Band 9: £44,075 - £47,181 per annum
Working Pattern: Full Time
Working Arrangement: Hybrid Working
Contract Type: Permanent
Interview Type: In Person
To support the attraction and retention of experienced social workers, Trafford Council offers a market factor supplement of £2,400 per annum (pro rata), paid monthly and reviewed annually.
At Trafford, we are ambitious for children, young people and families, and equally ambitious for the social workers who support them.
Following our recent Ofsted inspection, we are continuing to strengthen and improve services, building on our commitment to delivering high-quality, relationship-based practice and achieving the best possible outcomes for children and families. We know there is more to do, but we are clear about our priorities, investing in our workforce and committed to creating an environment where practitioners can thrive.
If you are an experienced social worker who wants to make a genuine difference whilst developing your career in a supportive and forward-thinking local authority, we would love to hear from you.
As a relatively small local authority, Trafford offers the opportunity to know your colleagues, influence change and see the impact of your work.
Our practitioners value:
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Supportive and approachable managers
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Reflective supervision and strong practice support
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Manageable workloads and effective oversight
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A collaborative and friendly team culture
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Flexible and hybrid working arrangements
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Opportunities for career progression and development
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The chance to contribute to service improvement and innovation
Our practice model is strengths-based, relational and restorative, placing children and families at the centre of everything we do. We want practitioners who are confident, compassionate and committed to delivering excellent social work practice.
As an Advanced Practitioner, you will support high-quality social work practice, helping colleagues assess risk, make effective decisions and achieve positive outcomes for children and families.
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Provide advice, guidance and challenge on complex cases
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Support assessment, planning and risk management
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Promote strengths-based and relational practice
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Coach and support social workers, students and other practitioners
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Contribute to supervision, practice learning and service improvement
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Build effective relationships with partners and communities
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Support managers in maintaining high standards of practice
You will model confident, child-centred practice and contribute to a culture of learning, reflection and continuous improvement.
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A Strong Induction: A comprehensive induction programme, including protected time to get to know your team, our systems and the wider service.
- High-Quality Supervision: Regular reflective supervision that supports your wellbeing, professional development and decision-making, alongside opportunities for peer learning.
- Manageable Workloads: Managers actively monitor workloads, considering complexity as well as numbers, with priorities regularly discussed through supervision and team support.
- Career Development: Opportunities to develop specialist expertise, contribute to service improvement work and prepare for future leadership roles.
- Flexible Working: Through our SMART Working approach, colleagues combine office, home and community-based working to achieve the best outcomes for children whilst maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
We are investing in our workforce because we know great social work happens when practitioners feel valued, supported and empowered.
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We are looking for Advanced Practitioners who:
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Are passionate about improving outcomes for children and families
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Can model high-quality social work practice
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Build effective and trusting relationships
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Demonstrate sound professional judgement and resilience
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Provide constructive challenge and support
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Embrace reflective practice and continuous learning
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Want to contribute to an ambitious and improving service
This is a rolling recruitment campaign and applications will be reviewed regularly.
Opportunities may arise across a range of Children's Services teams. We will discuss your experience, interests and preferred area of practice during the recruitment process.
This vacancy may close early if sufficient suitable applications are received, so we encourage early applications. For full details of the role and essential criteria, please refer to the accompanying role profile.
