Adolescent Practitioner

• Category: Care - Children and Young People
• Contract type: Secondment
• Working hours: 18 hours per week
• Posted on: 8 January 2026
• Closing date: 30 January 2026
• Location: Surrey

We are committed to the development of our workforce.
This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.

The starting salary for this position is £16,776 per annum, pro-rata to £33,552 based on an 18 hour working week.

This is a 6-month secondment opportunity. Please discuss with your current Line Manager before submitting your application.

We have a great opportunity to join our Edge of Care team as an Adolescent Practitioner
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This is not an office based role, however, as a team we have one face-to-face meeting per month at our Reigate office, Woodhatch Place.
Our Offer to You

• 26 days' holiday, rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave and 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• An Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, and shopping
• A chance to make a real difference to the lives of our residents.

This is an exciting opportunity to be part of our new Adolescent Service in Surrey, who bring together a range of services for young people including those who go missing, those who need support around their mental health, are involved in gang culture and are vulnerable to exploitation, including criminal and sexual exploitation.

Our team includes Social Workers and Adolescent Practitioners who are focused on achieving positive outcomes for young people. We are committed to doing things differently and innovatively; implementing a brand-new model for working with adolescents, taking into account current research and best practice.

The Adolescent Service is built on the belief that relationships are the key vehicle for achieving change. The service is underpinned by 'Relational Practice' principles; an intentional way of working where establishing, attending to, and maintaining empathetic and honest interpersonal relationships are prioritised. This approach includes our relationships and how we work with each other. Adopting this approach supports us to create systems that can be trauma-informed and respond appropriately to individuals' different needs and experiences.

It supports everyone's ability to work restoratively to resolve conflict, repair harm and support change.

• Support whole families through a strengths-based and trauma informed approach, utilising motivational interviewing skills and effective relational approaches
• Coordinate key support services and professionals with families to form an engaged, active and effective Team Around the Family, with clearly defined roles and expectations as per the family plan
• Ensure casework is adequately recorded as per team policy and procedures, including timely and accurate case notes, assessments and reports
• Be the lead Practitioner for a caseload of families, maintaining positive contact and effectively managing the balance of providing hands-on support and coordinating relevant partners, as per a shared family plan, to keep them safe from harm

In order to be considered for shortlisting, your application will clearly evidence the following skills and align with our behaviours :

• An understanding of the roles and responsibilities of practitioners working with vulnerable young people
• Experience of working in a social work, youth justice, youth work, teaching, or probation environment
• Basic awareness of relevant legislation affecting working with children, including the Children Act (1989) and the Children and Adoption Act (2002)
• IT skills, including use of databases, email, Word and Excel
• Ability to prioritise and work effectively under pressure with minimal supervision
• Willingness to learn and undertake training relevant to the role

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description & Our Life at Surrey handbook to get an insight into working at Surrey.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 30th January 2026 with interviews planned to follow.

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment. Debbie Searle on d

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

An enhanced DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children's and Adults' Barred List checks will be required for this role.