Adolescent Practitioner

Our Adolescent Service is built on the belief that relationships are the key vehicle for achieving change. The service is underpinned by 'Relational Practice' principles, an intentional way of working where establishing, attending to, and maintaining empathetic and honest interpersonal relationships are prioritised. In addition to children, families and partners, this includes our relationships and how we work with each other. Adopting a relational practice approach supports us to create systems that can be trauma-informed and respond appropriately to individuals' different needs and experiences. It supports everyone's ability to work restoratively to resolve conflict, repair harm and support change. As a Senior Practitioner you will be responsible for ensuring this ethos is present throughout all of our practice; providing guidance, support and challenge to our practitioner teams in the pursuit of consistent, thoughtful and empathetic work with children, families and our partners. As a Senior Practitioner in our Adolescents Service you will carry some additional responsibility for oversight and supervision of work in your area/team and will be required to deputise for the team manager on occasions. Typical work and tasks you will undertake in this role includes:

• Modelling effective engagement with children and family members, considering the whole family and significant environmental factors, to enable the families to achieve their goals and to demonstrate positive outcomes.
• Line management of Adolescent Practitioners supporting all aspects of supervision, performance & development, training, development and reflective practice.
• Supporting the Team Manager with case audits and all aspects of practice and development.
• Operating as the lead practitioner for a reduced caseload of families, maintaining positive contact and effectively managing the balance of providing hands-on support and coordinating relevant partners, as per a shared family plan.
• Ensuring that children & families are not 'passed around' different services and that support and relationships are consistent and meaningful.
• Ensuring casework is adequately recorded as per the team policy and procedures, including timely and accurate case notes, assessments and reports.
  
  Professional qualification in a child/youth or family related discipline e.g. social work, youth justice, youth work, teaching, probation; and / or a relevant degree
• Extensive experience and expertise of working with and supporting vulnerable young people and families/carers to meet their goals and positive outcomes.
• Experience of working with multi-agency partners
• Evidence of continuous training and personal development to increase skills and understanding of working with vulnerable young people and families/carers and the issues they face
• Experience of producing timely and accurate assessments and reports
Surrey has both urban and rural areas and you will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK, access to a vehicle and be willing to travel to your contractual base and across a wide geographical area. Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long-term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.

Surrey County Council is undergoing Local Government Reorganisation, moving from a two-tier system to new unitary councils in April 2027. Your role will transfer with current terms and conditions to one of these new councils, supporting local devolution and greater powers for our communities. Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents! Please see more information here: Information for applicants on Local Government Reorganisation - Surrey County Council Our Commitment

We have a great opportunity to join our Adolescent service as a Senior Adolescent Practitioner within the early intervention team based in Elmbridge. This role has a starting salary of £41,585 per annum, based on a 36 hour working week. We support hybrid working and come together in person for 2 days per week on average, while supporting working from home the rest of the time. This is a 6-month secondment opportunity. Please discuss with your Line Manager before submitting your application. Our Offer to You
• 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents