Lead Child Protection Practitioner

Lead Child Protection Practitioner Overview

Join Gloucestershire County Council as a Lead Child Protection Practitioner and play a pivotal role in safeguarding children within the community. Following a positive Ofsted judgement, the council is committed to enhancing its services for children and families through the ambitious Families First Partnership Programme.

This position is part of the Multi-Agency Child Protection Teams, which include various professionals such as health leads, police officers, and social workers. Your leadership will be crucial in ensuring that children receive timely and effective support.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide decisive leadership and decision-making in critical child protection situations.
• Oversee complex child protection cases and provide practice leadership to colleagues.
• Facilitate strong partnerships with health, education, police, and other agencies to ensure timely support for children.
• Offer advice and consultation, chair child protection strategy meetings, and oversee section 47 inquiries.
• Lead initial and review child protection conferences, ensuring assessments and decisions are based on thorough analysis of risk and harm.
• Conduct multi-agency reflective supervision and promote practice development and quality assurance.
• Support children and families in understanding and contributing to their plans, fostering meaningful change.

Requirements

• Significant post-qualifying experience in child protection work.
• Ability to meet the national Lead Child Protection Practitioner Standards.
• Expert knowledge of child protection legislation, statutory guidance, and safeguarding practices.
• Proven ability to build effective relationships with children and families while focusing on safety and risk.
• Experience in complex analysis and decision-making in fast-paced environments.
• Capability to lead and influence professional networks regarding vulnerable children.
• Strong mentoring and coaching skills to develop social workers and other practitioners.
• Commitment to using evidence and reflective practice to enhance outcomes.
• Registration with Social Work England and a recognized qualification in Social Work.
• A full driving license and willingness to drive, along with enhanced DBS clearance.

Benefits

• Salary range of £54,143 – £56,293 per annum.
• Annual retention payment of £2,000.
• Welcome payment of £4,500.
• Relocation package of up to £8,000.
• Flexible and agile working arrangements, primarily office-based.
• 25.5 days of annual leave, increasing to 30.5 days after five years of service.
• Option to purchase an additional 10 days of leave annually.
• Family-friendly policies and benefits.
• Supportive work environment with regular supervision.
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) for confidential support.
• In-house Occupational Health services.
• Employee discount schemes and access to employee networks.
• Career development opportunities through the Social Work Academy.
• Cycle to Work scheme and Green Car Salary Sacrifice Scheme.

If you are passionate about child protection and meet the qualifications, we encourage you to apply for this rewarding opportunity. The closing date for applications is 13th October 2026, and interviews will be held during the week commencing 19th October 2026.

Degree Requirement: Not Specified

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