Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: Grade J. Scale 40 - £51,356 to Scale 43 - £54,495 with a professional bar at Scale 41 - £52,413**
Hours Per Week: 36
Base Location: Tameside One, Market Place, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 6BH
Assessment Date: 20th & 21st July 2026
The Role
Are you passionate about making a real difference in the lives of children and families? Do you bring compassion, curiosity, collaboration, conversation, and courage to your practice? If so, Tameside is looking for you.
Join us at an exciting time for Tameside Children’s Services as we develop our Multi-Agency Child Protection Team. The Lead Child Protection Practitioner will play an integral role in shaping and strengthening this function.
As a Lead Child Protection Practitioner, you will bring:
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A recognised social work qualification with significant frontline child protection experience and strong knowledge of statutory frameworks
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Expertise in identifying and responding to all forms of harm, including extra-familial harm
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Confidence in working collaboratively and effectively with families
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The ability to support multi-agency partners to understand and address risks within wider community and peer contexts
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A strong commitment to anti-discriminatory, inclusive practice that reflects and respects diverse family needs
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A clear focus on ensuring the child’s best interests remain central to all decision-making, including in complex exploitation contexts
At the heart of this role is our Heart of Support Practice Approach, underpinned by the 5 C’s Compassion, Curiosity, Collaboration, Conversation and Courage. These values are the golden thread that runs through how we work with children, families and each other.
We are committed to safeguarding and championing the welfare of children, young people, and families. Protecting and empowering our communities is at the heart of everything we do, and we expect every member of our team to share that commitment and help us make a meaningful difference.
You will be supported by the Service Lead for the MACPT with a comprehensive induction, ongoing training, and regular supervision to help you reach your full potential.
About You
You will be an experienced social worker looking to take the next step in your career.
As this is a newly developed role, you will be creative, proactive, and responsive in supporting the ongoing development of the service. You will bring passion and commitment to achieving the best possible outcomes for children and young people in Tameside.
You will have a proven ability to:
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Communicate clearly and effectively with children, families, and multi-agency partners
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Work collaboratively with partners, while also demonstrating the ability to work independently
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Share your knowledge and experience to help shape and strengthen practice across the team
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Be registered with Social Work England
If you have interest and expertise in one or more of the following areas, domestic abuse, adolescent risk, or supporting pre-birth assessments, we would be keen to hear from you.
About Us
Message from Jill Colbert, Director of Children’s Services
“I joined the council at the beginning of 2025 and was instantly charmed by the warmth, openness, and energy of colleagues.
“I came to Tameside for one reason; because I know we can do fantastic things for our families here.
“We’re a children’s service on a significant improvement journey. We know what needs to be different for our children and families and we’re ambitious to deliver that change.
“We have a growing range of specialist services for children, where you can test and grow your skills and practice. We have a Social Work Academy that is led by people who bring passion to learning and who know that the DCS’ of the future are right in front of them. We are working on our progression pathways so that staying in Tameside is rewarded and recognised. We have investment in innovation and improvement from the council so that we can grow services and support for families that we can sustain, from family hubs through to complex safeguarding.
“I am so certain that we can build a proud, inclusive and safe climate for great practice to flourish in Tameside. I’d love you to join me on the journey here at Team Tameside.”
At Tameside, we are committed to ensuring all our Citizens lead long, fulfilling and healthy lives. We are committed to supporting economic growth, providing high quality health and care services, protecting our most vulnerable and creating strong and supportive, self-sufficient communities.
We recognise that our people drive our success and enable the organisation to deliver on its vision, purpose and priorities, and that our people are our most important resource and asset. Our values underpin our practice and behaviours, and are at the heart of everything that we do; and we understand that how we do things is just as important as what we do. We pride ourselves on living by our STRIVE values of Support, Trust, Respect, Integrity, Value Diversity and Engage. Our values underpin our practice and behaviours and are at the heart of everything that we do. How we do things are just as important as what we do.
Our employees’ skills, experience and knowledge are essential to our success along with their happiness, wellbeing, commitment, enthusiasm and motivation to be the best they can be.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults and expect all staff to share this commitment. This position is subject to Enhanced with Barred List Disclosure Procedures.
** This post is classified as being in a professional job category. As such the grade for the job has a professional grade development bar which employees can progress through subject to meeting the following criteria:
1. Relevant professional qualification for the job role at Level 6 or above AND a management qualification, AND
2. Minimum of 2 years post qualification experience in the role, AND
3. Maintained membership of a regulated body where this is a requirement to practice in the role where applicable, AND
4. Professional standards practised to the highest expected level.
This post is a designated customer facing role under the fluency duty and requires a specified level of spoken English.
If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application.
Unfortunately, at this time we are not able to offer sponsorship.
We are committed to developing a culture which respects individuals, appreciates difference and allows everyone regardless of background to reach their full potential. We are proud to be an accredited disability confident employer. Reasonable Adjustments will be considered in accordance with the Equality Act 2010 in relation to the Job Role Criteria.
Our rewards and benefits package can be viewed here
For further information about this role please contact Kayleigh Treanor, Head of Quality, Practice Assurance and Principal Social Worker on 0161 342 3398 or [email protected]
