Senior Practitioner Emergency Social Work Team (ESWT)

Overview

Are you an experienced Social Worker ready to take your next step into a leadership role? Our Emergency Social Work Team (ESWT) supports some of the most vulnerable children, young people, and families, responding with skill, compassion, and professionalism when they need it most.

As a Senior Practitioner, you’ll play a central role in ensuring high‑quality practice, supporting colleagues, and helping to deliver timely, safe, and effective interventions.

In addition to the salary advertised, you will receive a market premium of £2,750 per annum.

Take a look at our Children's Social Care Candidate Pack to learn more about working in Children's Services at Buckinghamshire Council.

About the role

In this key position, you’ll support the ESWT Manager in leading a multi‑disciplinary team, providing professional oversight, supervision, and guidance. You’ll be involved in complex case decision‑making, maintaining a small caseload, and contributing to the smooth operation of the team’s duty system.

You’ll also help shape excellent social work practice through reflective supervision, partnership working, and strong quality assurance. Building meaningful relationships with children and families is core to the role, ensuring their voices are heard and their safety and wellbeing underpin every decision.

Key responsibilities include:

• Providing day‑to‑day supervision and professional guidance to team members
• Deputising for the ESWT Manager when required
• Overseeing complex casework to ensure risks are identified, assessed, and managed effectively
• Chairing multi‑agency meetings and leading coordinated responses
• Holding a reduced caseload involving high‑risk or complex situations

About you

You’re an experienced, confident Social Worker with strong assessment and safeguarding skills, ready to support others and take a lead in a fast‑paced, high‑impact environment. You’ll bring professional curiosity, emotional resilience, and the ability to make sound decisions under pressure.

You’ll also be a strong communicator—someone who works collaboratively with colleagues, partners, children, and families, always keeping the child's best interests at the centre.

You’ll need:

• A recognised social work qualification and active SWE registration
• Substantial experience in Children’s Services or similar frontline settings
• Strong knowledge of relevant legislation and statutory responsibilities
• Experience chairing or leading multi‑agency meetings
• A full driving licence and access to a vehicle

Other information

If you would like to find out more about this role, please contact Alina Suditu at [email protected]

Closing date: Midnight on Sunday 10th May

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent convictions and conditional cautions
• All spent convictions and adult cautions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020 and 2023).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance and the guidance published by the Ministry of Justice (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

Our values

We have a set of values, which our employees have chosen, that represent what we are – Proud, Ambitious, Collaborative and Trustworthy.

By joining Buckinghamshire Council, you can expect:

• a fair and inclusive culture
• the chance to really make a difference to those around you
• health and well-being initiatives including an Employee Assistance Programme, Mental Health First Aiders and mindfulness workshops
• a unified voice through our Employee Representative Group
• ongoing support, and the opportunity to develop and progress in your career with us
• opportunities to take part in fun activities such as fundraising and social events

At Buckinghamshire Council, we know that our biggest strength comes from the people that work for us, and that’s why we’re working hard to ensure we continue to be an accessible and inclusive organisation.

From dedicated staff networks overseen by our Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Steering Group, to proudly standing as a Disability Confident employer, it’s important to us that all our colleagues feel engaged, listened to, and valued. Our offer of flexible working empowers a productive and happy workforce and allows employees to combine work with other responsibilities and commitments.

We believe our workforce should reflect the diverse communities we service in Buckinghamshire, and are looking for like-minded individuals to join us in promoting equality, fairness, and inclusion for everyone.

We recognise and reward you

Hard work and success deserves recognition. That’s why we pride ourselves on the benefits we give our people. We actively encourage a good work-life balance and promote flexible and agile working arrangements.

We provide discounts on various Cafés, restaurants and shops, a generous employer pension contribution in line with the Local Government Pension Scheme, discounts on gym memberships and more - https://jobs.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/working-buckinghamshire-council/

Social Workers are also entitled to a generous enhanced reward package, as follows:

• Competitive salary with a market increment
• Annual leave up to 30 days per year, as well as other types of leave and the opportunity to buy further leave
• Up to 15 days per year training, learning and development offer
• Free parking across all of our office sites

If you are interested in relocating to Buckinghamshire and working with us, relocation packages are also available.