Senior Independence and Wellbeing Practitioner

Suffolk County Council; Bury St Edmunds; Hybrid; GBP 32,000 - 39,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave up to 29 days (pro rata)

LGPS pension

Travel & wellbeing benefits

Career development opportunities

Flexible working options

Job summary

Suffolk County Council is recruiting a Senior Independence and Wellbeing Practitioner based at West Suffolk House, Bury St Edmunds. The role involves managing a caseload to support adults across Suffolk, including home visits and information provision to promote safety and independence.

You will work with Social Workers and Occupational Therapists, focusing on reablement and safeguarding, with opportunities to use digital care solutions and assistive technology.

Qualifications

• Recent experience of working with adults with complex needs.
• Good literacy and numeracy.
• Good IT skills including databases and case recording systems.
• Experience of working with people in social care/health settings.
• Experience of person-centred work.
• Basic understanding of Adult Social Care services.
• Focus on preventative social care and a creative mindset to achieve outcomes.
• Understanding of risk assessments.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Willingness to develop your career.
• Excellent communication skills and awareness of emotions.

Responsibilities

• Support residents across Suffolk and manage a caseload including complex work.
• Carry out home visits when required and provide information to help people stay safe and independent.
• Work with Social Workers and Occupational Therapists to develop skills in safeguarding and reablement.
• Recommend Daily Living Equipment and adaptations as needed.
• Champion the use of Assistive Technology and digital care solutions.

Skills

Complex needs experience

Literacy & numeracy

IT skills & databases

Social care experience

Person-centred approach

Risk assessments

Independent & teamwork

Career development mindset

Excellent communication

Education

Social care qualification (relevant)

Tools

Case recording systems

Job description

• Suffolk County Council
• Address: West Suffolk House, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk, IP33 3YU - Hybrid working
• Salary: £35,570 per annum (pro rata for part time or under 12 months)
• Hours: 37 hours per week, flexible working options available
• Contract: Fixed term or Secondment for up to 12 months due to maternity leave

As a modern, flexible and effective organisation, we're driven to make a positive difference to the environment, the communities we serve and the careers of our people. That's why, when you join us as a Senior Independence and Wellbeing Practitioner, you'll be encouraged to share your fresh thinking and empowered to explore new ideas that will shape and improve our services as well as your career.

Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities

You will be part of the IWS West Team, based at West Suffolk House in Bury St Edmunds, supporting residents across Suffolk. You will manage a caseload that includes complex and challenging work, carrying out home visits when required and providing information and advice to help people remain safe and independent in their own homes. Working closely with other professionals, you will help achieve positive outcomes while working within budgetary requirements and ensuring value for money. With support and guidance from Social Workers and Occupational Therapists, you will develop your skills in recognising and responding to complex social situations, including Adult Safeguarding, assessing functional ability with a focus on reablement, and recommending Daily Living Equipment and adaptations. You will also champion the use of Assistive Technology, including Digital Care solutions, to support people's independence.

You will need

• Recent experience of working with adults with complex needs
• A good standard of literacy and numeracy
• A good standard of IT skills including use of databases and case recording systems
• Experience of working with people within social care/health settings - either statutory, voluntary or charity
• Experience of person-centred work
• Basic understanding of Adult Social Care services
• A keen focus on preventative social care and have a creative mindset in achieving good outcomes
• An understanding of risk assessments
• The ability to work independently as well as part of a team
• A willingness to develop your career
• Excellent communication skills and an awareness and understanding of people's emotions and reactions

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (JPP), which you can find in the How to apply' section towards the bottom of this advert.

The team

The Independence and Wellbeing Service (IWS) is a key first point of contact within Adult Social Care, working alongside Customer First to provide people with advice, information and practical support at the earliest stage of their journey. There are three IWS teams across Suffolk, based in Waveney, West Suffolk and Ipswich. The teams take a person-centred and preventative approach, helping people to maintain their independence and prevent, reduce or delay the need for ongoing care and support. Our work is varied and includes arranging reablement services, completing short-term and mental capacity assessments, carrying out home visits where appropriate, commissioning services, reviewing support, and providing equipment and digital care solutions to help people live safely and independently.

Empowering Everyone

We are big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We're always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report .

For more information

Please contact Gemma Abbott, Team Manager, for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling 01473 263882 or emailing: [e-mail]

If you want to apply for a secondment, read the secondment policy first. Make sure you get permission from your current manager before submitting your application.

Closing date:

11.30 pm, 8 November 2026.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We're driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.

In return, you'll enjoy:

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

Plus lots more!

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk) .