Practice Development Officer

Kent County Council; Maidstone; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 46,000; Full time

Job summary

Kent County Council is seeking a Practice Development Officer to lead practice development across Integrated Children’s Services with a focus on Practice Improvement. The role requires a degree-level qualification in social care/health/youth work or teaching, plus strong safeguarding knowledge, and a commitment to improving frontline practice within Kent.

Responsibilities include leading best practice, analysing data for quality assurance, guiding managers, delivering practitioner training, and

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent professional qualification in Social Care, Health, Youth Work or Teaching.
• Strong safeguarding knowledge and passion for improving practice across CYPE in Kent.
• Experience with practice development and quality assurance activities.

Responsibilities

• Lead, model and promote high quality frontline practice.
• Lead the development of best practice and drive practice improvement initiatives across the service.
• Analyse practice trends and performance data to inform quality assurance and continuous improvement.
• Guide frontline managers and practitioners to support implementation of the Practice Framework.
• Deliver training to practitioners to drive outstanding practice and new initiatives.
• Facilitate and undertake ongoing audits and research of integrated practice.

Skills

Safeguarding knowledge

Auditing & data analysis

Training delivery

Leadership & mentoring

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Degree level or equivalent qualification in Social Care/Health/Youth Work/Teaching

Job description

Safeguarding, Professional Standards and Quality Assurance has an exciting opportunity for a Practice Development Officer. The role will focus on practice development across Integrated Children's Services but with a key focus on Practice Improvement. You will be educated to degree level or equivalent professional qualification in Social Care, Health, Youth Work or Teaching and/or extensive experience. You will have a strong safeguarding knowledge and be passionate about theories and improving practice across CYPE in Kent. The successful candidate will:

• Lead, model and promote high quality frontline practice.
• Lead the development of best practice, driving the implementation of practice improvement initiatives across the service.
• Analyse practice trends and performance data to inform and support quality assurance activities and continuous service improvement.
• Guide frontline managers and practitioners to support the implementation of KCC's Practice Framework.
• Deliver training to practitioners to drive outstanding practice and new initiatives.
• Facilitate and undertake ongoing audits and research of integrated practice.

As part of your application, please ensure that the following is submitted:

• A current CV
• An expression of Interest - detailing a) your relevant experience and skills for the PDO role and b) their motivation for applying and what they feel they will bring to the role. Part B to be no more than 500 words.

Interviews will be in person at Sessions House, County Hall, Maidstone and will take place in December 2026 (with a specific date to be confirmed closer to the time). The interviews will consist of an interview panel and presentation exercise. This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure Application to the Disclosure and Barring Service. This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

Work that works for you and us - let's talk flexibility! KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.