Senior Practitioner

An exciting permanent opportunity has arisen within the Fostering Service for a Senior Practitioner to join the Kinship Assessment Team.

We are a dedicated and passionate social work team, led by senior leaders who are experienced in providing an assessment service that supports, advises and guides all prospective kinship carers. This strengthens our Trust commitment to the importance of children remaining with their families throughout their childhood and we help them achieve the most positive outcomes. The service delivers a robust, fast paced, thorough assessment service, encompassing viability, Form K Kinship Fostering and SGO assessments.

As a Senior Practitioner, you will be experienced in kinship assessments and court work and will support an experienced team of Senior Social Workers to drive the service forward. You will provide support and guidance to the Kinship Assessment Team and foster a culture of continuous learning and reflection of practice that inspires staff to give their best in their roles.

As part of an experienced and supportive team, you will introduce, embed and continually improve social work practice at team level and provide professional advice to staff and colleagues across the Trust regarding assessments of kinship carers. You will quality assure kinship assessments and support plans for children so that they are robust, evidence-based, progressed in a timely way, and are outcome focussed and effective in keeping children safe.

We have been rated as ‘Good’ by Ofsted, following a 2023 inspection. This is a fantastic achievement for Birmingham Children's Trust, with many positive highlights focusing on areas including the quality of staff leadership, partnership working, safeguarding and corporate parenting.

About you

Our Benefits

• You will receive a retention payment of up to £5,000 (terms and conditions apply).
• A generous annual leave package of 30 days annual leave, plus bank holidays, rising to 33 days after 5 years of service and 35 days after 10 years of service.
• Salary Sacrifice Car Scheme which gives you the chance to drive a brand-new car for an affordable fixed monthly amount as part of a salary sacrifice initiative. With no deposits or credit checks required a range of all-inclusive driving packages.
• Free on-site parking at our offices on One Avenue Road (Aston) and Lifford House (Stirchley). We also provide onsite electric car charging ports which are free to use!
• You will receive a generous local government career average pension scheme in line with the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Flexible and hybrid working policy - we are well adapted to a hybrid model of working which includes a combination of time spent in the office and at home and we offer a variety of working patterns.
• Continuous Service Recognition - Thank You employee badge when first joining the Trust. Plus, Years of Service badge awarded for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35+ years of service.
• Full access to our amazing internal employee benefits scheme including, Occupational Health services, Rewards Schemes, Benefits discounts (including the Blue Light Card), Health & Fitness and Personal Wellbeing support and much more!

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Natasha: [email protected]

Help us to change children and young people’s lives!

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to making a positive impact on the lives of over 10,000 children and young people in our city every day. Our mission is to support the most disadvantaged children and young people in Birmingham, ensuring they are safe, happy, and healthy.

Why Join Us?

• Impactful Work - be part of a team that makes a real difference in the lives of the city’s most vulnerable children.
• Supportive Environment - enjoy a supportive and collaborative work culture where your contributions are valued.
• Career Development - benefit from tailored development programs, supportive supervision, and a range of learning opportunities to enhance your skills and advance your career.
• Generous Benefits - take advantage of our competitive reward package including generous leave allowance, Local Government pension scheme, and additional benefits.

Our Values

We approach our work with care and compassion, actively listening to the needs of the children and young people we serve. We involve them in the decisions that affect their lives, ensuring their voices are heard and respected.

We are committed to using our resources wisely, ensuring that every penny is spent where it counts the most. We foster collaboration among schools, health professionals, and the police, working together to create a supportive network for our young people.

We believe that when we work as one cohesive team, the children and young people of Birmingham are more likely to thrive. Our unified approach ensures that we provide the best possible support and opportunities for their growth and development.

Join us and together, we can create a brighter future for all.

Safeguarding

At Birmingham Children’s Trust, we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.

Depending on the role, you may be asked to undergo the appropriate level of Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check to assess your suitability for working with children and young people.

The level of check (Standard, Enhanced, or Enhanced with Barred List) is determined based on the specific responsibilities of the role and the level of contact with children and young people.

We are committed to the fair treatment of all applicants, including those with criminal records. Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar an individual from working with us. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of the offence.