Lead Child Protection Practitioner: Shape Borough Safeguarding

Hillingdon Council; Uxbridge; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary up to £62,766

Retention payment £4,250

SWE registration fee

Free parking

Hybrid/flexible working

TOIL provided

Outstanding Ofsted/CIT

Job summary

Hillingdon Council is recruiting a Lead Child Protection Practitioner to operate at the highest level of safeguarding, shaping responses across the borough within the MACPT. You will chair strategy discussions, oversee Section 47 enquiries and ensure children’s voices stay central to planning and decisions.

Join a pattern of outstanding practice with supportive leadership, opportunities for professional development, and flexible hybrid working.

Qualifications

• Social Work qualification required and Social Worker England registration.
• Significant recent frontline child protection experience.
• Expertise in safeguarding, risk assessment and Section 47 investigations.
• Experience chairing complex multi‑agency meetings and influencing decisions.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to evaluate complex information.
• Ability to make autonomous decisions in challenging situations.
• Excellent communication, report writing and partnership working skills.

Responsibilities

• Convene and chair multi‑agency strategy discussions.
• Lead and undertake Section 47 child protection enquiries.
• Chair Initial Child Protection Conferences and assess risk and harm evidence.
• Provide expert analysis of safeguarding information from multiple agencies.
• Support legal planning and court processes when required.
• Collaborate with Family Help practitioners to achieve sustainable change.
• Keep children’s voices central to assessment, planning and decisions.
• Act autonomously on behalf of the LA to fulfil statutory duties.

Skills

Social Work qualification

Social Work England registration

Frontline child protection experience

Safeguarding expertise

Risk assessment

Section 47 investigations

Multi‑agency meetings

Analytical skills

Autonomous decision making

Communication & report writing

Partnership working

Child-focused outcomes

Job description

Hillingdon Council is recruiting a Lead Child Protection Practitioner to operate at the highest level of safeguarding, shaping responses across the borough within the MACPT. You will chair strategy discussions, oversee Section 47 enquiries and ensure children’s voices stay central to planning and decisions.

Join a pattern of outstanding practice with supportive leadership, opportunities for professional development, and flexible hybrid working.