Senior Practitioner - Children & Families (Flexible Work)

Essex County Council; Colchester; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 55,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Disability Confident Leader

DBS update service

Career development opportunities

Job summary

Essex County Council's Children & Families Hub in Colchester is seeking a Senior Practitioner to lead and mentor social workers, overseeing early help and triage with a strong emphasis on relationship-based practice.

You will support staff development, model high standards, and work within statutory frameworks while building effective partnerships across the council and with external agencies to safeguard children and families.

Qualifications

• Qualified social worker with current SWE registration and CPD.
• Significant experience with up-to-date knowledge of legislation.
• Experience mentoring students and staff; chairing multi‑agency meetings.

Responsibilities

• Provide expert advice and supervision for social workers.
• Work within statutory framework and determine thresholds for intervention.
• Oversee Requests for Support and early help triage within timescales.
• Build partnerships across the Council and external agencies.
• Lead on practice areas and contribute to development targets.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Expert advice

Professional supervision

Relationship-based practice

Systemic practice

Decision making

Education

Social work degree / qualification

Social Work England registration

Job description

Essex County Council's Children & Families Hub in Colchester is seeking a Senior Practitioner to lead and mentor social workers, overseeing early help and triage with a strong emphasis on relationship-based practice.

You will support staff development, model high standards, and work within statutory frameworks while building effective partnerships across the council and with external agencies to safeguard children and families.