Children\'s Senior Practitioner - Children in Care in Hereford

Our Children in Care service is made up of three teams. Each Team comprises a Team Manager, Senior Practitioners, Social Workers, and Family Support Workers. We are proud of our restorative approach to social work, which is embedded in our team culture and management style. Collaboration and reflection are at the heart of how we practice: senior managers are available for guidance and support, especially when navigating complex cases.

Are you passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people and supporting them to reach their full potential? We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Practitioner with 3+ years' experience to join our Children in Care Service. In this pivotal role, you will provide leadership, guidance, and oversight to social workers supporting children and young people who are looked after. You will ensure that assessments and interventions are robust, child-focused, and delivered in a timely and effective manner. Your expertise will help ensure that every child has a safe, stable, and nurturing environment in which to thrive.

You will work directly with children, young people, their families, and carers, building positive, trusting relationships while providing professional oversight of complex cases. You will lead on planning for children's care, permanence, and preparation for independence, ensuring their emotional wellbeing, education, and future aspirations are supported.

As a Senior Practitioner, you will act as a mentor and role model, providing guidance, supervision, and coaching to social workers and colleagues. You will champion best practice, contribute to service development, and support the team in delivering high-quality, consistent, and child-focused care.

Herefordshire is on a journey, and we would like you to be part of our next chapter. This is an exciting opportunity to have a genuine impact on the local authority and help improve the lives of children and young people across our communities.

About You

• Passionate about improving outcomes for children and young people through high-quality safeguarding, robust assessments, and effective early intervention.
• Experienced in managing complex cases, demonstrating strong analytical, planning, and decision-making skills to ensure each child's needs are thoroughly understood and effectively met.
• Committed to collaborative and restorative practice, working closely with families, carers, colleagues, and partner agencies to achieve sustainable, positive outcomes.
• Resilient, reflective, and professionally curious, with the confidence to manage challenging situations and provide clear, evidence-based guidance to teams and colleagues.
• Skilled mentor and role model, leading by example and supporting the development of colleagues through supervision, coaching, and embedding best practice across the service.
• Thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment, actively contributing to a culture of continuous learning, improvement, and high professional standards.
• Registered with Social Work England and holding a recognised Social Work qualification (Degree in Social Work, DipSW, or CQSW).

We Offer

• A competitive salary, holiday entitlement, and access to our contributory pension and staff benefits scheme.
• Salary range: £40,777 - £45,091 per annum.
• Market rate supplement: £5,000 per annum.
• Welcome Payment: £10,000.
• Retention payment: £2,000 - £4,000 depending on team.
• Relocation packages: support of up to £10,000.
• Professional development: protected time and budget to develop yourself and your career.
• Enrolment in the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Career progression: clear pathways to progress.
• Annual Leave: 31 days' annual leave (pro rata) plus bank holidays; you can also purchase an additional 10 days per annum during the request period.
• Flexible working: including the potential for job-sharing, part-time hours and agile working.
• Employee Assistance Programme: 24/7 access to support and counselling.
• Payment of professional membership fees (based on role requirements).
• Access to a range of retail, leisure, holiday and health benefits with savings, cashback and discounts.

Why Choose Us?

Herefordshire is a beautiful, historic county on the Welsh border, with rural and unspoilt areas, vibrant market towns and a strong sense of community. Our priority is clear: to keep children safe and give them the best start in life. We do this through passionate, dedicated professionals who build strong relationships with children, families, and partners to make a lasting difference.

It's an exciting time to join us. We're investing in our people and our relational practice approach, working alongside our improvement partner, Leeds City Council. You'll be supported by experienced managers, continuous professional development, and a genuine team ethos that values collaboration and care.

If you're committed to helping children and young people thrive, come and join the journey in Herefordshire - where your work truly matters.

Creating an Inclusive Workplace

We encourage our employees to feel empowered and to use their voices to help embrace diversity, promote inclusivity and shape our organisation. We have eight employee network groups that provide support and community.

We take our commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults seriously and expect all of our staff, visitors and volunteers to share in this commitment.

How to apply: To apply for a position, please upload an up-to-date CV and complete the application form demonstrating your experience, skills and abilities for the role. Be sure to include reference to the job description and person specification or role profile.