Job Description:

About the Roles

Walsall Council is seeking two experienced Advanced Practitioners to join Children's Services. These are excellent opportunities for skilled practitioners who are passionate about delivering high-quality interventions, supporting vulnerable children and families, and mentoring less experienced social workers.

Working on a full-time basis, you will typically be based in the office 3 days per week, with 2 days working from home. Both positions offer a reduced caseload, allowing time to provide coaching, reflective practice, case oversight, and direct support to colleagues.

Neglect Advanced Practitioner

This role will focus on supporting families where neglect is a key concern, combining a small capped allocation with direct practice support to help strengthen outcomes for children.

Key responsibilities:

• Holding a reduced caseload of approximately 8 children.
• Working directly with children and families where neglect has been identified.
• Providing mentoring, guidance, and practical support to less experienced practitioners.
• Co-working complex cases and supporting effective interventions.
• Promoting best practice and improving outcomes for children and young people.
• Contributing to workforce development through coaching and reflective practice.

Child Protection Advanced Practitioner

This role will focus on working with families where children are subject to Child Protection Plans or where child protection concerns are emerging.

Key responsibilities:

• Holding a reduced caseload of approximately 8 children.
• Supporting practitioners managing complex child protection cases.
• Providing mentoring, guidance, co-working, and case oversight.
• Promoting confident, timely, and child-centred practice.
• Supporting effective assessment, planning, and risk management.
• Helping to strengthen practice standards across the service.

Both Advanced Practitioner positions carry a reduced caseload of approximately 8 children, with a strong emphasis on:

• Coaching and mentoring less experienced practitioners.
• Reflective practice and professional development.
• Direct practice support and co-working.
• Improving the quality and consistency of social work practice.
• Achieving positive outcomes for children and families.

Requirements

• Qualified Social Worker.
• Registered with Social Work England.
• Significant experience within Children's Social Care.
• Excellent knowledge of safeguarding, child protection, and statutory social work practice.
• Ability to mentor, support, and develop practitioners.
• Strong communication, leadership, and decision-making skills.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. A DBS may be eligible for this role, applicants are required to declare any cautions and convictions that are not protected under current filtering rules.

If you are an experienced Advanced Practitioner looking for an opportunity to combine frontline practice with mentoring and professional leadership, we would love to hear from you