Lead Child Protection Practitioner

• Be a key member of the Multiagency Child Protection Team. 
• Chair strategy meetings and child protection conferences. 
• Oversee and make decisions regarding Section 47 enquiries. 
• Lead the oversight of multi-agency and single agency investigations (as required). 
• Attend daily S47 outcome meetings and weekly child protection line of sight meetings. 
• Chair Significant Extra Familiar Harm meetings and participate in Extra Familiar Risk and Harm Panels. 
• Work collaboratively with the Family Help Service and wider partners to ensure robust child protection responses. 
• Ensure families are supported to participate fully, including being offered Family Group Conferences. 
• Provide high quality professional advice, consultation and challenge to practitioners and partners. 
• Carry out preconference consultations with colleagues, partner and offer home visits to parents.  
• Carry out midway monitoring of children under Child Protection plans. 
• Quality assures the safety, effectiveness and impact of child protection plans. 
• Maintain accurate electronic records, contribute to audits, file reviews and service learning, and support workforce development through training and workshops. 
• Contribute to multiagency safeguarding improvements through the MACP Operational Board. 

• Substantial post qualifying experience in children’s social care, including assistant or team manager experience. 
• Significant expertise in child protection practice, risk assessment, multiagency working and statutory safeguarding frameworks. 
• Confident chairing skills and the ability to manage complex and challenging discussions. 
  Strong analytical, organisational and communication abilities. 
• A trauma-informed, reflective and strengths-based approach. 
• The ability to both support and constructively challenge colleagues and partners. 
• A commitment to our organisational values: Respect, Together, Accountability, Openness and Curiosity. 
•  You will be linked to a locality and be expected to be present in your locality office a minimum of 3 days a week and be able to meet the travel requirements of this role. You will require an Enhanced DBS check. 

• Puts children and families at the heart of everything we do. 
• Supports professional development, reflective practice and career progression. 
• Values diversity and is committed to being an inclusive employer. 
• Offers a comprehensive benefits package, flexible working arrangements and access to high quality training. 
• Is a proud Disability Confident Employer, offering an interview to all applicants with a disability who meet the essential criteria. 
• You will join supportive colleagues who are committed to improving safeguarding practice and outcomes for all Dorset’s children.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact the service manager, Giulia Pridmore at [email protected]

At Dorset Council, it's not just about the work we do, it's about how we do it. Hear directly from our employees about what makes Dorset Council special in this short video:

At Dorset Council, we are working together to create a fairer, more prosperous, and more sustainable Dorset for everyone, now and in the future.

We:

• provide essential services that support over 300,000 residents
• work in partnership to make a real difference
• value every role and the impact it has on our communities
• support our employees to grow, develop, and thrive

You will:

• be part of a team that works together for a better Dorset
• have access to a range of benefits and support
• receive training and development opportunities to help your career progress

We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive organisation where different skills, perspectives, and backgrounds strengthen both our council and the communities we serve.

We welcome applications from everyone and are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. If you declare a disability and meet the essential criteria for the role, we will offer you an interview. We also want our recruitment process to be accessible, if you need any reasonable adjustments, just let us know on your application.

This role is UK-based, and we will need to confirm your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications, so the job title in any attachments may differ from the advert. If needed, we will provide additional details in a context statement.

If you’re passionate about making a difference, we’d love you to join us.

Find out more about how to apply.