Senior Practitioner - Children in Care, West Essex

Essex County Council; Harlow; On-site; GBP 46,000 - 57,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Harlow seeks a Senior Practitioner for Children in Care. The role involves leadership and mentoring within a supportive team dedicated to children's welfare. Candidates must hold a social work qualification and have significant experience in the field. Opportunities for professional development are offered, alongside a flexible and reflective working culture.

Qualifications

• Registered social worker with current registration.
• Experience in mentoring social work students and staff.
• In-depth understanding of relevant legislation and guidance.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership in the team.
• Mentor and support newly qualified staff.
• Oversee the team's duty service.

Skills

Social work qualification

Continuing professional development

Experience mentoring staff

Decision making

Relationship building

Education

Diploma, degree or master's in social work

Job description

Senior Practitioner - Children in Care, West Essex

Permanent, Full Time

£46,574 to £56,027 per annum

Location: Harlow

Working Style: Community-based worker

Closing Date: 15th October 2025

Essex County Council understand how important flexibility and wellbeing is for our colleagues working across children's Social Care and that we need to think differently. We have therefore developed a nine-day working fortnight for full time frontline Social Workers within Children's services.

We are a friendly, supportive, and hard-working team where we always hold children at the centre of what we do. We have created an open, reflective and learning culture where social workers feel enabled and supported to raise issues, consider different perspectives, challenge authority, and try out different approaches in a safe and non-blaming environment. Good quality reflective supervision is provided to all social workers and senior practitioners.

As a Senior Practitioner you will provide leadership in the team, provide both support and mentoring to newly qualified or less experienced staff, facilitate reflective group supervision, oversee the team's duty service, deputise for the Team Manager when needed and have responsibility to lead in a practice area.

There will be opportunities for your own professional development and for being part of developing our team and service.

Children in Care

Children in Care (CIC) teams work with children and young people up to the age of 18 who are in care- they're unable to live at home and are either placed with a foster carer or live in residential homes. They work with children and young people to ensure their experiences in care is a good one and that the work undertaken prepares them for their transition into leaving care or return home to family.

Skills, knowledge and Experience

• A recognised social work qualification i.e. Diploma, degree or master's in social work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent, with current registration with Social Work England as a registered social worker.
• Evidence of continuing professional development, aligned to any relevant Professional Competency/Capability frameworks or Knowledge and Skills Statements.
• Significant experience of social work, demonstrating a comprehensive and up to date understanding of all relevant legislation, regulation and guidance.
• Experience of mentoring both Social Work students and newly qualified and experienced Social Work staff, being a subject matter expert in professional social work practice.
• Experience of chairing meetings involving clients, family members and/or carers and other multi-agency professionals.
• Developing strong relationships with partners, other agencies and the local community to achieve joint objectives and offer a supportive framework for children, young people and families.
• In depth understanding of delivery of value for money interventions balanced against need.
• Proven track record of clear decision making in order to highlight and limit the potential risks associated with intervention.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. We're also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.