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- Tasks: Lead a social work duty team, managing safeguarding referrals and urgent placements.
- Company: Join Southwark’s All Age Disability and Learning Disability Service, dedicated to improving lives.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, home options, and a local government pension scheme.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the community while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Must be a qualified social worker with experience in managing staff and complex cases.
- Other info: Guaranteed interviews for specific groups; commitment to diversity and inclusion.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Job Description
The Role
Do you see yourself making a real difference in the lives of people with learning disabilities?
Can you lead and support a high-performing social work duty team with confidence and compassion?
If yes, we have the perfect role for you!
Our All Age Disability and Learning Disability Service is looking for a passionate and dedicated Duty Senior Practitioner to join our team and help improve outcomes for our diverse communities.
About the Role:
This is an exciting opportunity to lead and manage the integrated duty team within Southwark’s All Age Disability and Learning Disability Service.
You will provide daily oversight of duty work, including incoming safeguarding referrals, urgent placements, unallocated cases, and short-term interventions. You will supervise a small team of social workers and an assistant practitioner, ensuring that all incoming work is triaged, managed effectively and progressed in a timely, person-centred way.
You’ll play a key role in shaping a responsive, high-quality front-door service for adults and young people with learning disabilities and/or other disabilities.
About You:
We are looking for a committed and confident social work leader who brings a mix of frontline experience, professional judgement, and the ability to motivate others.
You will be:
- A qualified social worker, registered with Social Work England
- Experienced in managing or supervising staff within a social care setting
- Confident in triaging complex cases and overseeing safeguarding and urgent interventions
- Skilled in strength-based assessment, outcome-focused planning, and statutory decision-making
- A clear communicator, strong team player, and effective problem-solver
- Experienced in using data, performance information, and audit tools to drive improvement
- Capable of quality-assuring practice and leading service developments
- Committed to anti-discriminatory practice and continuous improvement
About the Team:
Our All Age Disability (0–25) and Learning Disability (25+) Service provides a seamless care pathway for children, young people and adults with learning disabilities and other disabilities.
The adult duty function plays a central role in the team — acting as the first point of contact for adults, coordinating initial responses, and ensuring cases are appropriately assessed, allocated and progressed.
We are a values-led, inclusive and supportive team, committed to professional development, reflective supervision and co-production with service users and carers.
We also work closely with colleagues across health, education and other council departments, offering a collaborative and multi-agency approach to improving lives.
For detailed qualifications and requirements, please review the job description and person specification located at the bottom of the advert.
Contact Information:
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Jack Bagnall at .uk.
Additional Information:
This post requires a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) DBS check at Enhanced level.
Benefits and more information:
In your role, we want you to feel supported, challenged and rewarded. You will benefit from our family-friendly policies including flexible working, home working, and a local government pension scheme, plus many other staff benefits. You will join a motivated, driven and supportive team that strives for excellence and values its members. You will also be part of a successful and high-achieving development team that is making a real difference to the lives of residents in the borough. For more information about the wide variety of benefits you can take advantage of please visit our Staff Benefits page.
Recruitment timetable
Advert close date: 11:59pm on 3rd August 2025
Shortlisting date/s: 5th August 2025
Interview date/s: 12th August 2025
The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Guaranteed Interview Scheme:
As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:
- Members of the Armed Forces and veterans
- Are currently in care, or have previously been in care
- If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition
We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together programme. We particularly welcome applications from members of the Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.
Attachments
- Duty Senior Practitioner June 2025.docx
Duty Senior Practitioner employer: Southwark Council
Contact Detail:
Southwark Council Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Duty Senior Practitioner
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the specific challenges faced by individuals with learning disabilities. Understanding their needs will help you demonstrate your commitment to improving outcomes during any discussions or interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with professionals in the social work field, especially those who have experience in managing duty teams. Engaging with them can provide insights into effective leadership strategies and current best practices.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your experience with triaging complex cases and overseeing safeguarding interventions. Be ready to share specific examples that highlight your problem-solving skills and ability to motivate a team.
✨Tip Number 4
Research the All Age Disability and Learning Disability Service in Southwark. Understanding their values and recent initiatives will allow you to align your responses with their goals and demonstrate your genuine interest in the role.
We think you need these skills to ace Duty Senior Practitioner
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Read the job description thoroughly to grasp the responsibilities and requirements of the Duty Senior Practitioner position. Highlight key skills such as leadership, triaging complex cases, and experience in social work.
Tailor Your CV: Customise your CV to reflect your relevant experience and qualifications. Emphasise your frontline social work experience, management skills, and any specific achievements that align with the role's requirements.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for making a difference in the lives of people with learning disabilities. Use specific examples from your past experiences to demonstrate your leadership abilities and commitment to anti-discriminatory practice.
Proofread Your Application: Before submitting, carefully proofread your application materials for any spelling or grammatical errors. A polished application reflects your attention to detail and professionalism, which are crucial in a senior practitioner role.
How to prepare for a job interview at Southwark Council
✨Show Your Passion for Social Work
Make sure to express your genuine passion for making a difference in the lives of people with learning disabilities. Share personal experiences or motivations that drive you to work in this field, as it will resonate well with the interviewers.
✨Demonstrate Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led and supported teams in previous roles. Highlight your ability to motivate others and manage complex cases, as this is crucial for the Duty Senior Practitioner position.
✨Be Ready to Discuss Safeguarding
Since safeguarding is a key aspect of the role, be prepared to discuss your experience with triaging complex cases and overseeing urgent interventions. Use specific examples to illustrate your approach and decision-making process.
✨Emphasise Collaborative Working
The role involves working closely with various departments and agencies. Be ready to talk about your experience in collaborative settings and how you’ve effectively communicated and partnered with others to improve outcomes for service users.
