Children's Practitioner for Transitions

Application closing date

14/12/2025

Working Pattern

As specified

Salary

Grade G £32,115-£35,235 a year

Contractual hours

37

Basis

Full time

Job category/type

Social Care - Children

Attachments

Blank

Job description

Directorate: People Services

Salary: Grade G £32,115-£35,235

Hours: 37 hours a week

Contract Type: Fixed Term for 2 years

Location The Council House

Step into a role where every conversation, every moment of support, and every connection you build can change the course of a young person's life. As a Staying Close Children's Practitioner for Transitions, you'll be part of a service that empowers young people leaving care to move confidently into independence, knowing they have someone in their corner who genuinely cares.

In this role, you'll have the opportunity to grow your career within a supportive, forward-thinking team that values creativity, compassion, and professional development. The Staying Close Children's Practitioner for Transitions position offers the chance to work closely with young people at one of the most pivotal points in their lives, helping them to develop resilience, life skills, and a sense of belonging as they navigate their next steps.

If you're motivated by making a meaningful difference and want to be part of a service that celebrates progress and champions potential, the Staying Close Children's Practitioner for Transitions role provides a rewarding environment where your contribution truly matters

The Opportunity

In the role of Children's Practitioner for Transitions, here's an example of what you'll be doing to make an impact:

• Build consistent, trusting relationships with young people as they move from residential care into independent living.

• Offer practical and emotional support to help them develop confidence, life skills, and stability during this key transition.

• Work alongside residential homes, community services, and other professionals to ensure each young person has a strong, coordinated support network.

• Help young people understand their choices, plan for their future, and overcome barriers that may affect their wellbeing or independence.

• Provide regular guidance, check-ins, and advocacy so young people feel heard, valued, and supported throughout their journey.

• Adapt your approach to meet individual needs, recognising that each young person's story, pace, and goals will be different.

About You

To be successful in this role, you'll ideally have...

This Transition post provides an exciting opportunity to work with care experienced young people as part of an initial 2-year contract funded by the Department for Education under a Staying Close.

As part of the Staying Close project the successful applicant will be expected to demonstrate that they have a working knowledge and experience of directly supporting vulnerable young people and be able to deliver direct 1-1 sessions covering independence and life skills to care experienced young people. You will be providing practical, emotional, social, financial advice and support to young people both preparing to leave care and those who have left care to enable them to make a successful transition to adulthood and independence. Transition workers will work exclusively with a small group of young people on the Staying Close project.

Essential Skills & Qualifications

• A relevant qualification in social care, youth work, education, health, or another related field or equivalent practical experience supporting young people.

• Strong communication skills, with the ability to build trust and form positive, supportive relationships.

• Confidence in working independently and managing your own caseload and time effectively.

• Ability to identify risks, use sound judgment, and make safe, appropriate decisions in challenging situations.

• Good organisational skills, including accurate record-keeping and the ability to maintain consistent contact with young people.

• Basic digital skills, including the ability to write reports, use email, and maintain online records.

Essential Experience

• Experience working directly with young people, ideally those facing vulnerability, transition, or change.

• Experience offering emotional and practical support in a person-centred way.

Essential Soft Skills

• Empathy, patience, and the ability to remain calm and supportive under pressure.

• A flexible, solution-focused approach with the ability to adapt to different needs and personalities.

• A commitment to safeguarding and promoting the wellbeing of young people

Who We Are

Here at Derby City Council, we're dedicated to delivering nearly 250 first-class services to citizens and businesses in the heart of the Midlands. People are at the centre of all that we do, and we have an outstanding track record of recruiting and developing talented individuals by providing them with varied and fulfilling career opportunities. Find out more about what it's like to work for us.

What We Offer

You too could be part of something brilliant by becoming a colleague at Derby City Council; in addition to making a difference to the lives of people across the city, you'll also receive:

• Flexible work/life balance scheme
• Hybrid working
• Continued professional development opportunities & career conversations
• 27 days annual leave (rising to 32 days after 5 years' service), plus bank holidays
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Team Derby Rewards – retail and leisure discounts
• Tusker Car Benefit Scheme
• Cycle2Work Scheme & free cycle training
• Employee Assistance Programme, Wellbeing Calendar and Support
• Access to our Equality Employee Networks – LGBTQ+, Disabled Employee Network & Carers and our Black, Asian & Minority Ethnic Employee Support Network and Neurodiversity Network
• Support for colleagues who are carers

Next Steps

If you would like to apply for this vacancy via an application form, please submit an application via the Derby City Council website.

This vacancy will close on 14th December 2025 at midnight. Any applications received after this date will not be accepted.

Interviews will take place on 13th & 14th January 2026

Important Information

Links to the full Job Description and Person Specification are below.

As part of our safer recruitment checks the successful candidate will be subject to an enhanced DBS check.

All employees will normally be appointed to the minimum of the grade for the job.

Before you complete your application, please read our guidance on filling in your application form.

Remember to align your personal statement to the essential criteria in the Person Specification.

Please be aware that where there are colleagues within the organisation who are 'at risk' of redundancy, requirements to redeploy to another suitable role will apply and take priority.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

We are a fair and inclusive employer and welcome applications from people from all backgrounds. We recruit for diversity and value difference. As many of our roles can now be home-based, we are able to offer more opportunities for people who need this facility.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. If you are a disabled person, you have the choice to apply under our Guaranteed Interview Scheme so long as you demonstrate that you meet the essential requirements for the job.

We feel it is essential that we recruit a talented workforce that is as diverse as the community we work for.

Please let us know of any individual requirements or reasonable adjustments you may have during the application, interview, or onboarding process and we'll do all we can to help. We strongly believe in social understanding of disability and for us it's all about removing barriers to equality.

If you have any questions regarding this vacancy or are having difficulty applying, please contact our Recruitment Team on Relay UK or