Senior Practitioner

Job responsibilities

For Service Users:

To work with children, young people and their families, on a one to one or group basis, using a variety of interventions, to identify needs and to achieve positive outcomes. The jobholder is likely to be dealing with the most complex of cases/situations.

To work in partnership with parents/carers to empower them and to enable them to achieve better outcomes for their children.

To work co-operatively with other professionals in childrens services, health agencies and other community based services, to provide the most effective service for children young people and families.

To apply safeguarding and child protection procedures and to report as necessary.

For Advice and/or Service Development/Leadership:

To advise on and/or lead practice( in area of specialism)

To develop and evaluate practice or aspects of the service

For Resources:

To be responsible for any equipment/resources linked to service delivery.

To be responsible for case recording, report writing (to include reports for external agencies, e.g. courts, and complex management reports) and producing and keeping management information.

To be responsible for the requisition of resources needed by staff managed

For People (Staff, Students, Volunteers):

Supervision* of staff, students or volunteers may be expected *allocating work, day to day supervision and support

For Health and Safety :

To promote, monitor and maintain health safety and security in the working environment

This Job Description and Person Specification reflect the duties of the post as they exist at this time and may be subject to changed based on the needs of the Department Programme. The post-holder may be required to undertake other duties commensurate with the salary and competence requirements of this post from time to time as required. Pre-employment checks will be required for the role.

Experience

Essential

• - Direct work with children, young people and families.
• - Applying safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures and
• promoting the welfare of children.
• - Working with other professionals and of challenging professional
• judgements as appropriate.
• - Staff supervision.

Qualifications

Essential

• Holds a professional qualification recognised by a regulatory body such as the Nursing, Midwifery Council, Social Work England

Experience

Essential

• Has two years post qualification experience in a relevant field

Desirable

• Substantial experience with children and young people, preferably within a mental health context

Skills/Abilities

Essential

• - Able to listen to and communicate effectively with children and young
• people.
• - Able to work as part of a team.
• - Able to lead practice or an aspect of the service.
• - Able to supervise work of others.
• - Able to accurately and clearly record case notes deploying the
• necessary standard of writing and IT skills.
• - Able to write complex reports and produce other management
• information which may be used for external purposes.
• - Able to analyse and resolve problems occurring in relation to service
• users and or staff supervised, and able to apply innovative solutions
• where no precedents exist.
• - Able to apply Barnardos safeguarding and child protection procedures and to report as necessary.

Education/Knowledge

Essential

• - Qualification mandatory for practice, where applicable.
• (NB: For staff having sole and direct access to children, young people and vulnerable adults, there is likely to be a future requirement for an NVQ3 level qualification.)
• - Awareness of factors impacting on and issues facing vulnerable children
• and young people and families (e.g. disadvantage, poverty, disability).
• - Knowledge of child/young people development.
• - Knowledge of safeguarding, child protection and promoting the welfare
• of children.
• - Knowledge of legislation relevant to service aims.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).