3 Month Contract With A Local Authority

The Senior Practitioner – Children Looked After provides advanced social work practice, leadership, and case management for children in care. The role involves managing complex cases, supporting less experienced social workers, and ensuring high-quality practice that safeguards and promotes the welfare of children and young people in care.

The post holder will work in line with statutory responsibilities, national guidance, and local authority policies relating to looked after children.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage a complex caseload of children and young people who are looked after by the local authority.
  

• Undertake statutory visits, assessments, and care planning in accordance with legislation such as the Children Act 1989 and Children Act 2004.
  

• Develop, review, and implement care plans, pathway plans, and permanency plans.
  

• Work to achieve stable placements and positive outcomes for children and young people.
  

• Assess and manage risks to ensure children’s safety and wellbeing.
  

• Contribute to safeguarding processes and multi-agency planning in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children guidance.
  

• Prepare reports and attend court proceedings when required.
  

• Provide practice guidance and mentoring to social workers, newly qualified staff, and students.
  

• Support the Team Manager in quality assurance and case audits.
  

• Lead on complex cases and professional decision-making.
  

• Work collaboratively with partners including:
  

  • health professionals
    

  • education services
    

  • foster carers and residential providers
    

  • police and youth justice services
    

• Contribute to Looked After Reviews chaired by Independent Reviewing Officers (IROs).
  

• Promote permanency options such as reunification, long-term fostering, special guardianship, or adoption.
  

• Work closely with adoption and permanence teams when required.
  

• Maintain accurate and timely case records on the local authority’s case management system.
  

• Prepare high-quality reports for statutory reviews, court, and panel meetings.
  

Requirements

• Degree in Social Work (BA/MA Social Work or equivalent)
  

• Registered with Social Work England
  

• Significant post-qualification experience in children’s social work.
  

• Experience working with Children Looked After and permanency planning.
  

• Experience managing complex safeguarding cases.
  

• Bi-Weekly Payments
  
• 37 Working Hours Per Week