Lead Social Worker for Exploitation (Advanced Practitioner)

Somerset County Council; Brompton Regis; Hybrid; GBP 41,000 - 47,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in the UK is seeking an Advanced Practitioner to manage complex cases of vulnerable children and mentor other practitioners. The role involves multi-agency collaboration, ensuring child-focused services, and utilizing a range of therapeutic skills. Candidates should hold a degree, be registered with Social Work England, and have relevant experience in social work. This position offers flexibility in working arrangements and a supportive work environment.

Benefits

Flexible working arrangements

Generous annual leave

Staff discounts at gyms

Employee Assistance Services

Pension Scheme

Flexible Benefits Scheme

Discounts through My Staff Shop

Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in the field, with a commitment to maintaining and expanding social work knowledge.
• Ability to manage complex cases with vulnerable children while mentoring less experienced colleagues.
• Experience with multi-agency collaboration and producing accurate reports.

Responsibilities

• Skillfully manage complex cases of vulnerable children in our care.
• Mentor and support less experienced colleagues in their professional development.
• Facilitate a child-focused service using therapeutic skills and interventions.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Time management

Detail-oriented

Education

Degree-level education

Social Work England registration

Job description

Overview

Our Exploitation and ROTH Team and Offer: We have an established Preventing Exploitation Team and offer in Somerset. Our exploitation team sits within our 'prevention and youth justice' service directorate, where we promote active co-working, collaboration and dynamic response. Our current team is being further developed to enhance our response to exploitation and risks outside of the home. Our key indicators link to: Child Sexual Exploitation; Child Criminal Exploitation; Serious Youth Violence; County Lines; Anti-Social Behaviour. Collaborative and multi-agency working is essential. Our Lead Social workers have the opportunity to develop their leadership and management, oversee consultation, mapping and multiagency panels. They also hold a small caseload of children. They promote and role-model good practice and deliver training and development. This is a dynamic and creative social work role in a specialist, skilled and driven team.

What will I be doing?

As an Advanced Practitioner, it will be your responsibility to skilfully manage complex work with the most vulnerable children in our community and in our care, whilst mentoring and supporting less experienced colleagues to grow and develop as practitioners as well as have line management roles within this team. Through pro-active, multi-agency working you\'ll work with a range of service providers, including our secondment team members across youth justice and close working with our missing children team. The aim is to facilitate the provision of a needs-led service and create positive outcomes. We\'ll look to you to ensure all services are child focused, using a range of therapeutic skills and interventions to make sure that children are protected, risk reduced and they are supported to reach their potential.

Experience and qualifications

• Be educated to degree level, and Social Work England registered.
• Have demonstrable experience in the field, with a commitment to maintaining and expanding your social work knowledge and skills. Ideally you will have PEPS 1 but if not then supervisory experience is needed.
• Have excellent interpersonal and communication skills allowing you to work effectively in partnership with other agencies and teams. Alongside this, you\'ll have excellent time keeping and a keen eye for detail, as you produce accurate reports and quality assure the work of less experienced colleagues.

What we offer

We offer ongoing support, training and guidance to help you be the best you can be. You can expect:

• We promote a healthy work-life balance and offer flexible working arrangements wherever possible, including working from home.
• Generous annual leave allowance, with the opportunity to purchase additional leave
• Staff discounts in gyms.
• Employee Assistance for the times you may need some support and a variety of employee wellbeing services.
• Auto enrolment onto our generous Pension Scheme and optional pension enhancement through our Additional Voluntary Contribution scheme.
• A Flexible Benefits Scheme via salary sacrifice to obtain a cycle for work and health screenings.
• My Staff Shop offering discounts in shops, online shopping, restaurants, cinema tickets, insurance benefits and more.

Additional information

• The salary range for this role is £41,771 to £46,142 per annum
• For further information or an informal discussion about this exciting opportunity, please contact Chloe Deverell
• Provisional interview date is 20/10/2025
• When completing your application/CV please provide your full employment history and ensure that any gaps in employment are explained. Please start with your current or most recent employment.
• DBS information: This post requires a criminal background check via the Disclosure procedure.

Anything else I should know? You can always contact the hiring manager for a chat if there\'s anything you want to talk about before you apply.