Lead Family Practitioner

Virtual Bridges, Inc.; United Kingdom; On-site; GBP 34,000 - GBP 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading family assessment center in the United Kingdom is seeking a Lead Practitioner to oversee operations and provide leadership in a therapeutic residential setting. This role requires extensive experience in child and family services, with a strong emphasis on safeguarding and management readiness. Applicants should demonstrate high standards of communication and leadership skills while maintaining a therapeutic focus to ensure safety and quality in assessments. Flexibility to work various shifts and a commitment to regulatory standards are essential.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience within residential, assessment-based, or child and family services.
• Demonstrated leadership capability and readiness for management responsibility.
• Advanced safeguarding knowledge and professional judgement.

Responsibilities

• Lead shifts ensuring safe staffing and clear allocation of duties.
• Provide oversight of assessment activity for quality adherence.
• Act as key escalation point for safeguarding concerns.

Skills

Leadership capability

Advanced safeguarding knowledge

Strong decision-making skills

Organisational and problem-solving skills

High standards of written and verbal communication

Job description

Salary: £40,000 per annum
Service: Residential Family Assessment Centre (Banstead)
Reports to: Deputy Manager / Registered Manager

Role Purpose

The Lead Practitioner / Pre-Management role is a senior operational and practice leadership position within this beautiful therapeutic residential family centre. The post holder acts as a bridge between frontline practice and management, providing consistent leadership across shifts while maintaining a strong therapeutic and assessment focus. This role is designed for experienced practitioners who demonstrate readiness for management responsibility and the ability to oversee complex practice, safeguard babies effectively, and support the quality and consistency of assessment work across the service. The Lead Practitioner plays a critical role in ensuring that the organisation’s values, ethos, and regulatory requirements are embedded into daily practice.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Leadership and Shift Management

• Lead shifts across the residential service, ensuring safe staffing levels, clear allocation of duties, and consistent routines
• Coordinate rotas and staffing arrangements as required, responding flexibly to operational needs
• Act as the senior point of contact during shifts for practice, safeguarding, and operational issues
• Ensure the physical and emotional environment remains safe, calm, and therapeutic

Practice Oversight and Quality Assurance

• Provide oversight of assessment activity, ensuring consistency, quality, and adherence to the organisation’s outlined assessment framework
• Review records, observations, and assessment evidence to ensure they meet organisational and regulatory standards
• Identify themes, strengths, and areas for improvement within practice
• Support the implementation of service improvements based on learning and quality assurance findings

Safeguarding Leadership and Risk Management

• Act as a key escalation point for safeguarding concerns, incidents, or emerging risks
• Exercise advanced professional judgement in managing complex safeguarding situations
• Ensure safeguarding actions are implemented, recorded, and reviewed appropriately
• Support staff to understand safeguarding thresholds, risk management strategies, and professional accountability

Staff Leadership, Development and Support

• Provide leadership, guidance, and mentoring to Senior Practitioners and wider staff teams
• Support staff development through coaching, reflective discussions, and practice modelling
• Contribute to induction, training, and ongoing professional development activity
• Support performance management processes under the guidance of senior management

Multi‑Disciplinary and Professional Engagement

• Liaise with external professionals, including social workers and partner agencies, as required
• Support effective information sharing and professional communication in line with statutory guidance
• Represent the service professionally in meetings or discussions under management direction

Governance, Inspection Readiness and Continuous Improvement

• Support senior leaders with audits, monitoring, and service reviews
• Contribute to inspection preparation and regulatory readiness
• Support the embedding of learning from incidents, audits, and feedback
• Promote a culture of transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement

Professional Standards and Conduct

• Adhere to all of the organisation’s policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements
• Maintain high standards of professional conduct, boundaries, and confidentiality
• Uphold and actively promote the organisation’s values, therapeutic ethos, and professional standards
• Demonstrate leadership behaviours consistent with the organisation’s expectations of future managers

Essential Requirements

• Extensive experience within residential, assessment‑based, or child and family services
• Demonstrated leadership capability and readiness for management responsibility
• Advanced safeguarding knowledge and professional judgement
• Strong decision‑making, organisational, and problem‑solving skills
• Ability to oversee complex practice while maintaining a therapeutic approach
• High standards of written and verbal communication

Desirable Requirements

• Formal leadership or management training
• Experience contributing to audits, quality assurance, or service development
• Aspiration to progress into a Deputy Manager or Registered Manager role

Additional Information

• This role requires flexibility to work shifts, including evenings, weekends, and bank holidays
• All appointments are subject to enhanced DBS clearance and safer recruitment checks