Practice Improvement Lead - Social Work Academy

Community Care Live; Barrow-in-Furness; Hybrid; GBP 45,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Westmorland and Furness Council is seeking an experienced Practice Improvement Lead to provide dedicated support to Newly Qualified Social Workers through their Assessed and Supported Year in Employment and to social work students. The role focuses on strengthening our Barrow-based workforce.

You will coach, mentor and supervise colleagues, build cross-team relationships, and contribute to recruitment, development and retention of the next generation of social workers.

Qualifications

• Qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England.
• Significant post-qualifying experience in children's social care.
• Experience coaching, mentoring or supervising social workers or students.
• Ability to build effective cross-team relationships.
• Commitment to developing the next generation of social workers.

Responsibilities

• Lead on workforce development for Barrow-based practitioners.
• Provide dedicated support to NQSWs through ASYE.
• Coach, mentor and supervise social workers and students.
• Support recruitment, development and retention of future social workers.
• Collaborate with services across Barrow and countywide.

Skills

Qualified Social Worker

NQSW coaching

Mentoring

Workforce development

Stakeholder relations

Job description

Location: Penrith/Kendal/Barrow – with regular presence required in Barrow
Contract Type: 2 Year Fixed Term Contract

About this opportunity

Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to developing a skilled, confident and sustainable social work workforce. As part of our continued investment in the Social Work Academy, we are seeking a Practice Improvement Lead to provide dedicated support to Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs) through their Assessed and Supported Year in Employment and social work students, with a particular focus on strengthening our workforce in Barrow.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in the recruitment, development and retention of our future social workers.

Who we are looking for…

We are looking for an experienced and enthusiastic social work professional who is passionate about workforce development and supporting others to succeed.

You will:

• Be a qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England.
• Have substantial post-qualifying experience within children's social care.
• Demonstrate a strong understanding of social work practice, professional standards and workforce development.
• Have experience of supporting, coaching, mentoring or supervising social workers and/or students.
• Be able to build effective working relationships across teams and services.
• Be committed to developing the next generation of social workers.

Location Requirements

While this is a countywide role within the Childrens Social Work Academy, a significant part of the post will focus on supporting practitioners based in Barrow.

The successful candidate will therefore be required to spend a proportion of their working week physically based within the Barrow office, providing accessible face-to-face support, coaching, learning opportunities and professional guidance to NQSWs and social work students. Some travel across Westmorland and Furness may also be required.

Why Join Us?

This is a unique opportunity to shape the future social work workforce within Westmorland and Furness. You will play a vital role in helping newly qualified social workers and students develop the confidence, skills and resilience needed to provide high-quality support to children and families.

If you are passionate about practice excellence, learning and development, and want to make a lasting impact on the future of social work, we would love to hear from you.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Katie Allison, Service Improvement Lead-

[e-mail]

What can we offer you!

Working at Westmorland and Furness Council you will receive a variety of benefits, including a competitive pension scheme, enhanced annual leave allowance and other various perks and discounts schemes. For more information about life at Westmorland and Furness Council and what we can offer you, please visit our Careers site. Our benefits | Careers (westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk)

Would you like to find out more?

For further information about this role, such as responsibilities and essential criteria please view the below attachments:

• Post Specification
• Role Profile

Please note: If the Post Specification for this vacancy states that a UK driving licence is required, non-UK driving licences with entitlement to drive vehicles in the UK will also be accepted.

Application and Interview information

Closing date: 16th November 2026

Interview date: 26th November 2026

We are currently operating both in-person and virtual interviews. Interview details such as venue/timings will be shared with successful candidates, following the shortlisting process. If you have any concerns or adjustments are needed, we are happy to discuss this with you.

If you experience any technical difficulties applying for this role, please contact the HR Systems Team at [e-mail].

For guidance on the recruitment process, FAQs, and useful tips for completing your application, please visit: Our Approach to Recruitment | Careers

Safer Recruitment & DBS

At Westmorland and Furness Council we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the safety and welfare of children, young people and adults at risk and we expect all workers, employees and volunteers to share our commitment.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 and requires an enhanced DBS check with a Children's Barred List check.

Please note this role involves working in regulated activity with Children. It is an offence for people who are barred from working in regulated activity to apply for roles that require them to work unsupervised with Children.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

Westmorland and Furness Council is committed to improving the diversity of its workforce to better reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone and work to promote an inclusive, supportive culture that values and celebrates our differences.

As a Disability Confident Leader, disabled applicants, who meet the essential criteria of this job, are guaranteed an interview.

We also offer guaranteed interviews to Armed Forces personnel and veterans and those in care or care experienced and under 24 years old (someone who has been looked after by a local authority at any point, for any length of time, e.g. foster care, residential care, or under the guardianship of a local authority) that meet the essential criteria for the role.