Practice Supervisor – Child Permanence and Reunification

North Yorkshire Council; Selby; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

North Yorkshire Council is seeking a Practice Supervisor to lead the supervision of social workers within the Care Planning and Support Team. You will drive excellent practice, manage risk, and improve outcomes for children and families.

The role requires a recognised social work qualification, Social Work England registration, and substantial post-qualifying experience in child protection and court-related cases. You will supervise staff (including NQSWs) and contribute to service development.

Qualifications

• Qualified social worker with registration in Social Work England.
• Post-qualifying experience in child protection and court-related work.
• Experience supervising and mentoring social workers, including NQSWs.
• Strong knowledge of the legal framework for children’s social work.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day supervision and support to social workers across Children in Need, Child Protection and Looked After Children services.
• Model and facilitate reflective, evidence-based practice.
• Support professional development including involvement in annual appraisals.
• Review assessments, plans and interventions to ensure children are protected and supported.
• Chair multi-agency meetings and work with partner agencies.
• Contribute to service development, practice improvement and strategic objectives.

Skills

Supervision

Mentoring

Risk management

Legal knowledge

Court experience

NQSW supervision

Education

Social work qualification (CQSW, DipSW, CSS, PQCCA)

Social Work England registration

Job description

North Yorkshire Council have a national reputation for excellence, and we are looking for a Practice Supervisor to join our Care Planning and Support Team.

About the service

Our team works with children and young people who are cared for by the Local Authority, working closely with families, using an established Practice Model to create plans to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and young people.

This includes working with children in the care of their parents or members of their network, in Local Authority foster care or sometimes residential care and children and families going through care proceedings. This means we cover all aspects of the court process, a good understanding of this or a willingness to learn is vital.

About the role

As a Practice Supervisor, your core focus will be to ensure the safe, effective delivery of social work services through the supervision and support of social workers within your supervision group. You will play a vital role in driving excellent practice, managing risk, and improving outcomes for children and families.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing day‑to‑day supervision and support to social workers across Children in Need, Child Protection and Looked After Children services
• Modelling and facilitating reflective, evidence‑based practice
• Supporting the professional development of staff, including involvement in annual appraisals
• Reviewing assessments, plans and interventions to ensure children are protected and supported
• Chairing multi‑agency meetings and working collaboratively with partner agencies
• Contributing to service development, practice improvement and strategic objectives

Do you have:

• A recognised social work qualification (e.g. CQSW, DipSW, CSS, PQCCA)
• Social Work England registration
• Substantial post‑qualifying experience in social work
• Significant experience managing complex child protection and court‑related cases
• Proven ability to supervise, mentor and support social workers, including NQSWs
• Strong knowledge of the legal framework for children’s social work

Then we’d like to hear from you.

It is an exciting time in Children and Young Peoples Services in North Yorkshire as we plan our approach in respect of the Families First Partnership Programme and how we will be responding to the social care reforms. Work is underway to plan our approach and implementations for 2027. As a result of this, some realignment may happen with job roles in the future, we want to be transparent about this in respect of this role.

To find out more about the role please contact Clare Osbourne at [e-mail].

Using AI? Please follow our guidance to ensure your application reflects your own knowledge and experience: Advice on your job application | North Yorkshire Council

Key dates:

Closing date: 27th September 2026

Interview date: TBC