Child Protection Lead Practitioner (3 posts) in Newcastle upon Tyne

Lead Change. Shape Futures. Thrive in Newcastle.

Child Protection Lead Practitioner – Early Help & Children’s Social Care – Newcastle Children & Families

Are you a skilled, passionate and experienced Social Worker who wants to lead with purpose, work with integrity, and be part of a team that’s genuinely changing lives? If so, come and join us at this exciting time as we develop the Families First partnership, bringing services together to deliver earlier, more effective support for children and families.

Newcastle City Council is committed to supporting Early Help & Children’s Social Care and additional investment has created new and exciting opportunities. We’re not just a local authority—we’re a city with ambition, heart, and a bold vision for children. At Newcastle Early Help & Children’s Social Care, we’re building something special: a service rooted in relationships, restorative practice, and real impact.

We’ve been judged Good with Outstanding areas by Ofsted (May 2025)—but we’re not stopping there. We’re on a mission to become a UNICEF Child Friendly City, and we’re proud to be working towards becoming a Marmot City, tackling inequality and putting children at the centre of everything we do.

The vision for Newcastle is to have a robust integrated response for vulnerable children and their families who require support so they receive the services they need, when they need them – the right service at the right and first time.

The Role

We are recruiting to the exciting and brand new role of Child Protection Lead Practitioner. The Child Protection Lead Practitioner will be a qualified social worker with significant demonstrable knowledge and experience to act as a recognised expert in the field of child protection.

The role has been designed to be able to provide expert advice and consultation to practitioners across the multi‑agency partnership and support the allocated worker to continue to work effectively with families when significant harm has been identified. You will have responsibility for chairing meetings and Child Protection Conferences and overseeing Section 47 enquiries, children subject to Child Protection plans and children in pre proceedings.

You’ll bring leadership, insight, and compassion — helping shape a service that’s as ambitious as the city it serves.

Why Newcastle?

Newcastle is more than a place—it’s a community. A vibrant, multicultural city where creativity, kindness, and resilience run deep. From the Quayside to Jesmond Dene, from Ouseburn’s indie cafés to our world‑class universities, this is a city that welcomes you—and your ideas—with open arms.

We’re proud to be:

• A UNICEF Child Friendly City in progress
• A City of Sanctuary – a welcome place for those seeking refuge
• A city where staff are valued, supported, and heard

“Children benefit from committed social workers who know them well and recognise the importance of children needing a trusted adult in their lives.” — Ofsted, 2025

“The relational practice model is in evidence across the help and protection service… enabling social workers to undertake more complex direct work and interventions with children.” — Ofsted, 2025

“Practitioners… report feeling highly valued and well supported.” — Ofsted, 2025

What We Offer

• A dedicated 5‑day induction
• Generous annual leave + bank holidays (with the option to buy more)
• Flexible and hybrid working options
• A generous flexi‑time scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Defined benefit pension scheme
• Access to home electronics and vehicle leasing schemes
• Access to a vehicle is desirable but not essential.

Ready to Apply

We are committed to protecting and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expect all staff to share this commitment. This post is working in regulated activity. If you are successful we will undertake additional recruitment checks which will include a check to see if you have had any criminal convictions, a check of police information and we will check the barred list(s). It is a criminal offence for a barred individual to apply for a job in regulated activity.

Apply online at www.northeastjobs.org.uk, select ‘Apply Now’ and complete our online application form. Any communication sent to you regarding your application will be sent to the email address you have set up on your Northeast Jobs account, so you will need to ensure you check your inbox.

For an informal chat, please contact James Holdsworth, Acting Service Manager on 01912774700 or james.holdsworth@newcastle.gov.uk

Learn more: www.newcastle.gov.uk/csc/