Senior Practitioner - Childrens Social Work Services

Role Responsibility

Are you looking to progress in your career and expand your social work practice in an Ofsted graded Outstanding Authority?

Are you considering a steppingstone to a Management role?

Are you passionate about supporting children and families, using your experiences and transferable skills?

Doing the best for the children of Kent depends on a team effort. We celebrate our Senior Practitioners who work hard to foster a culture of excellence and collaboration – a place where all social workers are empowered to be creative, share ideas and advice and a place where Senior Practitioners are supported and encouraged in their career goals and ambitions.

We are the right team, at the right time and in the right place.

Salary & Rewards

As Senior Practitioner in the Service you are entitled to a basic salary of £41,216 to £47,199 per annum. In addition, we can pay up to £5,000 annual market premiums payments subject to eligibility (noted below), and a one off £3,000 Golden Hello payment when you join the Service (Salary £46,216 – £52,199 including market premiums + £3,000 Golden Hello).

One off ‘Golden Hello’ payment of £3,000 for Qualified Experienced Social Workers with at least 2 years post qualifying experience relating to statutory children’s social work

PLUS

£3000 Annual Retention Market Premium Payment (following successful probationary period)

PLUS

£2,000 Car Market Premium (Applies to eligible staff who use their own car to carry out their duties) and paid business mileage

(Salary £46,216 – £52,199 including market premiums + £3,000 Golden Hello)

Annual leave entitlement: As an Experienced Social Worker you will be entitled to 28 days (increased to 30 days after 5 years’ service). Kent also gives their employees paid time off on or in respect of the yearly public holidays and also gives 1 additional concessionary day off in the year at Christmas time.

We offer an attractive benefits package and a commitment to ensuring that you achieve a healthy work life balance with flexible working arrangements and an emphasis on health and well-being.

You will also have a range of professional development opportunities including the exciting Social Care Academy and routes for progression.

The right team

SNTM is a front-line Service of 5 Children’s Social Work Teams, with 5 team managers, 28 Social Workers and Senior Practitioners and 5 Social Work Assistants. The Service is responsible for supporting families from initial referral, undertaking quality Child and Family Assessments and S47 Investigations to understand how best to help and support the children and families we work with. We work alongside families who require ongoing Child in Need and Child Protection support, and our Service sees through these plans either to Step Down to our Early Help Service, closure, or progression through PLO to initial Court Hearing. We welcome applications from experienced social workers, all of whom can demonstrate capability of practice in accordance with current professional standards, legislative and policy frameworks

Doing the best for the children of Kent is a team effort and we’ve worked hard to create a culture that fosters excellence and collaboration – a place where social workers are empowered to be creative, share ideas and advice. A place where social workers are supported by Team Managers, Social Work Assistants, Senior Practitioners and where Newly Qualified Social Workers are welcomed, supported, and encouraged.

The right team needs the right managers. And ours have a well-deserved reputation for being supportive and giving regular, quality supervision. There are also many credible expert practitioners to learn from and you will find them approachable and keen to help. Sharing knowledge is part of who we are. Together, our teams deliver strengthened services and improved outcomes for children.

In SNTM we encourage hybrid working – a mixture of office work and working from home, as we recognise the benefits this has on colleagues and their work-life balance, needs of the service and ability to maximise their organisational skills, to support the families on their caseloads. We have a number of offices in the local area, where staff can work from when out in the district and our main office for Duty week is bright, modern, spacious and has ample free parking on site.

The right time

There has never been a better time to join us. We have invested in every area of our service including the careers of outstanding people who share our commitment to improving young lives in Kent.

The right place

We are proud of our Ofsted rating of outstanding and we are continuing to develop excellent services and ensure ‘Children are at the centre of Kent County Council’s culture and practice’ (Ofsted 2022.) As one of the largest Children’s Social Work Service in the country, we offer a comprehensive learning and development framework in Kent. And because one size doesn’t fit all, we offer opportunities that can be tailored to individual, and team needs.

We can offer a wide variety of work that you’re unlikely to find elsewhere. Kent is a large and diverse county, offering a broad range of opportunities to support children and young people from all backgrounds and circumstances. You will be able to work across a range of locations and environments, and to be seconded to or move to other teams.

We place great importance on professional development that enables you to grow your skills and knowledge to manage a varied caseload. There will be new challenges and opportunities with case work and as part of the wider organisation, e.g., developing specialist links with partner agencies and representing Children’s Services in court.

Acting as a role model and mentor to less experienced colleagues, you will contribute to training initiatives and, proactively maintaining your awareness of changes in child development theories, legislation, policies, and practices, you will share your knowledge and uphold high standards of social work.

About you

The successful applicant will be supporting a team of Social Workers providing high quality social work in the service to Children in Need and Children subject to Child Protection plans.

Your role as a Senior Practitioner requires you to be an experienced Social Worker able to manage a caseload of complex cases involving assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation of appropriate actions. You are someone who ensures resources are utilised effectively to safeguard and promote the welfare of children and their families.

You will also be required to contribute to raising and maintaining standards of professional social work within a social work team, develop areas of specialist practice, offer expert advice to less experienced staff, and act as a Practice Assessor for students and ASYE. You will be well motivated to support and deputise for your Team Manager in order to sustain and improve our performance.

Above all, you’ll be focused on helping children and families to change their lives for the better. 

Professionally registered with a degree in social work – CQSW, DipSW or equivalent – you’ll have a variety of post-qualification experience of working with children and families. Your experience should cover systemic practice, and you will need an in-depth understanding of legislative and policy frameworks.

Along with a willingness to learn and develop as a practitioner, being a team player is essential in any social work team. You’ll build relationships with colleagues, as well as statutory, voluntary, and private sector agencies.

Transport

The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wide operational area including travelling around the county of Kent and beyond to transport children and their belongings and be available to do so in an emergency.

This role is subject to holding a Full UK Driving Licence – The Council is committed to making reasonable adjustments so whilst this job requires the jobholder to drive your application will still be considered if you are unable to drive due to a disability.

Eligibility

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure application to the Disclosure and Barring service and registration as a qualified Social Worker with Social Work England.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

Contact Details

For more information about the role, please contact Sarah Daisey at sarah.daisey@kent.gov.uk or telephone on 03000 417385.

About the Company

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds and faiths, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note – if you are interested, please apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.