Locum Child Protection Senior Practitioner
Stafford, Staffordshire
Senior Practitioner – Children’s Services (Staffordshire County Council)
Job Overview
We are recruiting an experienced **Senior Practitioner (Qualified Social Worker)** to join **Staffordshire County Council’s Children’s Services team**. This role combines complex case management with professional leadership, providing guidance, supervision, and mentoring to colleagues while ensuring children and families receive the highest quality support.
As a Senior Practitioner, you will act as a role model, leading by example in safeguarding practice, supporting staff development, and contributing to service improvement.
Key Responsibilities
Manage complex child protection and safeguarding cases in line with statutory frameworks.
Provide supervision, mentoring, and reflective practice support to social workers and support staff.
Undertake detailed assessments of children and families to inform care planning and decision-making.
Develop, implement, and review tailored care and protection plans.
Prepare and present clear, evidence-based reports for court, child protection conferences, and statutory reviews.
Chair and contribute to multi-agency meetings to ensure effective and coordinated interventions.
Build positive and trusting relationships with children, families, and carers to achieve sustainable outcomes.
Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential records in line with legislation and council policies.
Contribute to audits, service development, and continuous quality improvement within Children’s Services.
About You
You are a confident and resilient social worker with extensive experience in children’s services. You can manage complex safeguarding cases while providing professional leadership and mentoring to colleagues.
Requirements
Qualified Social Worker (QSW) with registration to **Social Work England**.
Significant post-qualification experience in Children’s Services, including safeguarding and court work.
Strong knowledge of child protection legislation, statutory frameworks, and best practice.
Experience of supervising, mentoring, or supporting social work colleagues.
Excellent assessment, communication, and report-writing skills.
Ability to balance leadership responsibilities with a complex caseload.
Contract & Salary
Employer: **Staffordshire County Council**
Service: Children’s Services
Contract type: Full-time, locum/temporary contract via Tripod Partners
Salary: Competitive, dependent on experience
How to Apply
If you are an experienced Qualified Social Worker looking to take on a senior role within Staffordshire County Council’s Children’s Services team, we would like to hear from you. Please **apply using the form on the page**.