Lead Child Protection Practitioner (MACPT)

What you will be doing:

You will not case-hold children and families, instead you will strengthen practice by guiding, advising, coordinating and decision-making within the child protection process, working alongside Family Help Lead Practitioners, Social Care colleagues and safeguarding partners.

Chairing strategy discussionsand Child Protection Conferences, you will oversee Section 47 enquiries andsupport purposeful Child Protection Plans that are centred on the child’s livedexperience.

You will have the opportunityto influence high-quality child protection practice across SouthGloucestershire, strengthen multi-agency decision making and help ensurechildren and families experience clear, purposeful and proportionatesafeguarding processes.

• Provide specialist child protection expertise within the MACPT, supporting clear, consistent and defensible safeguarding decisions.
• Facilitate and chair strategy discussions and Child Protection Conferences, ensuring the right information is shared and the right partners are involved.
• Work with safeguarding partners to apply significant harm and Section 47 thresholds consistently, including decisions on single or joint agency enquiries.
• Build professional confidence across Family Help, social care, police, health, education and wider safeguarding partners.
• Contribute to reflective practice, audit, learning and practice improvement across the MACPT and wider safeguarding system.

What we need from you:

• Qualified Social Worker with current Social Work England registration and substantial post-qualifying statutory child protection experience.
• Expert knowledge of child protection law, statutory guidance and local procedures, with confidence applying significant harm and Section 47 thresholds consistently.
• Proven ability to lead and chair complex multi-agency safeguarding meetings, including strategy discussions and Child Protection Conferences.
• Skilled in overseeing the child protection process, analysing complex risk and evidence, balancing professional views and making clear, defensible decisions.
• Strong collaborative multi-agency working skills, supporting effective information sharing, coordinated partner contributions and a shared understanding of risk.
• Committed to child and family participation while managing complex workloads, urgent safeguarding decisions, statutory timescales and accurate records.
• Bring clarity, confidence and professional curiosity to a high-volume and complex safeguarding environment, supporting consistent thresholds, reducing drift and helping partners work together effectively in the best interests of children and families.

What you need to know:

• Please note that due to the nature of this role, it is a requirement of employment that an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is obtained.
• You will be expected to travel throughout the authority and surrounding area, so you must have a full, valid driving licence with regular access to a vehicle insured for business use or have an alternative suitable means of travel.
• The role involves regular attendance at multi-agency meetings, including strategy discussions and Child Protection Conferences, and may include visits to children and families where necessary to inform decision making or support safe participation in child protection processes.

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