Senior Practitioner (Team/Case Manager)

Our Client is seeking an experienced and highly skilled Senior Practitioner (Team/Case Manager) to join our Senior Management Team in Coventry. This is an exciting leadership opportunity for a qualified practitioner with extensive experience in child and family assessment, safeguarding, and staff management.

Working within a specialist residential family assessment setting, you will lead comprehensive assessments of vulnerable children and their families, providing evidence-based recommendations that inform long-term planning and court proceedings. You will also supervise and support a team of Family Assessment Workers, ensuring the highest standards of practice, safeguarding, and service delivery.

This role is ideal for a confident leader who is passionate about improving outcomes for children, supporting families through complex assessments, and developing high-performing teams.

What You'll Be Doing

Family Assessment & Safeguarding

• Lead and complete comprehensive parenting, risk, and family assessments.
• Apply the Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families and work in line with Working Together to Safeguard Children (2023) guidance.
• Manage up to three family assessment cases at any one time.
• Produce high-quality reports and recommendations for courts and partner agencies.
• Assess child development, family functioning, parenting capacity, and safeguarding risks.
• Plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate intervention programmes.
• Provide structured feedback and support to parents and carers.
• Monitor the impact of interventions on children's emotional and physical wellbeing.
• Represent the organisation in court, providing written and verbal evidence when required.

Leadership & Senior Management

• Act as a member of the Senior Management Team, contributing to the strategic development and effective operation of the service.
• Support Centre Managers and Executive Team members in maintaining high-quality service delivery.
• Promote a safe, structured, and learning-focused environment aligned with organisational values.
• Build and maintain effective partnerships with external professionals and agencies.
• Represent Dudley Lodge at professional and community events.

Staff Management & Development

• Lead, mentor, supervise, and support a team of Family Assessment Workers.
• Manage performance, quality standards, and professional development within the team.
• Deliver training, coaching, and practice guidance.
• Participate in the on-call rota, providing advice and support to colleagues.
• Foster a positive, collaborative, and high-performing team culture.

About You

To be successful in this role, you will have:

Essential Requirements

• Qualified Social Worker (or equivalent professional qualification relevant to family assessment work).
• Significant experience working with vulnerable children and families.
• Strong knowledge of safeguarding legislation, child protection procedures, and family assessment frameworks.
• Experience undertaking complex parenting, risk, and safeguarding assessments.
• Experience preparing professional reports for court and multi-agency settings.
• Proven experience supervising, mentoring, or managing staff.
• Excellent communication, leadership, and decision-making skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and meet strict deadlines.

Desirable

• Experience working within residential family assessment services.
• Previous management or senior practitioner experience.
• Knowledge of Coventry and Birmingham safeguarding procedures.

Why Join Dudley Lodge? At Dudley Lodge, you'll be part of a dedicated and experienced team committed to achieving the best outcomes for children and families. You'll have the opportunity to influence practice, lead assessments that make a real difference, and contribute to the ongoing development of a respected and specialist service.