Senior Practitioner (Missing and Complex Safeguarding)

Contract Type: Permanent

Salary: Grade I. Scale 35 - £46,142 to Scale 39 - £50,269 with a professional bar at Scale 37 - £48,226**

Hours Per Week: 36

Base Location: Ashton Police Station, Manchester Road, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL7 0BQ

Assessment Date: To be arranged

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.

The Role

We are seeking an experienced and passionate Senior Practitioner to support the Team Manager in the leadership, development, and delivery of our Complex Safeguarding Team, working with children and young people at risk of exploitation, contextual harm, and those who go missing from home.

This is a key role within a dynamic multi-agency service, providing practice leadership, supervision, and support to social workers and Missing from Home Project Workers, ensuring effective safeguarding responses for some of our most vulnerable children.

The successful candidate will work collaboratively with Greater Manchester Police, health, Youth Justice Service and wider safeguarding partners to coordinate interventions, share intelligence, and promote positive outcomes for children affected by exploitation and missing episodes.

Key Responsibilities

• Support the Team Manager in the operational management and development of the Complex Safeguarding and Missing from Home Service.
• Provide supervision, guidance, and oversight to staff, including Missing from Home Project Workers.
• Lead and support practice relating to child exploitation, contextual safeguarding, and children who go missing from home.
• Chair and coordinate multi-agency meetings, including MFH and disruption meetings.
• Advise professionals on risk assessment, safety planning, disruption activity, and safeguarding interventions.
• Work alongside police and partner agencies to identify, assess, and respond to emerging risks and exploitation trends.
• Promote high-quality practice, information sharing, and effective multi-agency working.
• Support service development and contribute to improving outcomes for children and young people across the authority.

About You

You will be a qualified Social Worker (Degree/DipSW or equivalent) with significant post-qualifying experience in safeguarding adolescents, exploitation, and complex/contextual harm. You will have experience of supervising staff and supporting practitioners to manage risk and achieve positive outcomes for children.

You will have:

• Sound knowledge of child exploitation, contextual safeguarding, and children who go missing from home.
• Experience of multi-agency partnership working and influencing practice across agencies.
• The ability to make informed, timely decisions in complex safeguarding situations.
• Knowledge of current legislation, policy, and developments relating to adolescents and complex safeguarding.
• Strong communication, leadership, and organisational skills.

This is an exciting opportunity to play a leading role in shaping services for vulnerable children while working within a supportive and forward-thinking team.

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.”

Our Heart of Support Practice Approach

At Tameside, we believe in:

• Compassion understanding the lived experiences of children and families.
• Curiosity asking questions that lead to deeper insight and better outcomes for children.
• Collaboration working together across services to deliver joined-up support.
• Conversation listening and engaging meaningfully with children, families and professionals.
• Courage leading with courage, making bold and compassionate decisions that put children first.

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

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.

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section on 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

We have made a commitment to improve the employment opportunities for people with disabilities, care leavers, carers, and ex-military personnel. Please click here for more information on our guaranteed assessment scheme.

For further information about this role please contact June Edmondson, Complex Safeguarding and Missing Team Manager on 07975 233 725 or june.edmondson@tameside.gov.uk