Advanced Practitioner - Fostering Kinship Team

Job Title: Advanced Practitioner – Fostering & Kinship - Drivers wanted
Service: Children’s Services
Reports To: Service Manager / Team Manager
Location: Southend on Sea
Contract: Full time - Perm - 37 hours per week
Salary: £46,142-£52,413 Per Annum

About the Role
We are working on behalf of Sounthend-on-Sea Borough Council and are seeking an experienced Advanced Practitioner to lead on complex and sensitive cases involving children, young people, and families. This senior practice role provides specialist advice, professional consultation, and high-level assessment to support strong decision-making and positive outcomes.
You will manage high-risk and complex casework, provide expert assessments for court, support service development, and guide colleagues through supervision and specialist input. This is an excellent opportunity for a highly skilled practitioner ready to take a lead role in quality practice and continuous improvement.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage cases of high sensitivity and complexity
• Provide specialist advice and professional consultation to colleagues
• Deliver efficient, cost-effective assessment, intervention, and therapeutic services
• Complete high-quality investigations, enquiries, and assessments
• Produce clear, evidence-based assessments and realistic action plans
• Ensure all casework complies with statutory duties and council policies
• Maintain high professional standards of recording and care planning
• Recommend needs-led assessments and interventions within strict criteria
• Prepare court reports and statements, including care plans for family, county, and high court proceedings
• Represent the team or department at meetings and working groups
• Act as duty worker when required
• Keep senior managers informed of workload pressures and risks
• Collate case data and statistics to support service planning
• Identify service improvements and contribute to continuous development

Specialist & Leadership Duties

• Complete parenting assessments, including PAMS assessments, for court
• Undertake Special Guardianship assessments
• Supervise and guide Children & Families Workers delivering:
  
  • Parenting programmes
  • Theraplay and therapeutic interventions
  • Contact supervision
  • Life story work and later life letters
• Support and develop preventative and evidence-based family support services
• Support key service projects and innovation initiatives
• Deputise for the Team or Service Manager when required, including oversight of contact services

Essential Requirements

• Qualified Social Worker with current professional registration
• Significant post-qualifying experience in children and families social work - 3 years
• Demonstrable experience managing complex and high-risk cases
• Strong assessment and analytical skills
• Experience preparing court reports and giving evidence
• Experience supervising or mentoring staff
• Excellent recording and report-writing ability
• Strong multi-agency partnership working skills
• Sound knowledge of legislation, safeguarding, and best practice
• High level of professional judgement and decision-making

Core Values & Standards You will be expected to:

• Champion equality, diversity, and anti-discriminatory practice
• Work in line with data protection and GDPR principles
• Contribute to service transformation and continuous improvement
• Model professional behaviours and collaborative working
• Support a culture of learning, accountability, and high performance

Additional Information

• This role requires an Enhanced DBS check with Children’s Barred List
• Duties may evolve in line with service needs and priorities

If you're looking for your next meaningful role and meet the requirements above, apply today! You can also send me your most recent CV to Nicola.mansfield@servicecare.org.uk or contact me directly to learn more on 01772 208964.