Somerset Council
Advanced Practitioner - Practice Development - Neighbourhoods Team (Adults)
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Closing date: 12 August 2026
Transform lives, champion rights & support adults to achieve their full potential.
Location: Yeovil
Starting salary £41,771 rising annually, currently up to £46,142
Full time, 37 hours per week
Ideal opportunity for an experienced practitioner looking for their next step
30 days annual leave entitlement
Role Purpose
As an Advanced Practitioner – Practice Development, you will take a lead role in ensuring high-quality professional social work practice across Adult Social Care.
You will work directly within the Care Act 2014 framework, modelling strengths-based, person-centred practice and leading by example to support positive outcomes for adults, families and carers.
This role combines practice leadership, supervision and workforce development, supporting a cohort of social workers within a geographical area while driving continuous improvement in systems, processes and professional standards.
A key focus will be developing others, including social work students and Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs), ensuring they meet professional standards and build the confidence and capability to deliver excellent practice.
Key Responsibilities
- Provide practice leadership and supervision to a cohort of social workers within your area
- Support the Service Manager with team development, workforce planning and staff development
- Lead and support practice improvement activity, developing new approaches and ways of working to improve outcomes
- Deliver high-quality practice education to students and NQSWs, supporting their development and assessment
- Undertake assessment, supervision and reporting responsibilities aligned with university and professional frameworks
- Facilitate NQSW development journeys, including reviews, observations and professional assessment
- Provide advanced decision-making, advice and professional guidance to the wider workforce
- Act as a source of expertise, offering coaching, mentoring and reflective practice support
- Contribute to service development, quality assurance and governance activity
- Work collaboratively with internal teams, partners and the Learning & Development function to ensure a consistent and effective service
What We’re Looking For – Essential Skills/Experience
We’re looking for experienced practitioners who are passionate about developing others and influencing high-quality social work practice. You will have:
- A recognised Social Work qualification and current registration with Social Work England
- At least two years post-qualifying experience in adult social care
- Strong knowledge of social work theory, legislation and best practice frameworks
- Experience of supervising, mentoring or supporting students and/or practitioners
- Ability to provide critical reflection, challenge and professional leadership
- Excellent analytical, influencing and decision-making skills
- Confidence in coaching, mentoring and developing others in practice
- Commitment to strengths-based, person-centred and legally literate practice
- Ability to work collaboratively across teams and agencies
- Strong organisational and communication skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities
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About the Team/Service
You will join a forward-thinking and supportive Adult Social Care service, where practice development and continuous learning are prioritised.
This is a role where you will have genuine influence shaping how practice is delivered, supporting colleagues to grow, and contributing to a culture of reflection, learning and improvement.
Working closely with Service Managers, the Principal Social Worker and the Learning & Development Team, you will play a key part in ensuring the workforce is confident, capable and delivering the best outcomes for the people of Somerset.
Additional Information
Please Note: We may consider offering Skilled Worker visa sponsorship to suitably qualified overseas social workers who are already residing in the UK. To be eligible, applicants must hold a recognised social work qualification and be registered with Social Work England. Sponsorship will be assessed as part of the recruitment process. This is only available to candidates currently living in the UK, as unfortunately we are unable to provide resettlement support.
Due to the nature of the role and the geographical area of the service across Somerset, which is a largely rural county, with limitations around public transport the ability to be able to travel to any location is essential. Therefore, applicants must have full access to a vehicle that can be used for work purposes.
We recognise and welcome applications from disabled individuals who may require reasonable adjustments to meet this requirement, and we’re happy to discuss this from the first point of contact with the recruitment team.
For an informal chat about the role, you can contact Helen Readdy, Recruitment and Engagement Officer Adults helen.readdy@somerset.gov.uk
Please note we reserve the right to close this advert early if we have received a sufficient number of applications, so don’t delay, apply today!
(If you are an internal candidate, please apply on the internal careers site)
A full job description can be found here: Advanced Practitioner - Practice Development - Job Description - AG1277
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Person Specification
Criteria
Essential
Desirable
Knowledge
- Excellent knowledge and understanding of adult social work legislation, policy, professional standards, theories, models of intervention and research that underpin best practice.
- Excellent knowledge of safeguarding, risk management and complex case work within Adult Social Care.
- Knowledge of practice education, workforce development and professional capability frameworks supporting the development of social workers, students and Newly Qualified Social Workers.
Experience
- Experience of supervisory responsibilities, including the oversight and mentoring of learners (e.g. students or newly qualified Social Workers).
- Experience of supporting practice development, quality assurance or service improvement activities within an Adult Social Care setting.
- Experience of providing professional support, coaching or mentoring to qualified social workers and/or learners.
- Experience of working with complex social work cases and providing advice, guidance or professional challenge to others.
- Experience of acting as a Practice Educator or assessing social work students in a placement setting.
Qualifications / Registrations / Certifications
- Social work qualification (degree, DIPSW or CQSW) and current social work registration with Social Work England.
- Holding, or willing to work towards, the Practice Education Professional Standards (PEPs) qualification.
- At least two years post-qualifying experience.
- Evidence of professional development including contributing to the development and learning of others individually and as part of a team.
Skills
- Ability to provide constructive challenge, critical reflection and evidence-informed decision-making to support high-quality social work practice.
- Excellent analytical, influencing and negotiation skills.
- Proven organisational skills, including the ability to work under pressure, to prioritise and manage deadlines.
- Good understanding of IT systems.
- Ability to model and promote ethical, reflective practice and professional decision-making within legal and human rights frameworks.
- Ability to provide professional leadership, guidance and challenge in complex practice situations, supporting autonomy, rights-based practice and the development of others.
- Ability to apply advanced professional knowledge and experience to provide expert advice, guidance and learning opportunities for others.
- Able to communicate effectively with people at all levels with positive and person-centred approaches, including via written reports.
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