Senior Practitioner - Family Help

Tripod Partners; West Midlands; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

Tripod Partners is seeking 3 experienced Senior Practitioners to join the Family Help Team in the West Midlands. You will lead assessments, deliver targeted support for families, and coordinate multi-agency plans within a strengths-based, trauma-informed framework.

As Lead Practitioner, you will work with families open under Child in Need, chair Team Around the Family meetings, and ensure high-quality documentation while complying with safeguarding requirements.

Qualifications

• Social Work qualification.
• Current Social Work England registration.
• Significant experience within Children's Social Care.
• Experience completing assessments and working with Child in Need cases.
• Strong understanding of safeguarding and statutory children's social care practice.
• Experience working collaboratively with families and multi-agency professionals.
• Ability to manage complex cases, assess risk and make sound professional decisions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Commitment to strengths-based, trauma-informed and relationship-based practice.

Responsibilities

• Act as the Lead Practitioner for children and families requiring Family Help and support.
• Complete needs-led Family Assessments and develop multi-agency Family Help plans.
• Lead on Early Help and Child in Need plans, providing evidence-based support to families.
• Establish and facilitate Team Around the Family (TAF) meetings and ensure services work effectively together.
• Complete high-quality assessments and reports within required timescales.
• Identify strengths, risks and areas of need and make professional judgments about appropriate interventions.
• Build positive and purposeful relationships with children, young people and their families.
• Ensure children's wishes, feelings and experiences are central to assessments and planning.
• Contribute to Strategy Meetings, Child Protection Conferences, Care Planning meetings and MARACs where required.
• Offer and facilitate Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) to help families identify their own solutions.
• Apply trauma-informed and relationship-based practice when working with children and families.
• Maintain accurate, timely and comprehensive case records in line with statutory and organisational requirements.
• Work closely with partner agencies to achieve positive outcomes for children and families.
• Develop sustainability plans with families to support continued progress after Family Help involvement ends.
• Ensure practice complies with relevant legislation, Working Together guidance and the National Framework.
• Participate in supervision, team meetings, training and professional development.
• Work outside normal office hours when required.

Job description

Job Title: Senior Practitioner - Family Help

Area: West Midlands Social Care

Salary: £24.51 per hour

Job Type: Locum

Contract Length: Ongoing

Start Date: 28 September 2026

Positions: 3

Tripod Partners are currently recruiting for 3 experienced Senior Practitioners who are registered Social Workers to join the Family Help Team. This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Social Worker to take on a senior role focused on completing assessments, delivering targeted support to families and working with families open under Child in Need plans. You will act as the lead professional for children and families requiring help and support, taking a whole-family, strengths-based and trauma-informed approach to practice.

Key Responsibilities

• Act as the Lead Practitioner for children and families requiring Family Help and support.
• Complete needs-led Family Assessments and develop multi-agency Family Help plans.
• Lead on Early Help and Child in Need plans, providing evidence-based support to families.
• Establish and facilitate Team Around the Family (TAF) meetings and ensure services work effectively together.
• Complete high-quality assessments and reports within required timescales.
• Identify strengths, risks and areas of need and make professional judgments about appropriate interventions.
• Build positive and purposeful relationships with children, young people and their families.
• Ensure children's wishes, feelings and experiences are central to assessments and planning.
• Contribute to Strategy Meetings, Child Protection Conferences, Care Planning meetings and MARACs where required.
• Offer and facilitate Family Group Decision Making (FGDM) to help families identify their own solutions.
• Apply trauma-informed and relationship-based practice when working with children and families.
• Maintain accurate, timely and comprehensive case records in line with statutory and organisational requirements.
• Work closely with partner agencies to achieve positive outcomes for children and families.
• Develop sustainability plans with families to support continued progress after Family Help involvement ends.
• Ensure practice complies with relevant legislation, Working Together guidance and the National Framework.
• Participate in supervision, team meetings, training and professional development.
• Work outside normal office hours when required.

Requirements

• Social Work qualification.
• Current Social Work England registration.
• Significant experience within Children's Social Care.
• Experience completing assessments and working with Child in Need cases.
• Strong understanding of safeguarding and statutory children's social care practice.
• Experience working collaboratively with families and multi-agency professionals.
• Ability to manage complex cases, assess risk and make sound professional decisions.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Commitment to strengths-based, trauma-informed and relationship-based practice.