Job description
Role: Children’s Practitioner
Salary: Grade G £33,143 - £36,363 a year
Location: Council House
Hours: 37 hours a week
Closing Date: 17/05/2026
Contract Type: Permanent
We are looking for an enthusiastic worker who will be able to work both alone and as part of a highly motivated Multi Agency Team (across Derby City), focusing on families who are attending our Family Hubs.
You will work with some of the most vulnerable families in Derby to promote their children’s welfare and prevent escalation into Children’s Social Care. Support professionals with the implementation of the Early Intervention Agenda (and soon to be Family Help model), by providing advice and support to universal agencies/ professionals and families across Derby City and covering children from birth to 19 years.
You will act as the first point of contact for families who are either attending the Family Hubs or have had contact with Children’s Social Care and also professionals who are requesting support where a child’s emerging needs are requiring assessment and intervention. This ensures that families receive the right support and service at the right time, at the lowest intervention.
You will be based within the Early Intervention Team and work closely with Family Hub and Social Care colleagues, especially supporting Initial Response/Reception Teams (which is the first point of call for professionals and families wanting advice from Children’s Social Care).
Please contact Cath Brannan (01332 641074) Michelle Astle on (01332 642225) for further information.
Who We Are
Here at Derby City Council, we’re dedicated to delivering nearly 250 first-class services to citizens and businesses in the heart of the Midlands. People are at the centre of all that we do, and we have an outstanding track record of recruiting and developing talented individuals by providing them with varied and fulfilling career opportunities. Find out more about what it’s like to work for us.
What We Offer
You too could be part of something brilliant by becoming a colleague at Derby City Council; in addition to making a difference to the lives of people across the city, you’ll also receive:
• Flexible work/life balance scheme
• Modern office environment
• Continued professional development opportunities & career conversations
• 27 days annual leave (rising to 32 days after 5 years' service), plus bank holidays
• Local Government Pension Scheme (depending on contract)
• Team Derby Rewards – retail and leisure discounts
• Tusker Car Benefit Scheme
• Cycle2Work Scheme & free cycle training
• Employee Assistance Programme, Wellbeing Calendar and Support
• Access to our Equality Employee Networks – LGBTQ+, Disabled Employee Network & Carers and our Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic Employee Support Network and Neurodiversity Network
• Support for colleagues who are carers
The Opportunity
In the role of Children’s Practitioner, here’s an example of what you’ll be doing to make an impact:
This role is working with families primally within Derby City Family Hubs who require interventions to prevent any escalation of need, which may then require Children’s Social care support. Our aim is to support families at the earliest opportunity and at the lowest level of intervention.
Ensure that Partner agencies are aware of the Early Help process within Derby City and are guided to provide relevant signposting or referrals and provide a multi-agency approach to families, where emerging needs have been identified.
Ensure that professionals are supported to convene a Team Around the Family approach. You may need to chair this meeting and take the lead in ensuring that emerging needs are met in a timely and co-ordinated way.
Provide guidance to professionals and reassurance to families around completing Early Help Assessments. There are times when as an Early Help Advisor, you may be required to complete this assessment with a family.
Provide guidance around social care interventions and process within Derby City. Have a good understanding of safeguarding procedures and be able to share this with both professionals and families.
Have good communication skills. To be able to support parental engagement with partner agencies, as well as capturing their views and opinions. Be able to creatively support to overcome barriers.
Support the Voice of the Child through out all aspects of this role. At times this may mean completing direct work with children and young people and advocating on their behalf.
Compile case records/minutes/assessment plans as part of role.
This role covers the whole of Derby City, linking into Family Hubs and supports social care’s Initial Response Team.
About You
To be successful in this role, you’ll ideally have…
Qualifications:
Level 3 or above qualification in Childcare, Health and Social Care, Youth Work and/or equivalent
Must have a GCSE or equivalent in English of grade C or above
Experience:
At least 2 years’ experience of direct work with children, young people and families.
Working in a multi-agency setting, in partnership with parents and carers
Skills & Knowledge:
Knowledge of child development within the Framework of meeting children’s needs.
Develop and sustain arrangements for joint working between workers and agencies.
Knowledge of safeguarding procedures.
The skills and resources to communicate with children and young people and their families in a meaningful way.
Skills required to work in partnership with parents and carers.
Contribute to the assessment, planning, creation, implementation and evaluation of service plans for children, young people and families.
Support families with difficult or potentially difficult relationships.
Evidence of developing effective strategies for managing challenging behaviour.
Develop one’s own knowledge and practice.
Effective Skills.
Next Steps
If you would like to apply for this vacancy via an