Senior Practitioner OOH

Role Responsibility

Want to take the next step in your career?

Part‑Time – 18.5 hours per week (Evenings/Overnights/Weekends)

The Kent and Medway Out of Hours Service has a dedicated permanent team responsible for supporting the arrival of unaccompanied asylum‑seeking children at the Port of Dover. 

Our service leads social work practice outside traditional office hours for some of the most vulnerable children arriving in Kent. As part of our ambition to develop a national centre of excellence in social work practice, we are seeking skilled and committed Senior Practitioner Social Workers to join us on this important and evolving journey.

This part‑time position offers a unique opportunity for experienced Senior Practitioners to join the Out of Hours KIU Team. The team is responsible for responding to children upon their arrival at Dover, undertaking assessments, and ensuring they are placed in suitable local authority accommodation. 

The role requires a resilient and adaptable workforce capable of managing both these responsibilities and urgent safeguarding matters that arise during Out of Hours periods when there are no new arrivals at the port.

The KIU team provides coverage from 9pm each weekday and continuous cover across weekends from Friday at 9pm to Monday at 6am. 

The post holder will work on a rota basis for 18.5 hours per week, covering late evenings, overnight shifts, and weekends. 

We are particularly interested in applicants who are able to commit to weekend shifts per week. However, this can be discussed further at the interview stage, and you are welcome to contact us in advance if you would like more information about the rota patterns.

We are committed to ensuring our Senior Practitioners have the resources and support they need to make a meaningful difference. In this role, you will have the opportunity to deepen your social work knowledge, enhance your skills, and strengthen your professional judgement. We are equally invested in supporting your progression; the complexity and breadth of work within the Out of Hours Service enables practitioners to apply theory, develop specialist expertise, and respond to diverse and challenging scenarios to achieve the best outcomes for children.

Working within the Out of Hours Service will also enable you to develop your management and leadership capabilities, including opportunities to act as duty senior. You will further develop key skills in assessment, direct work with children immediately following their arrival at the port, managing child protection concerns, chairing Strategy Meetings, working collaboratively with multi‑agency partners, and engaging with elements of adult social care, which also forms part of our service remit.

You will join a diverse, supportive, and committed team dedicated to delivering a high‑quality initial assessment service focused on safeguarding and protection. You will demonstrate resilience, flexibility, and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of children and circumstances. Above all, you will be motivated by a strong commitment to supporting unaccompanied asylum‑seeking children at a crucial point in their journey to safety and resettlement in the UK.

Kent County Council offers excellent training, development pathways, and a comprehensive range of employee benefits to support your wellbeing and ongoing professional growth.

Our Offer:

• We offer a comprehensive induction program, including at least five days of training each year. 
• The basic salary range is between £45,672 and £51,489 (pro-rata) subject to pending award 26-27.
• Annual leave entitlement of 30 days, increasing with continuous service, plus bank holidays and an additional statutory day added to your leave sheet (pro-rata).
• Additional benefits include a £3,000 welcome payment (pro-rata), up to £2,000 car allowance (subject to meeting the criteria), a £3,000 annual market premium (pro-rata), and a fixed Out of Hours market premium (pro-rata). 
• An excellent local government pension scheme, and numerous opportunities for career development.
• This role offers a unique chance to gain knowledge in specialised areas of social work and to expand your expertise in working with children seeking asylum.

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 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.

As this role is a customer-facing position, KCC 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. Additionally, this position requires the candidate to possess a valid driving licence and have access to a car.

Interviews to be held on Thursday 19th March 2026. 

Contact Details

For further information, please contact Ross Hymas via email (ross.hymas@kent.gov.uk) to arrange an informal discussion regarding this post. 

About the Company

Work that works for you and us - let's talk flexibility!

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, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

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