Lead Adolescent Protection Practitioner

We are seeking an experienced and passionate Lead Adolescent Protection Practitioner to join our innovative Adolescent Service within the Family Help model.

This is a unique opportunity to take a leading role in safeguarding adolescents at risk of significant harm particularly where risks arise outside the home, such as exploitation, missing episodes, or radicalisation.

The Role

In this role, you will lead Section 47 child protection investigations for adolescents identified as being at risk of harm, particularly where exploitation or risks occur outside the home.

You will provide clear professional oversight and decision-making, ensuring all safeguarding activity aligns with statutory responsibilities and best practice frameworks.

You will collaborate closely with social workers, Family Help practitioners and partner agencies to deliver coordinated and proportionate support to young people and their families

A key part of your role will involve leading contextual safeguarding practice, including mapping peer networks, locations and community influences to identify patterns of risk and inform effective safety planning.

You will also provide expert advice to partners on risks such as criminal or sexual exploitation, radicalisation and missing episodes, helping to strengthen multi-agency safeguarding responses.

You will drive practice that builds resilience, strengthens protective factors and supports sustainable change for young people and their families.

The ideal candidate:

You will be an experienced and confident social worker who places adolescents at the heart of every decision.You will work collaboratively and restoratively, building trust with families and partners while providing clear, decisive leadership in complex child protection situations.

You will bring expertise in contextual safeguarding, leading mapping of peer networks and community risks, and you will apply trauma-informed, relationship-based practice to drive sustainable change.

You will demonstrate resilience, reflection, and strong values, combining high support with high challenge to empower young people and strengthen protective factors across families and communities.

Essential Requirements

• Qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England, have completed your ASYE and will have at least 2 years’ child protection experience.
• Strong experience in adolescent and contextual safeguarding
• Excellent leadership and decision-making skills
• Experience leading complex safeguarding investigations
• Strong communication and partnership-working abilities
• Expertise in trauma-informed and restorative practice
• Resilience and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment
• A commitment to inclusive, anti-oppressive practice and achieving outstanding outcomes for young people

Please ensure that you download & read the full job profile attached for the details and expectations of this role, paying particular attention the section 'Who is the person' as you will need to refer to this when completing your Personal statement.

Hybrid working arrangements: At least 2 days per week office based in line with PCC policy and will include working some evenings and weekends.

Contact Details for an Informal Discussion: If you have any questions, or would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact Nirvana Curley - nirvana.curley@portsmouthcc.gov.uk

About Portsmouth City Council

Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act.

We are committed to our values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity and being people-focussed. These values set out how we can contribute to the success of the council and our own success as individuals. Learn more about our values and behaviours.

Application process

We anonymise applications during application & shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered.

As part of your application, we ask that you complete a personal statement, this statement is crucial and is where you must demonstrate how you meet the requirements of the job against each of the points described in the 'Who is the Person' points on the Job Profile using examples from your experience or transferable skills. This might be through qualifications or descriptive examples from your work / personal experience.

We are a disability confident employer and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard. More information can be found at Equality, diversity and inclusion - Careers portal

We are committed to offering an interview to all those candidates that qualify under our corporate commitments and meet the minimum criteria, however, for roles that receive a large number of applications, we will select the candidates that best meet the minimum criteria.

You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.

Safeguarding

Portsmouth City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Every post is subject to PCC and Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership safer recruitment procedures.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) at Standard/Enhanced level will be required prior to any offer of employment and this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Please read the relevant DBS privacy notice before submitting any information.

You will need to explain any gaps in your career history within the last 5 years - this is essential for all safeguarding roles.

Should you require any support in completing the application form please contact recruit@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or call the recruitment team on 023 92 616 800.