Kent, South East England

38 - 42 GBP Per Hour

Children's Services

Contract

Reference 2716

Senior Practitioner – Adolescent Social Worker – Kent County Council

Rate: Up to £42 per hour
Location: Kent - Thanet
Contract: Locum
Working Pattern: Hybrid (3 days in-office)

Sheldon Phillips is seeking an experienced Senior Practitioner Social Worker to join the Adolescent Service in Kent County Council on a locum basis. This role offers the opportunity to work within a specialist service supporting young people facing complex safeguarding concerns such as exploitation, missing episodes, and contextual risks. A hybrid working model is in place, with 3 days per week in the office.

The Adolescent Service plays a pivotal role in ensuring vulnerable young people receive timely and effective interventions. This position is ideal for an experienced social worker looking to step into a senior role, providing practice leadership and case oversight in a fast-paced environment.

Key Responsibilities:

Hold a reduced caseload of complex adolescent safeguarding cases.
Provide practice support and mentoring to less experienced social workers.
Lead on risk management and care planning for young people at risk of exploitation.
Work closely with multi-agency partners, including education, health, and police, to deliver coordinated interventions.
Champion the voice of young people in all aspects of case planning and service delivery.

Requirements:

Qualified Social Worker with Social Work England registration.
Substantial experience in statutory children’s services, particularly adolescent or safeguarding teams.
Strong knowledge of contextual safeguarding and adolescent risk factors.
Excellent communication, leadership, and decision-making skills.
Enhanced DBS check and full right to work in the UK.