Role: Community Lead Practitioner
Salary: Grade G £33,142 - £36,363 a year
Location: The Light House, Derby
Hours: 16 hours a week
Closing Date: 01/08/2026
Contract Type: Permanent
This is an exciting opportunity to join Derby City Council's Community Short Breaks Team as a Community Lead Practitioner, helping children with disabilities access personalised support that promotes independence, inclusion and positive family outcomes.
As a Community Lead Practitioner, you will have the opportunity to make a lasting difference by working alongside families and partners to deliver flexible, high-quality Community Short Breaks.
Working within a supportive and forward‑thinking team, the Community Lead Practitioner plays an important role in coordinating Community Short Break support, including commissioned services and Community Short Break Grants. If you are passionate about improving outcomes for children and families and enjoy building positive relationships, you will find a rewarding career where your skills and commitment make a real difference every day.
Who We Are
Here at Derby City Council, we’re dedicated to delivering nearly 250 first‑class services to citizens and businesses in the heart of the Midlands. People are at the centre of all that we do, and we have an outstanding track record of recruiting and developing talented individuals by providing them with varied and fulfilling career opportunities. Find out more about what it’s like to work for us.
What We Offer
- Flexible work/life balance scheme
- Hybrid working
- Continued professional development opportunities & career conversations
- 27 days annual leave (rising to 32 days after 5 years' service), plus bank holidays
- Local Government Pension Scheme
- Team Derby Rewards – retail and leisure discounts
- Tusker Car Benefit Scheme
- Cycle2Work Scheme & free cycle training
- Employee Assistance Programme, Wellbeing Calendar and Support
- Access to our Equality Employee Networks – LGBTQ+, Disabled Employee Network & Carers and our Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic Employee Support Network and Neurodiversity Network
- Support for colleagues who are carers
The Opportunity
- Work alongside children with disabilities and their families to understand their needs, identify the outcomes they want to achieve and coordinate the most appropriate Community Short Break support.
- Coordinate referrals to commissioned Community Short Break providers, matching children with services that best meet their assessed needs and reviewing support to ensure it continues to deliver positive outcomes.
- Manage Community Short Break Grants by supporting families to use their funding in line with agreed outcomes, providing information and guidance, and reviewing the impact of the grant on the child and family.
- Build positive relationships with providers and partner organisations to ensure children receive safe, effective and high‑quality support.
- Monitor outcomes, maintain accurate records and contribute to the quality assurance and continuous improvement of the Community Short Breaks service.
About You
- A Level 3 qualification (or equivalent) in Health, Social Care, Education, Early Help or a related field.
- Experience of working within health, education, social care or a related service, supporting children, young people and families.
- Experience of providing information, advice and guidance and building positive relationships with families and partner organisations.
- A good understanding of the needs of children with disabilities, the impact of caring responsibilities on families, safeguarding responsibilities, equality, diversity and inclusion.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work collaboratively with children, families and a range of professionals.
- Strong organisational skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities, maintain accurate records and use IT systems effectively.
- The ability to analyse information, make sound decisions, solve problems and use your initiative to deliver high‑quality, person‑centred support.
- A flexible approach to working across community settings and a commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
Community Lead Practitioner employer: Derby City Council
Derby City Council is an excellent employer, offering a supportive work culture that values diversity and professional growth. As a Tractor Driver/Gardener, you will benefit from a generous annual leave package, a local government pension scheme, and access to exclusive discounts through Team Derby Rewards, making it a rewarding place to build your career in grounds maintenance.
