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 casework with leadership responsibilities, providing guidance, mentoring, and supervision to colleagues while ensuring children and families receive the highest quality of support.
As a Senior Practitioner, you will act as a role model for best practice, leading by example in safeguarding, supporting staff development, and contributing to continuous improvement within Children’s Services.
Key Responsibilities
Manage complex safeguarding and child protection cases in line with statutory requirements.
Provide supervision, mentoring, and reflective practice support to social workers and support staff.
Undertake detailed assessments of children and families to inform decision-making and planning.
Develop, implement, and review individual care and protection plans.
Prepare and present high-quality, evidence-based reports for court, child protection conferences, and statutory reviews.
Chair and contribute to multi-agency meetings to ensure coordinated and effective interventions.
Build strong, positive relationships with children, families, and carers to achieve sustainable outcomes.
Maintain accurate, timely, and confidential case records in line with legislation and council policies.
Support audits, quality assurance, and continuous service development across Children’s Services.
About You
You are a confident and resilient social worker with substantial post-qualification experience in children’s services. You are skilled in managing complex safeguarding cases and in providing leadership and mentoring to colleagues.
Requirements
Qualified Social Worker (QSW) with registration to **Social Work England**.
Extensive post-qualification experience in Children’s Services, including safeguarding and child protection.
Strong knowledge of child protection legislation, statutory guidance, and best practice.
Proven experience in supervising, mentoring, or supporting colleagues.
Excellent communication, assessment, and report-writing skills.
Ability to manage a demanding caseload alongside leadership responsibilities.
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**.