Senior Practitioner - Learning Disabilities and Transitions Service

liquidpersonnel; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

liquidpersonnel seeks an experienced Senior Practitioner for the Learning Disabilities and Transitions Service in Derby. You will provide leadership, supervision, and practice support within a busy team focused on adults with learning disabilities and young people transitioning to Adult Social Care.

You will oversee complex casework, safeguarding, and transition planning while driving service development and continuous improvement. Strong leadership and regulatory knowledge are essential.

Qualifications

• Professional social work qualification (MA/BA/BSc or equivalent).
• Registered with Social Work England.
• Significant post-qualification experience in Adult Social Care.
• Learning disabilities experience.
• Experience supporting transitions into Adult Social Care.
• Leadership experience supervising and developing practitioners.
• Strong knowledge of Care Act 2014 and Mental Capacity Act 2005.
• Experience with complex assessments and safeguarding.
• Multi-agency working with health, education, housing and partner agencies.

Responsibilities

• Support the operational management of the Learning Disabilities and Transitions Service on a day-to-day basis.
• Undertake duty manager responsibilities, ensuring timely responses to referrals and safeguarding concerns.
• Provide supervision, coaching, and guidance to Social Workers and Adult Social Care practitioners.
• Support workload management, case allocation, prioritisation, and progression of complex cases.
• Provide oversight on complex assessments, reviews, safeguarding enquiries, and support planning.
• Manage a reduced caseload of complex cases involving adults with learning disabilities and transitions into Adult Social Care.
• Undertake Care Act 2014 assessments, reviews, and support planning where appropriate.
• Support transition planning for young people moving from Children's Services into Adult Social Care.
• Complete Mental Capacity Assessments and Best Interest decision-making processes.
• Provide oversight of safeguarding concerns and support safeguarding enquiries.
• Chair multidisciplinary team meetings and strategy/Best Interest meetings.
• Represent the service at internal and external meetings with partner organisations.
• Collaborate with health professionals, education providers, Children's Services, housing teams and carers.
• Contribute to quality assurance, practice development, service improvement and CPD initiatives.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and legally compliant records and documentation.

Skills

Leadership

Supervision

Communication

Safeguarding

Transition planning

Team mentoring

Partnership working

Education

Social Work qualification

Job description

Our client based in Derby is seeking an experienced Senior Practitioner to join their Learning Disabilities and Transitions Service. This is an excellent opportunity for a highly skilled Social Work professional to provide leadership, oversight, and practice support within a busy service supporting adults with learning disabilities and young people transitioning into Adult Social Care.

The successful candidate will play a key role in supporting high-quality social work practice, ensuring individuals receive person-centred support that promotes independence, wellbeing, choice, and positive outcomes. Alongside managing complex casework, you will provide supervision, operational support, and professional guidance to practitioners across the service whilst contributing to service development and continuous improvement.

This role requires an experienced practitioner with strong leadership skills, sound knowledge of Adult Social Care legislation, and the ability to support teams in managing complex cases, safeguarding concerns, and transition planning.

What will your responsibilities be?

• Supporting the operational management of the Learning Disabilities and Transitions Service on a day-to-day basis.
• Undertaking duty manager responsibilities, ensuring timely responses to referrals, safeguarding concerns, and service demands.
• Providing supervision, professional support, coaching, and guidance to Social Workers and Adult Social Care practitioners.
• Supporting workload management, case allocation, prioritisation, and progression of complex cases.
• Providing oversight and professional guidance on complex assessments, reviews, safeguarding enquiries, and support planning.
• Managing a reduced caseload of complex cases involving adults with learning disabilities and young people transitioning into Adult Social Care.
• Undertaking Care Act 2014 assessments, reviews, and support planning where appropriate.
• Supporting transition planning for young people moving from Children's Services into Adult Social Care.
• Completing Mental Capacity Assessments and overseeing Best Interest decision-making processes in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005.
• Providing oversight of safeguarding concerns and supporting practitioners with complex safeguarding enquiries.
• Chairing multidisciplinary team meetings, strategy meetings, Best Interest meetings, and other professional forums as required.
• Representing the service at internal and external meetings with partner organisations and stakeholders.
• Working collaboratively with health professionals, education providers, Children's Services, housing teams, carers, providers, and partner agencies.
• Contributing to quality assurance activity, practice development, service improvement, and continuous professional development initiatives.
• Maintaining accurate, timely, and legally compliant records, reports, and professional documentation.

Qualifications and Experience:

• Professional Qualification: MA, BA, BSc in Social Work, Diploma in Social Work, CQSW, CSS, or equivalent recognised Social Work qualification.
• Registration: Must be registered with Social Work England.
• Experience: Significant post-qualified experience within Adult Social Care services.
• Learning Disabilities Experience: Extensive experience supporting adults with learning disabilities and complex care and support needs.
• Transitions Experience: Experience supporting young people through transition into Adult Social Care is highly desirable.
• Leadership Experience: Experience supervising, mentoring, supporting, and developing practitioners within a statutory social work setting.
• Legislation Knowledge: Strong understanding of the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005, Adult Safeguarding legislation, and associated statutory guidance.
• Assessment Skills: Proven ability to undertake and oversee complex assessments, reviews, support planning, and risk management interventions.
• Safeguarding Experience: Experience supporting and managing safeguarding enquiries and complex risk situations.
• Multi-Agency Working: Strong experience working collaboratively with health services, Children's Services, education providers, housing services, carers, providers, and partner agencies.
• Communication Skills: Excellent leadership, communication, report-writing, analytical, negotiation, and decision-making skills.
• Professional Practice: Commitment to strengths-based, person-centred practice, continuous professional development, and improving outcomes for adults and young people.