Advanced Practitioner - Duty and Assessment

About the Team

We have a wonderful Duty and Assessment Team (DAAT) here at Northamptonshire Children's Trust. Duty and assessment are the single point of contact for all safeguarding concerns relating to children and young people in Northamptonshire. Professionals from a range of services collaborate to ensure immediate and prompt responses, keeping children and young people safe from harm. With a rotating duty element, the team works at pace, completing robust short‑term quality assessments of need and ensuring the right service provision is in place.

We have six teams within DAAT, each consisting of a Team Manager, an Advanced Practitioner who holds complex cases, 5–6 Social Workers / Senior Social Workers, and a Newly Qualified Social Worker. Managers are always present and available for the team and pitch in to support whenever required. Our teams are fun and supportive, working hard and at pace while making time for meals and laughter, bonding over shared lunch breaks.

As an Advanced Practitioner you will respond to new referrals from professionals and members of the public, working with a broad range of agencies and services in the region. Your duties include:

• Undertaking work with children, young people and families that requires advanced social work expertise, maintaining a small caseload and jointly allocating cases with less experienced social workers;
• Authorising assessments, plans, and related documentation;
• Chairing strategy meetings and discussions;
• Guiding and mentoring social workers to ensure their adherence to legislation, statutory guidance, local policies, and best practices in safeguarding vulnerable children, supporting looked‑after children, and planning for permanence;
• Supervising, supporting, advising and mentoring newly qualified and less experienced colleagues handling complex or high‑risk cases;
• Advocating the child’s voice and ensuring the child's voice is evident throughout the process.

To be considered for this role you should:

• Be a qualified social worker who has completed your ASYE;
• Be registered with Social Work England;
• Have advanced social work expertise and experience in safeguarding vulnerable children;
• Be confident in analysis and decision-making to deliver purposeful and effective social care;
• Have a strong desire to develop social work expertise and support NCT on its improvement journey.

We really value our workforce and offer you a great benefits package including:

• SWE Registration paid yearly (social care colleagues)
• Recruitment Welcome Bonus of £6,000
• Relocation costs of up to £8,000
• Retention bonus payments for established personnel
• 28 days annual leave, plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time) and an additional 5 days, after 5 years
• Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health pension protection.
• Opportunity to purchase up to 25 days annual leave
• Employee Assistance Programme – telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information, available 24/7/365.
• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
• Flexible and family working arrangements including enhanced maternity benefits
• A permanent, supportive and inclusive management team where you will be empowered to make good professional decisions
• Extensive Learning & Development and career development opportunities
• Subsidised town centre car parking scheme

At Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, equity, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of everything we do. We are a disability‑confident employer and guarantee an interview to care leavers who meet the essential criteria.