Senior Practitioner

• Suffolk County Council
• Address: Endeavour House, Ipswich, IP1 2BX - Hybrid
• Salary: £40,777 - £47,054 per annum (pro rata for part time)
• Hours: 37 hours per week, flexible working options available
• Contract: Permanent

As a modern, flexible and effective organisation, we’re driven to make a positive difference to the environment, the communities we serve and the careers of our people. That’s why, when you join us as a Senior Practitioner, you’ll be encouraged to share your fresh thinking and empowered to explore new ideas that will shape and improve our services as well as your career.

Reimagine the possibilities.

Your role and responsibilities

As a key member of the Independence and Wellbeing Service (IWS) Ipswich and East Team , based at Endeavour House in Ipswich, you will play an important role in supporting both the team and the wider service.

You will:

• provide professional support, case consultation and reflective practice to team members, alongside wider management
• supervise a small team of Independence Wellbeing Practitioners, including performance management, development conversations and goal setting
• support the Team Manager in the effective day-to-day running of the service
• take an active role in triaging new referrals and allocating work, using sound risk assessment and decision-making skills
• hold and manage a caseload of complex and challenging cases, ensuring positive outcomes for people accessing the service
• contribute to the wider IWS management team, supporting colleagues across teams when required and engaging in your own personal and professional development.

You will need:

• a recognised Social Work qualification and at least two years' post-qualifying experience
• experience of working within a crisis response or duty environment
• experience of supervising staff and/or providing peer support and guidance
• a strong understanding of the Care Act 2014 and Mental Capacity Act 2005
• a passion for preventative social work and a creative approach to achieving positive outcomes

• a commitment to developing your career, particularly in relation to Best Interest Assessments.

You can view a full list of requirements in the  Job and Person Profile (JPP), which you can find in the ‘How to apply’ section towards the bottom of this advert.  

If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application. 

The team

The Independence and Well-being Service (IWS) is the front door Social Work team, working alongside Customer First to offer robust advice, information, equipment, digital care aids at the earliest point of an individual’s journey into Adult Social Care. There are three IWS teams in Adult Social Care, located in Waveney, West Suffolk and Ipswich.

IWS work involves, but is not limited to;

• arranging reablement services
• undertaking short term assessments
• mental capacity assessments
• home visits where appropriate
• commissioning services
• reviewing support.

Empowering Everyone

We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report .

For more information

Please contact Suzan Galip (she/her) for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling View phone number on suffolkjobsdirect.org or emailing View email address on suffolkjobsdirect.org

How to apply

Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (Word).

Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.

Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the  Supporting Statement template (Word) .

1. Tell us about a time when you provided professional support or guidance to colleagues dealing with a complex case. What was the situation, what advice did you provide, and what was the outcome?
2. Give an example of a complex risk management decision you have made in your social work practice. What factors did you consider and how did you reach your decision?

Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.

For guidance on completing your application, please see our How to Apply page .

Planning to use Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Please ensure your application still reflects your own skills, experience and ideas. If used inappropriately, your application may not be processed. Please read our guidance for using AI to understand what’s acceptable.

Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team at  View email address on suffolkjobsdirect.org or View phone number on suffolkjobsdirect.org. You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages .

Closing date: 11.30pm, 18 August 2026.

This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid

As a modern and effective council, we offer a wide variety of careers to suit people with a range of skills, abilities and ambitions. We offer working options that flex to reflect the way people work today and take the time to understand and support your individual needs. We’re driven to make a positive difference to the world around us and encourage everyone with drive and focus to join us and build an influential and impactful career. Reimagine the possibilities.

In return, you’ll enjoy:

• up to 29 days annual leave entitlement (pro rata), plus UK bank holidays and two paid volunteering days
• membership of a competitive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• travel, lifestyle, health and wellbeing benefits
• performance-related annual pay progression, in addition to an annual cost-of-living pay increase
• training and encouragement to expand your knowledge
• a variety of career development opportunities across our organisation
• diverse and active staff networks
• flexible working options, with the right to request flexible working from your first day

Plus lots more!

If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk) .