Social Worker- Practice Assurance Lead

Role: Social Worker

Location: Wandsworth Borough Council

Team: Children's Services 

Pay: Up to £58,893 

Contract: Permanent 

In the office: Hybrid

OFSTED: Good

Wandsworth Borough Council is seeking a passionate and experienced Qualified Social Worker to take on the role of Practice Development Lead within our Children’s Services Team. If you are committed to improving outcomes for children and families and excel in relationship-based practice, we want to hear from you!

About the Role

As the Practice Development Lead, you will be a key figure within our Practice & Learning Service, facilitating and coordinating the continuous improvement of practice quality in line with our Outstanding Practice Framework. This role involves working across all Children’s Services teams to develop, embed, and lead our quality assurance framework, ensuring that we deliver the highest standards of practice.

You will have the opportunity to shape what outstanding practice looks like for children and families in Wandsworth, contributing to learning episodes such as audits, dip-sampling, thematic practice reviews, and multi-agency audits. Your insights will be critical in analyzing key themes and learning from practice assurance activities, and you will share these messages in engaging and creative ways with practitioners, managers, senior leaders, and multi-agency partners.

Key Responsibilities

  • Lead the development and implementation of quality assurance frameworks across Early Help and Children’s Social Care, ensuring practice meets outstanding standards

  • Conduct regular practice assurance activities to gather insights from those experiencing practice, emphasizing their voices in shaping our understanding of practice impact

  • Collaborate closely with colleagues in safeguarding, policy and performance, inspection readiness, and workforce and learning (social care academy)

  • Analyze complex information to extract meaningful insights and communicate findings in an accessible manner

  • Foster collaborative relationships with teams, services, senior leaders, and partner agencies to drive continuous improvement in practice quality

  • Stay closely connected to frontline practice while maintaining a holistic view of the practice system to support both individual and organizational development

Essential Qualifications, Skills, and Experience

  • Qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England, with substantial experience in leading and managing social work practice

  • Proven track record in leading effective quality assurance of practice, with a strong commitment to achieving the best outcomes for children and families

  • Excellent analytical skills with a keen eye for detail, capable of making sense of complex information and translating it into clear, digestible messages

  • Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to build collaborative relationships across teams and with senior leaders

  • Demonstrated understanding and application of anti-discriminatory and anti-racist practices in social work

  • Awareness of local and national priorities, policies, and guidance that shape social work practice

What We Offer

  • Competitive annual salary of up to £58,893

  • A supportive and collaborative work environment

  • Opportunities for professional development and growth

  • A chance to make a significant impact on children and families within the Wandsworth community

Why choose Sheldon Phillips to find your next role? It's simple: we're not pushy or overly persistent. We understand that you want to be heard. Our priority is to proactively seek the roles you desire, not just the ones that benefit us financially.

Our success comes from making your job search our top priority.

Interested in learning more about the Social Worker role in Wandsworth? Contact Rhys Rafferty at 01635 226350.

Plus, refer a friend to us, and if we place them, you'll receive a generous £300 referral bonus (terms and conditions apply).