Vacancies

Advanced Practitioner - Support and Safeguarding

About the role

2X Positions in Northampton and Kettering

“We have a cohesive team and a very supportive working environment, where everyone pitches in. I thoroughly enjoy my role in the support and safeguarding team, surrounded by excellent colleagues who are all there for each other. The opportunities for development and mentoring have been superb. I have always been encouraged to progress and learn.”

Yoko, Advanced Practitioner Support and Safeguarding Team

Our support and safeguarding teams are nurturing and supportive with their own unique identities. They cover a large diverse county with several offices across Northamptonshire including; Northampton, Daventry, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough.

These teams support children and young people who are subject to a Child Protection Plan, Child in Need plan and, if appropriate, court proceedings. This kind of social work often takes place over several months and involves regular visits with families.

Focussed on positive outcomes, they work in challenging yet supportive and collaborative ways.

Working alongside other professionals, the team help put together plans to reduce the risks and areas of unmet needs to help children/ young people to remain with their families when it is safe to do so.

Our friendly, supportive Safeguarding teams work in a creative and solution focussed way to keep children, young people and families together when it is safe to do so. The team are highly supportive and use a relational practice approach. Colleagues within the teams describe them as their ‘work family’. Managers within the teams are approachable and supportive.

What will you be doing?

The Advanced Practitioner will be confident in their analysis and decision making to deliver purposeful and effective social care, to achieve the best outcomes for children, young people and families. You will undertake work with children, young people and families that require you to have advanced social work expertise, maintaining a small caseload and jointly allocating cases with less experienced social workers.

You will supervise, support, advise, and mentor newly qualified and less experienced colleagues handling complex or high-risk cases. This includes authorising assessments, plans, and related documentation.

Your role will also involve guiding and mentoring social workers to ensure their adherence to legislation, statutory guidance, local policies, and best practices in safeguarding vulnerable children, supporting looked-after children, and planning for permanence.

About you

We are seeking to recruit an experienced, enthusiastic, and dedicated Advanced Practitioner who shares a passion in supporting the progression of others. The Advanced Practitioner role is ideal for a Social Worker looking to develop their skills and experience. You will receive support from the Team Manager with regular supervision, numerous training opportunities and a commitment to your on-going professional development.

The ideal candidate will be confident in their analysis and decision making to deliver purposeful and effective social care and have a strong desire to develop social work expertise to support NCT on its improvement journey.

You will be a qualified social worker, who has completed your ASYE, and have the commitment and passion to be at the forefront of delivering best practice and support to children and families. You will be able to manage a complex and diverse caseload to the required standards.

We welcome the opportunity to speak to any interested candidates so please feel free to email: Stacey Poe, Service Manager stacey.poe@nctrust.co.uk and they can agree a mutually agreeable time to call you.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore subject to an enhanced DBS certificate. It is also a regulated activity and will be subject to a Barred List check

Our benefits

We are committed to continuous improvement, building a skilled, knowledgeable, and flexible workforce alongside promoting innovation and creativity whilst keeping children, young people and families at the heart of all we do.

We really value our workforce and offer you a great benefits package including:

SWE Registration paid yearly (social care colleagues)
Recruitment Welcome Bonus of £6000
Relocation costs of up to £8,000
Retention bonus payments for established personnel
28 days annual leave, plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time) and an additional 5 days, after 5 years
Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.
Opportunity to purchase up to 25 days annual leave
Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
Flexible and family working arrangements including enhanced maternity benefits
A permanent, supportive and inclusive management team where you will be empowered to make good professional decisions
Extensive Learning & Development and career development opportunities
Subsidised town centre car parking scheme

About us

At Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, children, young people, and families are at the heart of all we do – in every decision we make and every action we take. Our mission is driven by the unwavering commitment to achieving the best outcomes for them.

Our workforce is our most valuable asset and are pivotal to making the services and support we offer to children, young people and families who need us to be the absolute best we can be.

We value our colleagues and empower them to be able to do the best job of their lives every single day, working in a culture of support and kindness where achievements are celebrated, and creativity is very much welcomed.

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