Advanced Practitioner - Assessment

Position: Advanced Practitioner
Team: Assessment (Duty Service)
Contract: Locum, 3 Months +
Hours: 37 hours per week
Pay Rate: £40 per hour
Location: College Avenue, Wigan, WN1 1NJ
Working Pattern: Hybrid – office and remote working (Duty week in-office)

Contact: Emily Cooper – 07745200325 | ecooper@sheldon-phillips.com

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Sheldon Phillips are working with Wigan Council to recruit an Advanced Practitioner to join their Assessment (Duty) Service, based at College Avenue. This is an exciting opportunity to work within a well-structured and supportive environment where early intervention, strong partnership working and robust assessment practice are at the heart of what they do.

The Duty Service in Wigan consists of five Duty Teams and a Duty Academy. Each team includes a Team Manager, Advanced Practitioner, Senior Social Worker and six Social Workers. You will be on Duty one week in every five, ensuring a balanced and manageable workload.

Families who come into contact with the Duty Service require skilled assessment and intervention at the earliest stage of their journey. The teams work with a range of complexity, with cases transferring at key points such as the Initial Child Protection Conference, first CLA review, first PLO meeting, or third CIN meeting. The Duty Service does not hold cases long term — following the assessment and intervention period, families are stepped across to the most appropriate service for continued support.

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What You Can Expect:

• Fast-paced, varied caseload within a structured Duty rota (1 in 5 weeks)

• Collaborative, multi-agency working culture

• Excellent management support and opportunities for reflective supervision

• Hybrid working arrangements promoting flexibility and work-life balance

• Commitment to high-quality assessments and timely interventions

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Duties and Responsibilities:

• Undertake assessments, including Section 47 enquiries and initial visits

• Provide management oversight and support to Social Workers within the team

• Chair strategy discussions and contribute to safety planning

• Analyse and evaluate information to inform risk assessments and intervention plans

• Deliver robust, outcome-focused reports and recommendations

• Work closely with partner agencies to ensure effective safeguarding practice

• Contribute to service development and model best practice across the team

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Requirements:

• Social Work England registration

• Social Work qualification (DipSW, CQSW, or equivalent)

• Significant post-qualified experience within Duty & Assessment

• Strong safeguarding and risk assessment skills

• Excellent analytical, communication and mentoring skills

• A proactive, reflective and child-centred approach

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This is a fantastic opportunity for an experienced practitioner looking to develop their leadership skills within a dynamic, supportive environment.

Contact: Emily Cooper – 07745200325 | ecooper@sheldon-phillips.com