Senior Practitioner - Children's Homes

ACHIEVING FOR CHILDREN COMMUNITY INTEREST COMPANY; Thatcham; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

29 days annual leave

LGPS or Teachers Pension

Flexible working

Employee Assistance Programme

Staff benefits and discounts

Learning and development

Job summary

Achieving for Children is seeking a Senior Practitioner to lead a team, oversee day-to-day care for children and young people, and support management in delivering a child-centered service. You will promote positive attachments and relationships in a nurturing home, ensuring safeguarding and high-quality practice.

The role requires professional social work qualification, leadership experience, and a strong background in partnership working with families and statutory frameworks.

Qualifications

• Degree in social work with professional qualification.
• Level 3 Health and Social care qualification.
• Experience leading a team and managing performance.
• Knowledge of relevant theory informing practice.
• Experience building partnerships with diverse stakeholders, including families.
• Experience maintaining records and reporting to stakeholders.
• Knowledge of statutory legislation (e.g. Children Act) and national policy drivers.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day care for children and young people.
• Lead and supervise staff on shift and ensure duties are carried out effectively.
• Support children to maximize potential in a safe, nurturing home.
• Assist management in delivering a child-centered service.

Skills

Team leadership

Partnership building

Record keeping

Children Act knowledge

Communication

Education

Degree in social work

Level 3 Health and Social Care

Job description

About the role

The Senior Practitioner will provide day to day care of children and young people within an environment that promotes positive attachments and relationships. They will lead and supervise the staff on shift to ensure that they carry out their duties and behave appropriately at all times. They will support children and young people in maximizing their potential in a safe, caring and nurturing home. They will also support the management team in all aspects of a child centered service

About you

• Educated to a degree level with a relevant professional qualification in social work.
• Level 3 Health and Social care.
• Experience in leading a team, undertaking line management and performance management.
• Knowledge of relevant theory that informs practice delivery.
• Experience of building strong partnerships, maintaining relationships and co-producing solutions to challenges across a diverse set of stakeholders, including children, young people and their families. Advocating the voices of those we are working with.
• Experience of keeping and maintaining records (in accordance with local policy) and producing accurate reports, written updates to a range of stakeholders (which may include families, children or young people).
• Knowledge of statutory legislation (for example Children's Act) and national policy drivers.

About our benefits

We are focused on creating a positive supportive environment, where you will have access to a really wide range of resources, as well as a competitive salary and all the perks to enable hybrid working. In AfC you will also have access to:

• 29 days annual leave, increasing to 33 days after 2 years and 35 days after 4 years with an additional day off in your birthday month (Or for term-time workers, your leave entitlement consists of the non-working periods in your contract)
• Tailored induction sessions commencing on the date you start working for AfC
• Local Government salary and pension scheme (LGPS or Teachers Pension)
• Flexible working options - helping to keep a good work life balance
• A comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
• A range of staff benefits and discounts
• An excellent learning and development offer to support your career pathway

Important Information

Start dates: Achieving for Children have set start dates meaning successful candidates join on a set date in each month. Candidates are advised to prepare for this should a job offer be accepted to ensure eligible continuous service is not affected.

Right to work: The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance.

Equality: We particularly welcome applications from sections of the community who are currently underrepresented within our teams. Achieving for Children are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

Safeguarding: We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).