Senior Independence and Wellbeing Practitioner in Essex

At Suffolk County Council, every role is a chance to create positive change. We are a team of dedicated individuals working together to improve lives across our diverse communities. If you join us as a Senior Independence and Wellbeing Practitioner - Adaptations, you will have the unique opportunity to see the direct impact of your work on the people and places that make Suffolk special. Your contributions will help build a brighter future for all.

Your role and responsibilities

As a Senior Independence and Wellbeing Practitioner - Adaptations, you will join a dedicated team of Occupational Therapists and fellow practitioners, working to help adults across Suffolk live independently and enhance their wellbeing. You will be part of the Independent Living Suffolk team, collaborating closely with occupational therapy and social work teams, local councils, health professionals, private contractors, and voluntary organisations. Together, you will deliver major home adaptations that promote independence and support integrated health and social care.

Key responsibilities include:

• assessing customers' needs and designing tailored adaptations to achieve personalised, high-quality outcomes.
• communicating effectively with customers, families, advocates, and a wide range of professionals.
• responding to urgent situations with resilience and a positive attitude under pressure.
• making a real difference to the lives of Suffolk residents, supported by excellent supervision and guidance.

This role focuses on assessing functional ability and providing advice, equipment, assistive technology, and access to community resources, with a strong emphasis on major adaptations that enable independence and wellbeing at home.

You will need:

• excellent communication skills to engage confidently with customers, families, advocates, and professionals.
• a basic understanding of major adaptations and the Disabled Facilities Grant process, with a willingness to develop your knowledge and expertise further.
• creative thinking to design solutions that meet individual needs.
• ability to use – or willingness to learn – design software.
• resilience and a positive outlook when working under pressure and managing a complex caseload in a fast-paced service.

The team - Independent Living Suffolk

Join our specialist, supportive, and passionate Independent Living Suffolk team, where we work together to help people retain and regain independence so they can remain in their own homes. You will play a key role in assessing and arranging major adaptations such as stair lifts, ramps, and level-access showers. This is a collaborative, person-centred service that values every team member and offers opportunities to grow, develop, and make a real difference in people's lives.

Please note: This role requires travel between our bases:

• Beacon House, Ipswich (IP1 5PB)
• Sudbury Health Centre, Sudbury (CO10 2DZ)
• West Suffolk House, Bury St Edmunds (IP33 3YU)

We are big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We are always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation.

For more information, please contact John Clark for a casual conversation.

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (JPP).

Step 2 - Click 'Apply Now' to start your online application.

Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template.

• Can you describe a time when you carried out a complex assessment for an adaptation (minor or major) for a customer? What approach did you take to ensure a personalised and high-quality outcome?
• How have you developed specialist skills under the guidance of Social Workers or Occupational Therapists? Can you share an example of how you applied these skills in practice?
• Explain how you have promoted independence and wellbeing for people with disabilities or age-related conditions. What strategies did you use? Particularly focusing on how adaptations to a person's home can promote independence.
• How do you demonstrate Suffolk County Council's WE ASPIRE values in your everyday work?

Step 4 - Upload a CV (without name or personal details).

Please note: Without a supporting statement and CV, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.

We value authentic applications that showcase your genuine skills and experiences. Applications suspected of being generated by AI may be rejected. We encourage you to present your own work and ideas throughout the application process.

Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts.

In return, you will enjoy:

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website.