Lead Practitioner - Adolescent Help Team B

Job Introduction

Make a Difference at a Critical Time in a Young Person's Life

The Royal Borough of Greenwich is transforming the way we support children, young people, and families with our ambitious Families First in Greenwich programme. We are seeking a skilled, ambitious, and relationship-focused Lead Practitioner to join our Adolescent Help Teams within the Adolescent Wellbeing and Safeguarding service.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced practitioner who is passionate about achieving better outcomes for adolescents and their families. You will play a pivotal role in supporting young people facing complex challenges, strengthening family relationships, preventing escalation into statutory services, and helping families achieve sustainable change.

As a Lead Practitioner, you will combine direct practice with coaching, mentoring, and professional leadership responsibilities, helping to embed high-quality, evidence-informed interventions across the service.

About the Role

The Adolescent Help Team works with young people and families where there are emerging or escalating concerns predominantly around extra-familial risks and adolescent vulnerability.

Working within a strengths-based and systemic framework, you will undertake complex family work, complete Family Help Assessments, coordinate Family Help Plans, and support practitioners to deliver high-quality interventions that improve outcomes and reduce risk.

Key Responsibilities

As a Lead Practitioner you will:

• Lead and coordinate interventions with children, young people, and families experiencing complex needs.
• Ensure families receive timely and effective support where there are concerns relating to extra familial harm and risk of family breakdown.
• Develop and oversee high-quality Family Help Plans that are focused on measurable outcomes and sustainable change.
• Work collaboratively with parents, carers, and wider family networks to ensure their voices shape planning and decision-making.
• Support families to identify strengths, build resilience, and develop solutions that promote children's wellbeing and safety.
• Manage a caseload of families requiring intensive support and intervention.
• Work closely with the Adolescent Help Team Leader to improve practice within the team
• Model excellent practice and provide coaching, mentoring, and supervision to colleagues where required.
• Ensure all interventions are evidence-based, purposeful, and outcome-focused.
• Apply statutory guidance, local procedures, and safeguarding policies effectively and consistently.
• Work in partnership with Housing, Health, Education, Police, Community Safety, Adult Services, and other agencies to coordinate effective multi-agency plans.
• Use a range of evidence-informed approaches, including systemic and relational practice methodologies.
• Build effective, trusting relationships with children, young people, and their families.
• Ensure safeguarding concerns relating to children and vulnerable adults are addressed promptly and appropriately.
• Maintain accurate recording and high-quality case management.

About You

We are looking for someone who:

• Holds a recognised professional qualification in Social Work, Youth Justice, Family Support, Early Help, or a related discipline.
• Has substantial experience working with adolescents and families facing multiple and complex challenges.
• Has robust knowledge of safeguarding, child development, parenting capacity, and adolescent development.
• Demonstrates experience of leading complex interventions and coordinating multi-agency plans.
• Understands the impact of trauma, neglect, domestic abuse, substance misuse, and parental mental health on children and young people.
• Has experience of strengths-based, systemic, restorative, or relationship-focused practice.
• Can confidently analyse risk, formulate plans, and measure outcomes.
• Possesses excellent communication, coaching, and partnership-working skills.
• Is committed to anti-discriminatory practice, inclusion, and delivering excellent services for Greenwich residents.
• Has the ability to support and develop the practice of less experienced colleagues.

What We Offer

At Greenwich, we are committed to creating an environment where practitioners can thrive and deliver their best work.

We offer:

• A stable, supportive and ambitious leadership team.
• High-quality learning and development opportunities.
• Access to reflective supervision and practice development.
• A strong commitment to systemic and relationship-based practice.
• Flexible working arrangements where service needs allow.
• Generous annual leave entitlement.
• Local Government Pension Scheme.
• Employee wellbeing support and benefits package.

Our Commitment

The Royal Borough of Greenwich is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults. We expect all employees to share this commitment.

We welcome applications from all sections of the community and are committed to building a diverse and inclusive workforce that reflects the communities we serve.

Apply Now

If you are passionate about helping adolescents and families achieve lasting change and want to play a key role in shaping our Family Help offer, we would love to hear from you.

Join us and help create brighter futures for Greenwich children, young people, and families.

Diversity Statement: Royal Borough of Greenwich values the diversity of its community and aims to have a workforce that reflects this. We therefore encourage applications from all sections of the community.

Advert Close: All vacancies close at midnight unless otherwise stated. 

Early Advert Close: Royal Borough of Greenwich reserves the right to close any job advert earlier than the advertised closing date where there is reason to do so (for example high volume of applications).

Full Employment History: A full employment history is required for this role. Please provide a full employment history, together with a satisfactory written explanation of any gaps in employment.

How Applications are Scored: Each application is scored according to how well the supporting statements addresses each point on the Person Specification for the role. Candidates will be short-listed for interview on the extent to which they meet the specific points within the Person Specification. The Person Specification is supplied with the job advert. When completing your application, please use the supporting statements section to tell us how you meet each of the points on the Person Specification. We need to have this information in order to consider your application.

Salary: Salaries advertised are for a standard working week of 35 hours unless otherwise stated. Please use this 'Salary Calculator to help you calculate a pro rata salary.

Our Staff Values: Our Staff Values are important to us. Candidates will be continuously assessed against our staff values throughout the recruitment process. Where candidates demonstrate views and behaviours that do not meet the standards of our staff values, we reserve the right to reject their application/ registration.