Children's Senior Practitioner - Children in Care
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About The Role
C&YPSenior Practitioner - Children in Care
Job Title: Children's Senior Practitioner - Children in Care
Salary: HC09 £40,777 -£45,091 (plus £5,000 market ratesupplement per year £45,777 - £50,091)
Welcomepayment: £10,000 (see attached guidance)
Contract: Permanent
Hours: 37
Location: Hereford
Relocationpackage of up to £10,000 available
Closing date: Monday 30 March
Introduction
Our Children in Care service is made up of three teams. Each Team comprises of a Team Manager, SeniorPractitioners, Social Workers, and Family Support Workers.
We are proud of our restorative approach to social work - away of working that is firmly embedded in our team culture and managementstyle. Collaboration and reflection are at the heart of how we practice: seniormanagers are always available for guidance and support, especially whennavigating complex cases.
Curious about what it's really like to be a Social Workerwith us?
Want to know what it really feels like to work with ourpassionate and dedicated Social Work teams? This short video gives you aglimpse into the heart of our service and shows why Herefordshire Council couldbe the perfect place for your next career move.
TheRole
Are youpassionate about improving outcomes for children and young people andsupporting them to reach their full potential? We are seeking a highly skilledand experienced SeniorPractitioner with 3 + years' experience to join our Children inCare Service.
In thispivotal role, you will provide leadership, guidance, and oversight to socialworkers supporting children and young people who are looked after. You willensure that assessments and interventions are robust, child-focused, anddelivered in a timely and effective manner. Your expertise will help ensurethat every child has a safe, stable, and nurturing environment in which tothrive.
You will workdirectly with children, young people, their families, and carers, buildingpositive, trusting relationships while providing professional oversight ofcomplex cases. You will lead on planning for children's care, permanence, andpreparation for independence, ensuring their emotional wellbeing, education,and future aspirations are supported.
As a SeniorPractitioner, you will act as a mentor and role model, providing guidance,supervision, and coaching to social workers and colleagues. You will championbest practice, contribute to service development, and support the team indelivering high-quality, consistent, and child-focused care.
Herefordshireis on a journey, and we would like you to be part of our next chapter. This isan exciting opportunity to have a genuine impact on the local authority andhelp improve the lives of children and young people across our communities.
To arrange an informal discussion, or ask any questionsabout the role, please contact
[email protected]
AboutYou
• Passionateabout improving outcomes for children and young peoplethrough high-quality safeguarding, robust assessments, and effective earlyintervention.
• Experiencedin managing complex cases, demonstrating strong analytical,planning, and decision-making skills to ensure each child's needs arethoroughly understood and effectively met.
• Committedto collaborative and restorative practice,working closely with families, carers, colleagues, and partner agencies toachieve sustainable, positive outcomes.
• Resilient,reflective, and professionally curious, with theconfidence to manage challenging situations and provide clear, evidence-basedguidance to teams and colleagues.
• Skilledmentor and role model, leading by example and supporting thedevelopment of colleagues through supervision, coaching, and embedding bestpractice across the service.
• Thrivesin a dynamic, fast-paced environment, activelycontributing to a culture of continuous learning, improvement, and highprofessional standards.
• Registered with Social WorkEngland and holding a recognised Social Work qualification (Degree in SocialWork, DipSW, or CQSW).
WeOffer
A competitive salary, holidayentitlement, and access to our contributory pension and staff benefits scheme,which includes:
• Salary range of £40,777 - £45,091 perannum
• Market rate supplement: £5,000 per annum
• Welcome Payment: £10,000 (see attachedguidance)
• Retention payment: £2,000 - £4,000depending on team.
• Relocation packages: support of up to£10,000
• Professional development: protected timeand budget to develop yourself and your career
• Enrolment in the Local Government Pension Scheme(LGPS)
• Career progression: clear pathways toprogress
• Annual Leave: 31 days' annual leave (prorata) plus bank holidays. You can also purchase an additional 10 days per annumduring the request period
• Flexible working: including the potentialfor job-sharing, part-time hours and agile working.
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7access to support and counselling
• Payment of professional membership fees(based on role requirements)
• Pick your perks - our benefits includeaccess to a range of retail, leisure, holiday and health benefits. Thisincludes savings, cash back and discounts.
WhyChoose Us?
Herefordshireis a beautiful, historic county on the Welsh border, one of England's mostrural and unspoilt areas, with vibrant market towns and a strong sense ofcommunity.
Ourpriority is clear: to keep children safe and give them the best start in life.We do this through passionate, dedicated professionals who build strongrelationships with children, families, and partners to make a lastingdifference.
It'san exciting time to join us. We're investing in our people and our relationalpracticeapproach, working alongside our improvementpartner, Leeds City Council. You'll be supported by experienced managers,continuous professional development, and a genuine team ethos that valuescollaboration and care.
Ifyou're committed to helping children and young people thrive, come and jointhe journey in Herefordshire - where your work truly matters.
HerefordshireCouncil Plan
The Council plan sets out how wewill make our contribution to achieving a better and more successfulHerefordshire, please see the link below to find out more:
HerefordshireCouncil Plan 2024-2028
ReasonableAdjustments
Our recruitment process runs inpartnership with Hoople Resourcing. If you require any reasonable adjustmentsor alternative methods for the online application process, please contact theresourcing team by email: [email protected].
If you're shortlisted forinterview and require any reasonable adjustments, our Children & Young People RecruitmentTeam will be happy to support you.
Creatingan inclusive workplace
We encourage our employees tofeel empowered and to use their voices to help embrace diversity, promoteinclusivity and shape our organisation. We have eight employee network groups,collectives of colleagues who often share identities, life experiences orcultures and offer support and community. They also play an important role instrengthening the voices of employees at Herefordshire Council. Embedded in theCouncil's values is a commitment to listen to people's views and needs.
For more information on ourEmployee Network Groups please view our dedicated recruitment website: www.spiritofherefordshire.com.
Commitments, Covenants and Statutory Obligations
The followingcandidates will be interviewed if they meet the essential criteria for the postthey are applying for:
• Those who indicate that they have adisability. This is part of our commitment to the "Disability Confident"scheme.
• Those who indicate in their application thatthey are an Armed Forces Veteran or Reservist. This is part of our pledge tosupport the Armed Forces Covenant.
• Those who indicate in their application thatthey are a Herefordshire care leaver. This is part of our commitment tosupporting young people leaving our care.
We take ourcommitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young peopleand vulnerable adults seriously and expect all of our staff, visitors andvolunteers to share in this commitment.
We are committed tosafeguarding and promoting the welfare of children & young people andvulnerable adults. If you are offered this position, it will be subject to aDisclosure and Barring Service enhanced check and further pre-employment checks.
How toapply
To apply for a position, please upload an up-to-date CV and complete theapplication form demonstrating your experience, skills and abilities for therole.
Be sure to include reference to the job description and personspecification or role profile! If you are successfully shortlisted, theC&YP Recruitment Team will contact you via email to arrange your interviewand/or assessment. They will confirm the date, time and location of yourinterview, so please keep an eye on your email inbox - check your spam/ junkfolder too.
Good luck, we're looking forward to meeting you!
Please note: the council is currently unable to offeroverseas visa sponsorship for Social Worker roles in Children & YoungPeople. Overseas prospective candidates that require sponsorship to work in theUK should not apply for these roles. We appreciate your interest inHerefordshire Council and would encourage you to consider other opportunitieswith us that may be open to sponsorship. A full list of current vacancies canbe found here: https://spiritofherefordshire.com/children-young-people/jobs/
About Us
The Council plan sets out how we will make our contribution to achieving a better and more successful Herefordshire, please see the link below to find out more:
Herefordshire Council Plan 2024-28