Directorate - Children and Young People's Services

2 x Temporary 12 month fixed term contract, 37 hours per week, Full Time

Now is the time to come and work for Rotherham Council Children and Young People’s Service. For more information about Rotherham Social Care jobs, please visit: https://www.rotherham.gov.uk/childrens-social-work-jobs

ABOUT THE OPPORTUNITY

Our Children and Young People’s Service are currently recruiting an Advanced Practitioner, the “practice expert” in every child’s social care team.

Linking to the Principal Social Worker across the whole social care function, they play a key role in the development of other Social Workers and achieving the best possible practice standards for Rotherham children.

Developing learning solutions that enable specialisms in practice, designing and delivering bespoke packages of training; they will create a culture of learning and coaching that provides Social Workers with skills as trainers, mentors and coaches. 

Advanced Practitioners in Rotherham will:

• Have a reduced caseload
• offer mentoring and development work for other Social Workers, including carrying out observed practice, direct teaching and co-working
• embed Signs of Safety and Restorative Practice approaches in practice
• develop their own practice and skills in training, coaching and mentoring and use these in operational teams, working with between six or seven other Social Workers, under supervision of Team Managers
• lead (with peers) on the practice development agenda across the organisation, as a part of an Advanced Practitioner network led by Principal Social Worker

Key benefits of working at Rotherham Council’s Children and Young People’s service are:

• You will be joining an authority Ofsted rate as Good

• Manageable caseloads.
• Strong management support and oversight with approachable and supportive senior managers
• Regular reflective supervision
• Excellent professional learning & development opportunities – guaranteed 15 days per year, underpinned by the Rotherham Family Approach which incorporates ‘Signs of Safety’, ‘Restorative Approaches’, and ‘Social Pedagogy’ as our methodological approach and framework
• Bespoke Learning Academy to support practitioners
• Excellent social work case management and reporting systems making your job easier
• An accredited social work career pathway to Level 2, 3 and Advanced Practitioner positions and a proven record of ‘growing our own’ at all levels.
• A positive learning environment to enhance your social work career.
• Opportunity to talk to current staff via a virtual drop in to gain a greater insight
• Able to offer fixed term contracts to cover maternity leave should that suit your personal circumstances

Now is the time to come and work for Rotherham Council Children and Young People’s Service. Help us achieve our ambition to become outstanding in all that we do. We are committed to making sure that every child makes the best start in life, and we are striving to become a child-centered borough. Rotherham is a great place to live and work.

Our USP is the quality and extent of the 15-day training offer for Signs of Safety, using action research as the tool to embed the learning. We want excellent practitioners to help transform social work practice in Rotherham by generating a movement where excellent practice is the norm, resulting in consistently better outcomes for all our children. These are in accordance with our ambition to become a leading children’s services authority.

If you have any questions regarding these opportunities, please email them to one of our Service Managers:

Chris MacDonald - Chris.MacDonald@rotherham.gov.uk

Stephen Hart, Locality Social Work – Stephen.Hart@rotherham.gov.uk

Closing Date: 8th June 2025

Shortlisting: 9th June 2025

Interviews: 16th June 2025