Lead Child Protection Practitioner

Make a direct impact on safeguarding practice in a senior statutory role focused on complex child protection decisions, multi-agency leadership and better outcomes for children and families. Applicants must be Social Work England registered with frontline statutory child protection experience.

If youve also worked in the following roles, wed also like to hear from you: Child Protection Chair, Child Protection Conference Chair, Independent Reviewing Officer, Advanced Social Work Practitioner, Senior Social Worker, Practice Supervisor, Social Work Team Manager, Child Protection Social Worker

JOB TYPE: Full-Time, Fixed Term Contract Covering for secondment March 2028

JOB OVERVIEW

This is an opportunity to shape safeguarding practice in an integrated multi-agency setting. The Lead Child Protection Practitioner will combine statutory decision-making with relationship-based practice and a strong focus on childrens voices.

Working with Family Help Lead Practitioners and locality teams, the Lead Child Protection Practitioner will coordinate child protection activity and strengthen timely, evidence-based responses.

The Lead Child Protection Practitioner will provide practice leadership, reflective consultation and authoritative challenge across the partnership.

DUTIES

Your duties as the Lead Child Protection Practitioner include:

• Child Protection Conferences: Chair complex conferences in line with legislation and guidance, enabling meaningful participation by children and young people
• Multi-Agency Strategy Discussions: Lead discussions, document outcomes and plan and monitor Section 47 investigations across familial and extra-familial harm
• Statutory Decision-Making: Exercise local authority child protection decisions using multi-agency intelligence, professional expertise and contextual analysis
• Child and Family Participation: Promote childrens wishes and feelings and work with parents, carers, family networks and professionals
• Protection Planning and Records: Ensure plans are informed, current and effective, include family-led safety planning, and records are completed within required timescales
• Practice Leadership and Quality Assurance: Provide reflective consultation, guidance and challenge; scrutinise plans and contribute to audit and performance activity
• Inclusive and Contextual Safeguarding: Apply culturally competent, anti-discriminatory practice across exploitation, online risk and contextual safeguarding

CANDIDATE REQUIREMENTS

ESSENTIAL

• Current Social Work England registration
• Substantial frontline statutory child protection experience across enquiries, assessments, reviews, conferences, decision-making and supervision
• Experience communicating with children, young people, families and professionals, including involving them in meetings and decisions
• Experience chairing meetings sensitively, managing conflict and applying childcare legislation and child protection principles
• Strong analytical, planning and critical reflection skills for complex/high-risk cases, including supporting others to develop these skills
• Management-level experience including supervision, plus experience leading social work teams as a Team Manager or Practice Supervisor
• Ability to communicate with diverse audiences, write reports, analyse data and work effectively in a multidisciplinary environment
• Ability to quality assure frontline practice, manage relationships and apply child protection legal frameworks, guidance and research
• Ability to guide, challenge and influence others while maintaining professional boundaries
• ICT skills including Word, Outlook and case record management systems
• Ability to manage priorities, work under pressure, monitor performance and address issues
• Ability to undertake regular travel across North and South Derbyshire and work flexible hours as required

DESIRABLE

• Experience undertaking audits and quality assurance activities and communicating findings
• Driving licence
• Post-qualifying training, including advanced child protection practice or specialist child protection training

BENEFITS

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Occupational health and wellbeing services
• In-house counselling and physiotherapy support
• Cycle to work scheme
• Free parking at most sites

This role requires a DBS Check

JOB REF: AWDO-C15195

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