Senior Practitioner - Youth Justice Service (Prevention Team)

Liverpool City Council; Liverpool; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday allowance

Flexibility First / Agile working

Pension scheme

Learning and development opportunities

Health and wellbeing support

Cycle to Work scheme

Family friendly policies

Medicash

Job summary

Liverpool City Council is seeking a Senior Practitioner to lead and coordinate offence-focused strategies within the Youth Justice Service. The role requires supervision of staff and collaboration with managers to improve service delivery, while engaging with children and young people with safeguarding needs.

A driving licence and access to a car for citywide travel are essential. You will work within the community to reduce reoffending and support interventions during sentences, contributing to

Qualifications

• Extensive experience working directly with vulnerable children/young people in high-risk circumstances.
• Experience supervising and managing staff in a front-line setting.
• Experience delivering offence-focused strategies within Youth Justice or similar services.
• Must have a driving licence and access to a car for citywide travel.

Responsibilities

• Develop, deliver and coordinate offence-focused strategies within a Youth Justice Service.
• Directly supervise a number of staff and support team managers in service delivery and improvement.
• Work with children/young people with complex safeguarding requirements.
• Travel citywide as part of community-based engagement.

Skills

Staff supervision

Youth work with at-risk children

Community engagement

Car driver

Job description

Job title: Senior Practitioner

Liverpool is home to vibrant, energetic, and engaged communities, people who take real ownership of their local area and are passionate about making our city a better place. We’ve got ambitious targets to meet and we need people who are driven, dynamic and ready to deliver the very best for our communities. Public service is more important than ever, and this role represents a real opportunity to make a difference to our communities by transforming the way we work and placing our residents at the heart of everything we do. Working at Liverpool City Council provides an opportunity to contribute to your community and make a positive impact on the lives of residents. Our values shape how we work to deliver public services, and how we communicate with the residents we serve. We care about the best outcomes for local people, through our public services. We are proud of our world‑famous thriving city with its rich culture, as well as affordable housing, good schools, beautiful green spaces – there’s really something for everyone!

The Role:

As a Senior Practitioner you will have extensive experience of working directly with vulnerable children/young people in circumstances involving a high degree of risk as well as experience of managing and supervising staff. The service works with young people and their families who are subject to out of court diversions, community orders or custodial sentences. The role will involve the development, delivery and co‑ordination of offence‑focused strategies within a Youth Justice Service, aiming to reduce reoffending and support young people to engage in relevant interventions during their sentence to address harm and recognise the impact on victims. You will be expected to directly supervise a number of staff and to support team managers in the operational arrangements for the delivery and improvement of services, as well as working directly with children/young people with complex safeguarding requirements. As it is expected that you will be working within communities it is essential that you are a Car Driver & have access to appropriate transport to travel citywide.

Our offer to you:

• At least 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays rising to 32 after 5 years’ service (pro rata if part time) - option to purchase further days
• Agile working (role dependent) - a “Flexibility First” approach to agile working, where flexibility is the norm rather than the exception
• Part of the Local Government Pension Scheme – option to join the AVC Scheme
• Progression - opportunities and training through a wide range of high quality learning
• Health and Wellbeing - offer including Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to Work and Travel Pass Schemes Drive Time – a salary sacrifice car lease scheme
• Family friendly policies with enhanced leave Discounted Gym MembershipsEmployee Volunteering SchemeMedicash

Next steps:

Closing date: midnight on Friday 25 September 2026 Shortlisting date: w/c 28 September 2026 Interview date: w/c 9 October 2026 Interview type: face to face.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early. Once the role has closed, you will not be able to submit an application, and we are unable to reopen the vacancy for you to complete it. We strongly recommend submitting your application well in advance of the closing date to avoid disappointment.

If you would like any further information or an informal discussion, please contact Emma Rathbone at [e-mail] or Lea Taylor at [e-mail].

Watch our recruitment video and see what life is like working at Liverpool City Council.

Liverpool City Council is committed to fostering a workforce representative of the communities we serve. As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we believe in appointing candidates based on their skills, experience, qualifications, and abilities. To support this commitment, we guarantee an interview to candidates from under‑representable groups who meet the minimum essential criteria for the role. If you require any reasonable adjustments in line with the Equality Act 2010, such as an application form in a different format or additional time to complete your application, please contact us at [e-mail].

Although we advertise on Jobs Go Public, and other websites, your application process will be directed to our Tribepad system. Please note that all communication regarding your application for this post will be sent to the email address that you have registered on Tribepad, including your invite to interview if you are shortlisted. Please check your emails regularly, including Spam/Junk, after the closing dates for notifications. Please ensure you complete your full profile, work and education history in Tribepad.

Eligibility to work in the UK will be verified in the final stages of the selection process. All candidates must either already have a right to work in the UK before commencing employment or meet the Home Office criteria for Visa sponsorship. Candidates who require sponsorship should evaluate the Home Office eligibility criteria for a Skilled Worker visa before applying.