Senior Practitioner (Secure Accomodation) in West Bridgford

The Children and Families Department takes a strengths-based approach to working with each other, children, young people and families, and our partner agencies. We call this 'Our Nottinghamshire Approach'.

Join us as a Senior Practitioner at Clayfields House, where you can make a real difference in the lives of vulnerable young people. Clayfields House, a Local Authority Secure Children’s Home run by Nottinghamshire County Council, is looking for a compassionate, motivated, and resilient Senior Practitioner to join our dedicated team. This is a demanding yet highly rewarding role where your care, leadership, and creativity will directly support some of the most vulnerable young people in the country.

As a Senior Practitioner, you will play a key role in the day-to-day life of the home. You’ll lead and support a team, guide staff in delivering high-quality care, and help create an environment where young people feel safe, respected, and able to grow. Through your leadership, consistency, and encouragement, you will support young people to develop confidence, resilience, and essential life skills while inspiring your team to deliver the best possible outcomes. This is a fast-paced role, requiring resilience, strong decision-making skills and a commitment to making a lasting difference in the lives of young people.

As a Senior Practitioner, your role will include:

• Supporting the management of one of our living units, ensuring high-quality care and support for young people.
• Leading and guiding staff to deliver effective interventions and support.
• Case managing a number of young people, focusing on their individual needs.
• Driving a multi-agency approach to meet the needs of the young people in our care.
• Working on a shift basis, including senior sleep-in duties.

To be successful in this role, you will need:

• A minimum of 3 years’ experience working with challenging young people.
• A Diploma or NVQ Level 3 in Children, Young People and Families (CCYP) or an equivalent qualification.
• Strong leadership skills to support and guide staff effectively.
• The ability to manage cases and coordinate with various agencies to ensure comprehensive support for young people.

We are looking for individuals who demonstrate:

• Enthusiasm, passion and commitment to supporting young people in becoming the best version of themselves.
• Resilience and adaptability in challenging situations.
• Excellent communication skills to engage with young people and colleagues.
• Assertiveness and confidence in your approach to support.
• A collaborative approach to working with teams and external partners.
• Basic IT skills to manage records and reports effectively.

About Clayfields House: At Clayfields House, we provide secure care, education, and specialist interventions for up to 20 young people aged 10-18 with complex needs. These young people come to us due to youth justice issues or welfare concerns, often having faced difficult care histories and traumatic experiences. We believe that everyone can achieve positive change, and we need positive thinkers to help us create a ‘centre of excellence’ for those in our care.

Working Hours and Benefits: You’ll work to a three-week shift pattern, including evenings, weekends, and bank holidays. Opportunities for sleep-in duties are available. You will get paid an additional 0.33 an hour for every hour worked after 8pm during the week and an additional 0.5 an hour for weekend working. All contracted staff receive a Market Factor Supplement of £2,460 per year (full-time), pro rata for part-time roles.

As an employee of Nottinghamshire County Council, you will benefit from:

• Access to significant training, supervision, and development opportunities.
• A supportive and enthusiastic team environment.
• Generous annual leave entitlement above statutory requirements.
• Participation in the local government pension scheme with a 6.5% employer contribution.

Why Join Us? Working at Clayfields House is challenging- but it is also meaningful, purposeful, and deeply rewarding. You’ll be part of a service where teamwork matters, your voice is heard, and your work genuinely changes lives.

Nottinghamshire County Council strives to ensure that it goes beyond the requirements of the Equalities Act and prides itself on being accredited as a Disability Confident Leader Organisation. Under the Disability Confident scheme (formerly known as the Guaranteed Interview Scheme) we would like to ensure applicants with disabilities are offered an interview if they meet the minimum criteria for a job. Please let us know if this is something you would like to be considered for.

A job share scheme is available for all full-time posts: both permanent and temporary, unless otherwise stated. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and we expect all staff to share this commitment and undergo appropriate checks. Nottinghamshire County Council strongly encourages applications from all candidates from different walks of life, irrespective of gender, marital status, disability, race, religion, belief, pregnancy and maternity status, age or sexual orientation.