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- Tasks: Support young people and families in crisis, providing intensive, relationship-based interventions.
- Company: Join Surrey County Council's innovative Edge of Care service.
- Benefits: Generous salary, 26+ days holiday, pension, and wellbeing support.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for professional growth and development.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the lives of families and young people.
- Qualifications: Experience in supporting children and families, strong leadership and communication skills.
This full-time, permanent position has a starting salary of £41,585 per annum, based on a 36-hour working week. We are excited to be hiring Edge of Care Senior Adolescent Practitioners to join our fantastic Edge of Care service. This position operates on a shift basis, with some planned evening and weekend work. This is a county-wide service, where you can work from any of our Surrey offices. As a team, we come together every month at our Woodhatch office in Reigate.
Our Offer to You
- 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
- Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
- A generous local government salary related pension
- Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
- Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
- An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
- Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
- Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
Help families stay strong, connected and together. Join Surrey's Edge of Care service. At Surrey County Council, our Edge of Care service supports young people aged 11-18 and their families at times when home life feels at breaking point. Without the right support, many of these young people may be at risk of entering care - and that’s where our team steps in to make a real difference. We provide intensive, structured and highly personalised support, working alongside the wider professional network to help families:
- Build resilience and confidence in their ability to cope
- Develop problem solving skills
- Achieve and maintain positive behaviour change
- Strengthen relationships and reduce contextual safeguarding risks
What makes our approach unique is not just what we do, but how we do it. We work holistically with the whole family, offering targeted interventions that create lasting, meaningful change - not just another professional asking them to retell their story. We work with children and young people, and their families in a restorative and trauma informed way, using a compassionate, relationship-based approach to strengthen families and prevent care experiences. If you’re passionate about helping families achieve safety, stability and stronger futures, this is a place where your work will genuinely change lives.
About the Role
As an Edge of Care Senior Practitioner, you’ll play a crucial leadership focused role within Surrey's Adolescent Services, working at the heart of where support can make the biggest difference. You’ll help prevent children and young people from entering care by offering intensive, relationship-based support to them and their families at moments of crisis. You’ll also lead efforts to reunify children with their parents or strengthen existing foster placements, ensuring more young people can thrive within a safe and stable family setting. Blending hands-on therapeutic work with supervision and service development, this role offers the opportunity to shape practice, influence positive outcomes, and champion the voices of children and families.
Your key responsibilities as an Edge of Care Senior Practitioner will include:
- Providing intensive intervention and case management, holding a small caseload of complex, high-risk situations where children are at imminent risk of entering care.
- Delivering therapeutic and practical support within family homes to stabilise situations and strengthen relationships.
- Providing leadership and reflective supervision to Adolescent Support Workers, supporting their development and oversight of their practice.
- Acting as lead practitioner in a multidisciplinary team, coordinating support with partners such as health, education and police to ensure a holistic, tailored response.
- Supporting service development and quality assurance, including practice audits, group work with young people and families, and ensuring their voices shape service improvement.
- Contributing to crisis management, deputising for the Team Manager when required.
- Using restorative, systemic or strengths-based approaches to build trust, empower families, and support sustainable positive change.
We want you to thrive in this role, and as such you will be well supported from day one, with access to regular supervision, reflective supervision groups, and high-quality training.
Your Application
In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours:
- Substantial experience of supporting children and families in crisis
- In depth understanding of the issues impacting on the local community and adolescents
- A passion and strength-based approach to keep families together
- Strong leadership ability with excellent communication and collaboration skills
- High-level assessment abilities and restorative practice knowledge
Surrey has both urban and rural areas and practitioners will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK, access to a vehicle and be willing to travel across a wide geographical area. An enhanced DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children's and Adults' Barred List checks will be required for this role.
To apply, we request that you submit a CV and answer the following 4 questions:
- Please tell us about what motivates you to work with adolescents and families experiencing crisis.
- Why are you interested in joining Surrey's Edge of Care service in this Senior Practitioner role?
- Please describe a situation where you provided intensive or complex support to a young person or family during a time of crisis. What approaches did you use, and what was the outcome?
- Please tell us about a time when you provided leadership, guidance or reflective support to colleagues. How did you influence their practice or decision-making, and what difference did this make to the young person or family involved?
- Please describe an example of when you worked collaboratively with other professionals or agencies to create a joined-up plan for a young person or family. What challenges did you face, and how did you help secure positive outcomes?
The job advert closes at 23:59 on 29/05/2026 with in-person interviews planned for week commencing 08/06/2026. We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.
Local Government Reorganisation (LGR)
Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to two new unitary councils in April 2027. If you are employed by Surrey on 1st April 2027, your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of the new organisations, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities.
Our Commitment
We are a disability confident employer which means if you have shared a disability on your application form and have evidenced you meet the minimum criteria, we guarantee you an interview. Your skills and experience truly matter to us. From application to your first day, we’re committed to supporting you with any adjustments you need, we value inclusion and warmly welcome you to join and help build a workplace where everyone belongs.
Senior Adolescent Practitioner in Reigate employer: Surrey County Council
Contact Detail:
Surrey County Council Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Adolescent Practitioner in Reigate
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the field, attend relevant events, and connect with professionals on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions and scenarios related to adolescent care. Think about your past experiences and how they align with the role. The more you rehearse, the more confident you'll feel when it’s showtime!
✨Tip Number 3
Show your passion! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, let your enthusiasm for helping families shine through. Share stories that highlight your commitment to making a difference in young people's lives.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Adolescent Practitioner in Reigate
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion: When you're writing your application, let your passion for working with adolescents and families shine through. We want to see what motivates you to make a difference in their lives, so don’t hold back!
Be Specific: For the questions we’ve asked, give us specific examples from your experience. We’re looking for real stories that highlight your skills and how you've made an impact, so paint a clear picture of your past work.
Tailor Your Responses: Make sure your answers align with our values and the role's requirements. Use the job description as a guide to showcase how your experience fits perfectly with what we’re looking for in a Senior Adolescent Practitioner.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way to ensure it gets to us directly, and we can’t wait to read what you have to say.
How to prepare for a job interview at Surrey County Council
✨Know Your Stuff
Before the interview, dive deep into the Edge of Care service and understand its mission. Familiarise yourself with the challenges adolescents face and how the service supports families in crisis. This knowledge will help you answer questions confidently and show your genuine interest.
✨Showcase Your Experience
Prepare specific examples from your past work where you've supported young people or families in crisis. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses. This will demonstrate your hands-on experience and problem-solving skills effectively.
✨Emphasise Leadership Skills
As a Senior Practitioner, you'll need strong leadership abilities. Be ready to discuss times when you've guided colleagues or led a team. Highlight how your leadership positively impacted the outcomes for young people or families, showcasing your ability to influence and inspire.
✨Ask Thoughtful Questions
At the end of the interview, have a few insightful questions prepared. Ask about the team's approach to collaboration or how they measure success in their interventions. This shows you're not just interested in the role but also in contributing to the team's goals.