we are ambitious for our children, families and workforce. We are creating an environment where social workers can thrive, feel valued, and make a meaningful difference.

You will receive:

• A comprehensive induction and tailored support from the Service Lead for the MACPT.
• Access to high-quality systemic practice training and ongoing professional development.
• Regular reflective supervision and opportunities to influence practice.
• The chance to help shape and embed our new Multi-Agency Child Protection Team.
• A collaborative culture where learning, innovation and continuous improvement is encouraged.
• The opportunity to play a leading role in delivering the Families First reforms and improving outcomes for children and families.

If you are ready to champion systemic practice, strengthen multi-agency working, and be part of transforming child protection services in Tameside, we'd love you to join us.

About Us

Message from Jill Colbert, Director of Children’s Services

“I joined the council at the beginning of 2025 and was instantly charmed by the warmth, openness, and energy of colleagues.”

“I came to Tameside for one reason; because I know we can do fantastic things for our families here.”

“We’re a children’s service on a significant improvement journey. We know what needs to be different for our children and families and we’re ambitious to deliver that change.”

“We have a growing range of specialist services for children, where you can test and grow your skills and practice. We have a Social Work Academy that is led by people who bring passion to learning and who know that the DCS’ of the future are right in front of them. We are working on our progression pathways so that staying in Tameside is rewarded and recognised. We have investment in innovation and improvement from the council so that we can grow services and support for families that we can sustain, from family hubs through to complex safeguarding.”

“I am so certain that we can build a proud, inclusive and safe climate for great practice to flourish in Tameside. I’d love you to join me on the journey here at Team Tameside.”

At Tameside, we are committed to ensuring all our Citizens lead long, fulfilling and healthy lives. We are committed to supporting economic growth, providing high quality health and care services, protecting our most vulnerable and creating strong and supportive, self-sufficient communities.

We recognise that our people drive our success and enable the organisation to deliver on its vision, purpose and priorities, and that our people are our most important resource and asset. Our values underpin our practice and behaviours, and are at the heart of everything that we do; and we understand that how we do things is just as important as what we do. We pride ourselves on living by our STRIVE values of Support, Trust, Respect, Integrity, Value Diversity and Engage. Our values underpin our practice and behaviours and are at the heart of everything that we do. How we do things are just as important as what we do.

Our employees’ skills, experience and knowledge are essential to our success along with their happiness, wellbeing, commitment, enthusiasm and motivation to be the best they can.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and expect all staff to share this commitment. This position is subject to Enhanced with Barred List Disclosure Procedures.

** This post is classified as being in a professional job category. As such the grade for the job has a professional grade development bar which employees can progress through subject to meeting the following criteria:

1. Relevant professional qualification for the job role at Level 6 or above AND a management qualification, AND

2. Minimum of 2 years post qualification experience in the role, AND

3. Maintained membership of a regulated body where this is a requirement to practice in the role where applicable, AND

4. Professional standards practised to the highest expected level.

This post is a designated customer facing role under the fluency duty and requires a specified level of spoken English.

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the 'About You' or 'Supporting Statement' section of your application.

Unfortunately, at this time we are not able to offer sponsorship.

We are committed to developing a culture which respects individuals, appreciates difference and allows everyone regardless of background to reach their full potential. We are proud to be an accredited disability confident employer. Reasonable Adjustments will be considered in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 in relation to the Job Role Criteria.

Our rewards and benefits package can be viewed here

We have made a commitment to improve the employment opportunities for people with disabilities, care leavers, carers, and ex-military personnel. Please click here for more information on our guaranteed assessment scheme.

For further information about this role please contact Kayleigh Treanor, Head of Quality, Practice Assurance and Principal Social Worker on 0161 342 3398 or [e-mail]