Practice Development Advanced Practitioner

We are currently looking to recruit to a full time Social Work Qualified Practice Development Advanced Practitioner. This is an exciting new and varied role offering you the opportunity to make a difference to children and families by being part of our quality and assurance team.

If you’re looking for an opportunity where your skills and experience can make a significant difference to both your team members and children and families, and where there is an encouraged work life balance, then Rutland is the place for you.

Our latest Ofsted report recognizes that we are a ‘good’ provider (April 2024) and highlights: “Rutland has some exceptionally skilled practitioners, who are kind and compassionate. These practitioners, who have manageable workloads, spend time with children and families, and they build positive relationships with them. This is having a positive outcome for many children and their families. Most practitioners in Rutland are positive about the benefits of working in a small county. They feel very well supported by their managers, and they appreciate the learning and development opportunities afforded to them.”

About you…

• Qualified Social Worker and registered with Social Work England (SWE)
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and policies and procedures that underpin children’s social care
• Experience of taking part in or completing quality assurance work and audits to improve practice
• Knowledge of Signs of Safety Practice
• Experience of using different mediums to gather the views of children and young people and families
• Drive and enthusiasm for implementing best practice and supporting change to achieve the best outcomes for children and families.

About the role…

• Support the implementation of the Quality and Assurance Framework
• Support and deliver Practice Development Sessions to ensure best practice is shared across the workforce
• Work closely with the social work teams and with the wider children’s directorate to understand training needs
• Support the Practice Development Lead with the planning and co-ordination of the quality assurance framework and training plans in line with workforce development needs
• Undertake regular visits and/or communications with children and young people within the local authority, including those who are in, or have left care
• Provide updates/reports to appropriate performance meetings within Rutland and within LLR
• Work with partner agencies to raise the profile of quality and assurance processes to support wider partnership learning.

Please note the post holder will need to have a full driving licence to enable travel inside and outside of Rutland. This is a varied role that would suit an individual who has sound knowledge in childcare legislation, policies and procedures and wants to influence change and practice within an organisation that is agile to making changes.

The successful applicant for this post will be subject to an enhanced check by the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The costs for the DBS and your Social Work England registration are paid by us.

The Practice Development Lead Practitioner interviews will be held during week beginning 18 May 2026. Please be advised this could be subject to change, in which case we will give appropriate notice.

Our offer to you:

Rutland Council is committed to Flexible Working and understands the benefits of supporting employees to manage their work and life balance, whilst meeting the needs of the service. We are committed to supporting and empowering our staff to be the best workers that they can be and Rutland Council is the place you want to be. Our benefits go beyond the salary – being part of a great team, excellent Local Government Pension, generous annual leave, opportunities to learn and develop your career, and a demonstrable commitment to supporting the health and wellbeing of our staff.

Whilst the base for this post is Oakham, Rutland, the Local Authority offers a hybrid working practice. As well as working from home, we feel it is important that you have the opportunity to spend time in the workplace with your colleagues to help you learn, develop and engage.

How to apply:

Click on the apply button which will redirect you to the Jobs Go Public (JGP site) where we handle all of our vacancies. If you already have a JGP account you will be asked to login, or alternatively if you don’t have an account you will be guided through the set up process. Access to an account is necessary as all updates regarding your application will be sent via the JGP site to the email you have registered. Apply here.

Please be aware that in the event of a high volume of applications, we may close this vacancy before the advertised closing date so we encourage you to apply without delay. All recruitment correspondence, including interview details, will be sent out via email from the Jobs Go Public site. If you require documentation/correspondence in an alternative format, please contact the Recruitment team.

Rutland County Council is committed to Equality and Diversity and welcomes applications from all sections of the community. Everyone at Rutland County Council has a responsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of Children, Young People and Vulnerable Adults and for ensuring that they are protected from harm.