Senior practitioner
A senior practitioners will manage complex cases, provide quality assurance and support less experienced social workers.
Senior practitioners are also referred to as:
- advanced practitioners
- practice leads
- consultant social workers
- senior social workers
What you'll do
As a senior practitioner you'll:
- supervise less experienced social workers and practitioners to achieve positive outcomes for children and families
- lead on complex cases and chair key meetings such as case reviews and core group meetings
- collect and analyse information and present your findings at strategic meetings
- monitor and assess the quality of work carried out by social workers
- develop training and track the development of less experienced social workers
- help develop and implement relevant policies and procedures
- carry out case reviews and provide feedback to improve social workers' skills and practice
- work with multi-partner agencies to support children and families
- model good practice for less experienced social workers and support their well-being
Skills and knowledge
You'll need:
- a strong understanding of child and family social work principles, theories and practices
- communication skills to articulate and deliver your views to varied audiences
- the ability to manage a complex caseload and prioritise accordingly
- analytical skills to assess complex situations and come up with effective solutions
- the ability to build positive relationships with families and external partners
- to be committed to continuous professional development
How to become one
To become a senior practitioner you must:
- have completed a degree, apprenticeship or graduate training scheme in social work
- be registered with Social Work England
- ideally have at least 3 years' experience as a qualified child and family social worker
Career paths and progression
With experience you could:
- progress into a management role such as team manager or service manager
- study for a postgraduate MA in Advanced Professional Practice with a local authority
- become a practice educator and train and mentor students
- further specialise in specific areas of social work practice
- research or study for a PhD
Current opportunities
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