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- Tasks: Support children and families during out-of-hours, making impactful decisions in urgent situations.
- Company: Leicestershire County Council, committed to diversity and community support.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, hybrid working, and extensive training opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while enjoying flexible working arrangements.
- Qualifications: Qualified Social Worker with child protection experience and strong communication skills.
- Other info: Join a supportive team focused on continuous improvement and professional development.
The predicted salary is between 37800 - 42600 £ per year.
Organisation: Leicestershire County Council
Work Location: Wigston Police Station LE18 1WX during weekends and home during weekdays
Worker Category: Hybrid Worker
Salary: £43,860 - £47,829 per annum (pro-rata for part-time) Plus a 20% market premium on unsociable hours.
Working Hours: 37 Hours (12:00am until 8:30am Monday to Thursday and 12:30am-8:30am on Friday)
Contract Type: Permanent
Closing Date: 5th February 2026
Interview Date(s): 12th February 2026
About the Role
This is a hybrid role and there is some scope to work flexibly which is balanced with meeting the service needs and demands. This role will cover the hours between 12:00am until 8:30am Monday to Thursday and 12:30am-8:30am on Friday. This post is subject to a 20% market premium on unsociable hours. This shift pattern could also adapt/change in the future to meet service need.
You will have extensive experience of working with children and families ideally across a breadth of social work. It is essential you have substantial child protection experience. Due to the nature of the role, the post holder will have the ability to work autonomously and be confident making decisions with minimal support when responding to urgent calls and enquiries. This role also involves triaging referrals and making timely decisions.
In Leicestershire we have a fantastic package to provide our workers. This includes the option as a full-time worker to do hybrid working, celebrating diversity with a range of events throughout the year, recognition of our staff in annual Pride in Practice events, fantastic learning and training opportunities – enabling our staff to develop and progress within their roles and committed wellbeing support.
We are proud of our continuous improvement plan – 'Achieving Excellence through Purposeful Practice' which sets out our key values, behaviours and ambitions. We have embedded the Signs of Safety approach throughout our services and this approach mirrors our values of Aspiration, Being Curious and Collaboration. We are focused on working with families and the networks of family, friends and professionals around children, to work in collaboration to achieve shared goals.
We are committed to our vision of becoming a trauma informed responsive department where we believe we are "stronger together". Our culture is one of partnership, where we look for solutions and recognise the potential impact of trauma on the children and families we work with and on our staff. We will strive to create a safe, compassionate, healing environment demonstrated through relationships based on trust, respect, hope and empathy. We will achieve this through a spirit of curiosity, by nurturing connections through relationships, making a deliberate effort to know and understand people, and by providing hope for growth and recovery. We support and empower our staff to be the best that they can be. We will give you the support and resources that you need to work in collaboration with children and families.
A DBS enhanced check for a regulated activity and police vetting is required for this post.
About You
To apply for this post, you must:
- Be a qualified Social Worker holding a Social Work degree or equivalent, e.g., CQSW, DipSW (with specialism in children’s services) and be registered with Social Work England, hold a valid driving licence and access to a vehicle.
- Extensive knowledge, experience and application of social work legislation, methodologies, social care policies, guidance, procedures and case reviews. This includes demonstrating your experiences with regards to relevant policies and procedures applicable to an out of hours team, including S20/S46 and PACE.
- Demonstrate the ability and experience of supporting with the service performance and the learning and development of the team and individuals as well as a commitment to your continuous professional development.
- You must also understand, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion and demonstrate this in your practice with Children, Young People, Families and your peers.
- Understand and demonstrate experience of the importance of multi-agency working and the differing roles, responsibilities, remit and functions of other parts of the wider service and agencies.
- The ability to communicate clearly and accurately, both orally and in writing, with a wide range of people, including representatives from other agencies and court, completing reports and assessments to a high standard, thus being a model of good practice.
- Proven ability to work creatively to manage family breakdowns and children and families in crisis, experience of managing complex cases and the ability to recognise when cases need to be actioned Out of Hours.
- You must also have an understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusion.
In addition, we also expect you to share our commitment to our values and will ask you to evidence when you have demonstrated them as part of the selection process. Reasonable adjustments will be considered for applicants with a disability.
Interested in Flexible Working?
We are keen to support employees to balance their working life with other commitments. Therefore, wherever possible, we will consider working arrangements that suit an individual's personal circumstances whilst still meeting the needs of the Council. If you would like to discuss the possible flexible working options that might be applicable to this role, please contact the person named below.
This may include requests for term-time working, part-time hours, compressed hours, flexible start and finish times, home/remote working, etc. Every role within the Council has a defined working style which determines where they can work. The worker category applicable to this post is detailed in the above advert.
For more information or an informal discussion, please contact: Telephone: 0163055029
How to Apply
Leicestershire County Council is an inclusive organisation which is on a journey to embed and celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion at every level. We warmly welcome and encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, as having a diverse workforce with different perspectives and ideas is fundamental to our values and enriches the services we offer our communities. We particularly welcome applicants from Ethnically Diverse and LGBTQ Plus communities and people with disabilities to create a balanced workforce and one that reflects the communities we serve.
Applicants with a disability who meet the criteria listed in the 'About You' section above will be offered an interview under the Disability Confident Employer Scheme. To apply for this job, please click on the apply button. You will need to upload a supporting statement as part of your application which explains how you meet the criteria listed in the 'About You' section above.
For more information, see the How to Apply section on our career site. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, if you are interested, please submit your application as early as possible.
If you have any technical issues when trying to apply for this post or you want to request an application pack in an alternative format, please contact our Employee Service Centre by telephoning 0300 3030222 (select option 2) or raising a ticket via our online portal: https://emss.org.uk/support.
Our aim is to work with communities and partners to deliver public services that make Leicestershire the best possible place to live and work for everyone. Our employees play a key role in supporting this goal and helping us deliver the vital services we provide to the people of Leicestershire.
Senior Practitioner - Out Of Hours Team employer: ESPO Trading Limited
Contact Detail:
ESPO Trading Limited Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Practitioner - Out Of Hours Team
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in social work, especially those who might have insights into the Out Of Hours Team. A friendly chat can sometimes lead to opportunities that aren’t even advertised.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by brushing up on your knowledge of child protection legislation and multi-agency working. We want you to showcase your expertise and how it aligns with our values during the interview.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your responses to common interview questions, especially those related to crisis management and decision-making. We know you’ve got the skills, so let’s make sure you communicate them clearly!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, you’ll find all the info you need about the role and our fantastic team culture there.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Practitioner - Out Of Hours Team
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Supporting Statement: Make sure to customise your supporting statement to highlight how your experience aligns with the specific criteria mentioned in the job description. We want to see how you fit into our values and how your skills can contribute to our team.
Showcase Your Experience: When detailing your experience, focus on your child protection background and any relevant social work legislation you've applied. We love seeing real examples of how you've made a difference in previous roles, so don’t hold back!
Be Clear and Concise: Clarity is key! Ensure your application is well-structured and easy to read. Use bullet points where necessary and avoid jargon. We appreciate straightforward communication, especially when it comes to complex cases.
Apply Early!: Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your application. We might close the vacancy early if we get enough applications, so get yours in as soon as possible through our website. We’re excited to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at ESPO Trading Limited
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your knowledge of social work legislation and methodologies, especially those relevant to out-of-hours teams. Be ready to discuss your experience with S20/S46 and PACE, as these will likely come up during the interview.
✨Showcase Your Experience
Prepare specific examples from your past roles that demonstrate your ability to manage complex cases and support families in crisis. Highlight instances where you've made timely decisions under pressure, as this is crucial for the role.
✨Emphasise Collaboration
Since this role involves multi-agency working, be prepared to talk about how you've successfully collaborated with other professionals in the past. Share examples that showcase your understanding of different roles and how you’ve worked together to achieve shared goals.
✨Align with Their Values
Familiarise yourself with Leicestershire County Council's values, particularly around equality, diversity, and inclusion. Be ready to provide examples of how you've demonstrated these values in your practice, as they are key to their culture and mission.
