Locum Safeguarding Senior Practitioner

Senior Practitioner – Children’s Services

Brief Job Overview

 
We are recruiting an experienced and confident Senior Practitioner to join Children’s Services at the London Borough of Bexley. This is a locum position for an experienced social worker with at least three years’ post-qualified experience, ready to manage a complex caseload and provide mentoring and professional guidance to colleagues. You will work with children and families across a range of safeguarding and child protection contexts, helping to promote safety, stability, and long-term positive outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload of complex and high-need cases within a Child Protection context, using professional judgement and autonomy to achieve the best outcomes for children.
• Build strong, supportive, and respectful relationships with children and families to help ensure their voices are heard and reflected in planning and interventions.
• Undertake assessments, develop and review care plans, and deliver interventions that safeguard children and support family resilience.
• Provide mentoring, advice, and support to social workers within the team, including joint visits and professional shadowing where appropriate.
• Represent the local authority in court proceedings, providing clear, evidence-based analysis and recommendations.
• Work in line with the Signs of Safety practice model, assessing risks, identifying strengths, and exploring next steps collaboratively with families and professionals.
• Chair meetings such as Child in Need reviews, core groups, and care planning meetings, ensuring plans reflect children’s safety and wellbeing.
• Contribute to a culture of continuous learning through supervision, reflective practice, and feedback.
• Apply social work theories such as attachment theory, child development, and impact of trauma to inform practice and decision-making.
• Work with families experiencing complex challenges including mental ill health, disability, substance misuse, domestic abuse, and poverty.
• Collaborate with multi-agency professionals to ensure joined-up, holistic support for children and families.
• Ensure accurate and timely recording of all work, maintaining compliance with legislation, statutory guidance, and local policies.
• Provide interim management cover when required and contribute to service development and improvement initiatives.

About You

 
You are an experienced children’s social worker with strong assessment and communication skills, and a passion for improving outcomes for children and families. You are confident handling complex casework, skilled at relationship-building, and committed to mentoring others and sharing good practice. You work reflectively, embrace challenge, and bring a child-centred, strengths-based approach to your practice.

Requirements

• Qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England.
• Minimum of three years’ post-qualified experience within children’s social care.
• Proven experience managing complex Child Protection, CIN, and court-related cases.
• Knowledge and understanding of the Signs of Safety model (training can be provided).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present clearly in professional forums and court.
• Ability to apply relevant social work theories, research, and legislation in practice.
• Strong mentoring and leadership abilities, with a collaborative and supportive approach.
• Commitment to reflective supervision and professional development.

Contract & Salary

• Job Type: Locum
• Location: London Borough of Bexley
• Service Area: Children’s Services
• Contract Length: Ongoing
• Salary: Negotiable, dependent on experience
• Working Hours: Full-time
• Working Pattern: Hybrid / Office-based as required

How to Apply

 
If you are a committed and experienced Senior Practitioner looking to make a meaningful impact in children’s social care and support the development of others within your team, we’d love to hear from you.  
Please apply using the form on the page.