Practice Lead (SEND and Children with Disabilities)

Job introduction

Job Title: Practice Lead (SEND and Children with Disabilities)

A bit about us:

Liverpool is home to vibrant, energetic, and engaged communities, people who take real ownership of their local area and are passionate about making our city a better place. We've got ambitious targets to meet by 2025 and we need people who are driven, dynamic and ready to deliver the very best for our communities. Public service is more important than ever, and this role represents a real opportunity to make a difference to our communities by transforming the way we work and placing our residents at the heart of everything we do.

Working at Liverpool City Council provides an opportunity to contribute to your community and make a positive impact on the lives of residents. Our values shape how we work to deliver public services, and how we communicate with the residents we serve. We care about the best outcomes for local people, through our public services. We are proud of our world-famous thriving city with its rich culture, as well as affordable housing, good schools, beautiful green spaces – there’s really something for everyone!

Our Practice Model – “Our City, Our Children, Together” – was chosen by colleagues, parents and carers, children, and young people to reflect our collective commitment to working collaboratively, it is more than just a practice model, it is a shared vision. Every part of this model has been co-produced with the people who access and deliver our services. It represents our values, our relationships, and our belief that, by working together, we can create the best outcomes for children, young people, and their networks. This is a model we can be proud of and one that truly belongs to all of us.

Liverpool City Council’s Children and Young People’s Service is on a transformative journey. We’ve launched our Children’s Workforce Academy, a centre of excellence driving high-quality practice and innovation across the whole children’s system. We are building a future-focused, supportive culture that nurtures professionals, builds capability, and ensures every child receives the best possible care and support. Our model of practice – “Our City, Our Children, Together” – is more than a vision, it’s a promise. A promise to work restoratively, build trust and collaboration, and ensure children’s voices guide everything we do. As a Practice Lead, you’ll be the key in making that promise a reality.

Are you ready to be part of a bold, ambitious transformation in children’s services? Do you believe in the power of strong relationships, restorative practice and putting children and families at the heart of everything we do? Join us at Liverpool City Council, where our commitment to “Our City, Our Children, Together” shapes not just our values, but every aspect of how we work.

The Role:

• This is a 12 month fixed term contract role to support the continued improvement of service delivery to our SEND workforce and our Children with Disabilities workforce
• We are seeking an enthusiastic and experienced registered children’s social worker, ideally a Practice Educator (or willing to work towards the qualification), with a passion for supporting others and championing excellence across our SEND and Children with Disabilities practice system.
  In this vital learning and development role, you will:
• The Practice Lead will deliver robust and creative learning programme for our social work and alternatively qualified workforce
• Support the delivery of the Families First Partnership Programme with specific reference to SEND and Children with Disabilities as we embark of significant national Social Care and SEND reform
• The role of Practice Lead will lead training, learning and development sessions that are dynamic, evidence-informed, and aligned to our Children’s Workforce Academy Operating Model
• Act as a visible advocate for excellent, relationship-based practice and advocate our Model of Practice ‘Our City, Our Children, Together’
• Support our Children’s Workforce Academy faculties and implement our Children and Young People’s Workforce Strategy, ensuring every practitioner is equipped and empowered to deliver impact across our SEND and Children with Disabilities practice system
• The Practice Lead will contribute to quality assurance and practice improvement activity through coaching, mentoring and reflective supervision/practice

• You’ll be confident, motivated and collaborative, with a drive to inspire others and improve outcomes for children and young people. If you’ve mentored and supported colleagues before and thrive on creating positive, meaningful change, then we want to hear from you!

  This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure Application to the Disclosure and Barring Service and up to date registration with Social Work England as a qualified Social Worker.

This role is fixed term for the purpose of assisting in enabling the service to provide full support to the SEND workforce with ongoing learning development and training and will end in 12 months.

Our offer to you:

• At least 27 days holiday, plus bank holidays rising to 32 after 5 years’ service (pro rata if part time) - option to purchase further days
• Agile working (role dependent) - a “Flexibility First” approach to agile working, where flexibility is the norm rather than the exception
• Part of the Local Government Pension Scheme – option to join the AVC Scheme
• Progression - opportunities and training through a wide range of high quality learning
• Health and Wellbeing - offer including Employee Assistance Programme
• Cycle to Work and Travel Pass Schemes
• Drive Time – a salary sacrifice car lease scheme
• Family friendly policies with enhanced leave
• Discounted Gym Memberships
• Employee Volunteering Scheme
• Medicash

Next steps:
Closing date: midnight Sunday 16 November 2025
Shortlisting date: Monday 17 November 2025
Interview date: Monday 1 December 2025
Interview type: Face to Face Interview

We reserve the right to close vacancies earlier than the specified date should we receive sufficient applications. If interested, please complete an application as early as possible.

Please note: this vacancy is classified as a politically restricted position.

If you would like any further information or an informal discussion, please contact Paul Elliott, Head of Service – Workforce Development and Learning paul.elliott@liverpool.gov.uk or Harriet Cadman, Recruitment and Retention Lead harriet.cadman@liverpool.gov.uk

Watch our recruitment video and see what life is like working at Liverpool City Council.

Liverpool City Council is committed to fostering a workforce representative of the communities we serve. As an Equal Opportunities Employer, we believe in appointing candidates based on their skills, experience, qualifications, and abilities. To support this commitment, we guarantee an interview to candidates from under-represented groups who meet the minimum essential criteria for the role.

If you require any reasonable adjustments in line with the Equality Act 2010, such as an application form in a different format or additional time to complete your application, please contact us at recruitment@liverpool.gov.uk.

Although we advertise on Jobs Go Public, and other websites, your application process will be directed to our Tribepad system. Please note that all communication regarding your application for this post will be sent to the email address that you have registered on Tribepad, including your invite to interview if you are shortlisted. Please check your emails regularly, including Spam/Junk, after the closing dates for notifications. Please ensure you complete your full profile, work and education history in Tribepad.

Eligibility to work in the UK will be verified in the final stages of the selection process. All candidates must either already have a right to work in the UK before commencing employment or meet the Home Office criteria for Visa sponsorship. Candidates who require sponsorship should evaluate the Home Office eligibility criteria for a Skilled Worker visa before applying.

Please be advised it is our understanding that this role does not meet the requirements of a skilled worker visa as set out by UK Visa and Immigration https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-eligible-occupations/skilled-worker-visa-eligible-occupations-and-codes . For details regarding the salary of a skilled worker visa please visit Home Office: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/skilled-worker-visa-immigration-salary-list/skilled-worker-visa-immigration-salary-list

This is not legal advice, and we advise you to seek your own independent legal advice tailored to your own personal circumstances.