Senior Independence and Wellbeing Practitioner

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Job Description

• Suffolk County Council
• Address: Various - Hybrid
• Salary: £34,434 - £40,777 per annum (pro rata for part time)
• Hours: Various
• Contract: Permanent

Posts available:

Post 1: West Suffolk House, Bury St Edmunds, IP33 3YU, 37 hours per week, Permanent

Post 2: Riverside, Lowestoft, NR33 0EQ, 19 hours per week, Permanent

We're focused on making a meaningful difference to communities across Suffolk. How? By listening to our people learning from what they say and creating a culture of mutual respect, where everyone works together to achieve great things. As a Senior Independence and Wellbeing Practitioner, you'll be as keen to collaborate and build a bright future as we are. So, to make a positive impact, connect with us and connect with a fantastic career.

Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities

You will work directly with people receiving services to review their needs and their existing care and support plans, including the quality of any commissioned support. You will identify and deliver personalised, high-quality outcomes that maximise independence and wellbeing, while ensuring services are safe, effective, and economically sustainable.

Your role will include assessing eligibility under the Care Act 2014; arranging packages of care to meet eligible needs; and considering and assessing a person's capacity to make decisions under the Mental Capacity Act 2005. You will need a strong understanding of safeguarding policies and procedures.

You will review existing care and support services to ensure they continue to meet needs and comply with quality and assurance standards. You will also complete checklists under the Continuing Health Care Framework.

The role involves carrying out telephone assessments, home visits, and attending professional meetings. It does include lone working within the community. You will be supported through a comprehensive induction programme, including shadowing opportunities and a range of training and learning options.

You will:

• work as part of a social work team alongside colleagues from contracts and service development
• support effective integration between health and social care
• support strong partnership working with service providers
• ensure systems are joined up and accessible for all customers
• promote Suffolk County Council's vision, objectives, and priorities to customers, partners, and the public
• inspire others by role-modelling our organisational values
• promote a culture of value for money, outcome-focused practice, and continuous improvement

You will need to be

• approachable
• an effective communicator
• comfortable working in a busy, target-focused environment
• committed to learning

You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (Word). If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.

The team

This is an exciting time to join our Learning Disabilities and Autism Team within Adult and Community Services, where we are focused on improving outcomes and delivering high-quality support for people across Suffolk. We currently have two vacancies:

• West Learning Disabilities and Autism Team - West Suffolk House, Bury St Edmunds (37 hours per week)
• North Learning Disabilities and Autism Team - Riverside, Lowestoft (19 hours per week)

This is a great opportunity to develop your career in a specialist, complex, and rewarding area of practice, using your skills and experience to make a real difference.

We have invested in additional capacity across our Learning Disabilities and Autism Teams, introducing more qualified Social Worker roles and new Occupational Therapist opportunities. We have also brought operational delivery and service development closer together to support our transformation programme and create stronger, more effective ways of working.

You will be part of a supportive and knowledgeable team that is committed to developing best practice for Suffolk. Working closely with colleagues across Health and Social Care - including NSFT and CYP - you will help shape new pathways, build effective partnerships, and influence positive change.

Co-production sits at the heart of our approach, supported by a strong foundation of professional advice and practice development. You will work with our People at the Heart of Care strategy and the Signs of Safety and Wellbeing practice model to promote independence, self-support, short-term enablement, personalisation, and digital care.

Empowering Everyone

We're big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We're always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.

For more information

Post 1: Please contact Sara Eden for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling 01284741328 or emailing sara.eden@suffolk.gov.uk

Post 2: Please contact Andrew Mosur-Bavington for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling 01502 521475 or emailing Andrew.Mosur-Bavington@suffolk.gov.uk

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (JPP).

Step 2 - Click 'Apply Now' to start your online application.

Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template.

1. Please describe a time when you supported someone to maximise their independence and wellbeing. What approach did you take and what was the outcome?

2. Describe a situation where you needed to research information (e.g., services, medical conditions, equipment or resources) to support a decision or plan. How did you use this information to provide effective support?

3. Tell us about a time when you had to make a difficult decision with or for a customer. How did you approach the decision-making process and what factors did you consider?

4. Describe a time when you demonstrated resilience in a challenging or emotionally demanding situation. What helped you manage the pressure?

Step 4 - Upload a CV (without name and personal details).

Please note: Without a supporting statement and CV, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.

For guidance on completing your application, please see our How to Apply page.

We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences, so we encourage you to present your own work and ideas throughout the process. You can also read our Using AI in Your Application and Interview guidance to understand acceptable and unacceptable use of AI. If AI is used inappropriately, your application may not be progressed.

Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team at recruitment@suffolk.gov.uk or 03456 014412. You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages. If you're invited to the next stage, you'll have another chance to request adjustments.

Closing date: 11.30pm, 8 April 2026.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid

About Us

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We're driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.

In return, you'll enjoy:

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

Plus lots more!

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk).