Job Details:
Job Reference: HCC622037
Salary Range: £33,178 - £36,369 per annum
Work Location: Parkway, Fareham
Hours per week: 37
Contract Type: Permanent
Closing Date: 25 August 2025
We are now recruiting Family Practitioners to join our newly created Missing Team, with a specific focus on Missing and Return Conversations - a critical part of our safeguarding response.
The Willow Team is Hampshire Children’s Services’ dedicated child exploitation team, working with hard-to-reach children who are at risk of or experiencing exploitation. We are a multi-agency, forward-thinking team committed to innovation and impactful support for vulnerable young people.
The Role:
You will play a key role in tracking daily missing data and supporting Hampshire’s county-wide response to children who go missing. This includes completing the full missing process from initial contact through to resolution, and leading Return Conversations that are child-centred and trauma-informed.
Return Conversations are a vital opportunity to understand why a child went missing, reduce future risk by identifying triggers, and build trust with children who may be reluctant to engage. These conversations help tailor support, improve safety and wellbeing, and identify early signs of exploitation.
As part of your role, you’ll offer expert advice to practitioners across the county and contribute to operational meetings focused on identifying links between missing episodes and exploitation. Your input will help shape strategic responses and ensure meaningful, timely interventions.
What you’ll do:
1. Monitor and analyse daily missing data to support Hampshire’s county-wide safeguarding response.
2. Lead trauma-informed, child-centred Return Conversations and manage the full missing episode process from initial contact to resolution.
3. Provide expert advice to practitioners and contribute to strategic planning and disruption efforts alongside MET Police teams.
4. Maintain accurate records using Mosaic and use your knowledge of exploitation, grooming, peer risk, and online safety to inform practice and service improvement.
What we’re looking for:
5. Strong understanding of the risks linked to missing episodes, including trafficking, exploitation, and county lines.
6. Knowledge of key safeguarding areas such as healthy peer relationships, grooming, online safety, and sexual health.
7. Confident working in multi-agency settings, offering expert advice and consultancy to professionals.
8. Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with a commitment to safeguarding, equality, and continuous learning.
9. Able to demonstrate empathy, patience, and compassion, with sound IT skills and attention to detail in record-keeping.
Why join us?
Our includes details of the holiday entitlement, pension scheme, flexi-time scheme, family friendly policies and interest free travel loans and discounts. We offer a flexible, motivating and inclusive workplace. We have created an environment that you can look forward to being a part of, where you are empowered to be your best and a workplace built on teamwork where people can grow and develop in their roles.
If you think you have what it takes to make a real difference in Hampshire, get in touch!
Hampshire County Council is recognised nationally as one of the highest performing local authorities in the UK. A modern, forward-looking local authority, it offers a pleasant, supportive, and collaborative working environment.
Hampshire County Council is also a flexible employer interested in making the most of your skills and offers a great work life balance.
Additional Information:
Family Practitioner - Missing Child Team
Vetting Requirements:
This post is subject to a Criminal Records Check. As such, please note that under safer recruitment requirements for Children’s Services, references will be requested prior to interview.