Job Description

Your New Organisation

Children Services - OFSTED RATING 2024 – GOOD

“Many workers have chosen to both live and work in Southend. They have seen positive cultural changes in the organisation and describe Southend as not just being a good place to live but now also a good place to work.”

“Social workers speak with warmth and knowledge about the children and families they support”

CPD

“The training and development offered in Southend is comprehensive and equips staff effectively to deliver their work with children and families.

LEADERS INPUT

“Leaders understand their local communities and have used this knowledge strategically and effectively to meet children’s needs”

Our vision is A Southend Where All Children Achieve Success By joining Southend City Council as a Team Manager you will be key in making our vision a reality for all children. You will be joining a service where we demonstrate with pride that:

• All paths lead back to the child.
• We spend time getting to know each child and their story.
• We do what we say we're going to do.
• We work with the whole family.
• No matter what, we aim to make things better.

Your new role

Southend City Council are looking to appoint a full-time, permanent Children Looked After Team Manager to ensure that the Council provides a first-class professional service within the social work team, by being responsible for the efficient and cost-effective provision of needs-led services to children, young people and their families.

The new Team Manager will provide formal, professional supervision to their team, comprising Senior Practitioners, Social Workers, Children & Families Workers, ensuring that appraisals are undertaken and identifying skills gaps or training needs.

They will support their team in the provision of services to children and young people, ensuring that child protection enquiries, assessments and support services are consistently completed to a high standard. Ensuring consistent interpretation of eligibility criteria and risk thresholds within the service, implementing service strategy and performance management processes & ensuring the team’s contribution to the overall departmental and Council objectives.

Other responsibilities

• Keep apprised of the changing contexts, research, practice theories and statutory procedures that govern work with children looked after and young people leaving care, at the local and national level, and to implement these within the team.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of local policies and service improvement strategies and support their implementation within the team and service.
• Liaise, network, influence, and coordinate with other multi-agency partners to provide the best level of multidisciplinary support for children looked after.
• Represent the local authority in a professional and competent manner, especially when making representations in court, with families, or with other agencies.
• Ensure the practice and management oversight of all work and performance in the team is compliant with relevant laws, statutory guidance, and local procedures that govern children’s safeguarding, adult safeguarding, the social work profession, health and safety employment law, human rights, and data protection
• Chair strategy, review, planning, professional, and network meetings as required.
• To be available after hours as necessary to support workers who may be dealing with crises and casework responsibilities to safeguard young adults.
• Other duties as required are necessary to carry out the smooth functioning of the service and to meet our corporate parenting and safeguarding responsibilities to children.

Within this position, hybrid working opportunities are available. However, you are required to be on-site at the Civic Centre a minimum of 3 days a week.

What you'll need to succeed

To be successful in this position, you must have a recognised Social Work qualification and be registered with Social Work England and have completed your ASYE.

As a minimum, you are required to have previous management or supervisory responsibilities of other practitioners working within children's front line services, mainly Children Looked After.

As the Team Manager, you will be responsible for the oversight and support of a CLA team. You will have extensive knowledge of methods of social work intervention, child protection and looked after children. You will have knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation, regulations & key government initiatives and framework for the assessment of children in need and their families.

Knowledge of the principles of performance management and knowledge of equal opportunities issues in relation to staff and client management.

What you'll get in return

When joining the council, you can enjoy a range of benefits including: 25 days annual leave, flexible working and excellent training and development opportunities. They are committed to ensuring that you are supported in this varied and challenging role with the appropriate level of training. A full list of benefits provided by Southend Council can be viewed on the "Why Work For Us?" tab.

What you need to do now

If you are interested in this role, please click 'apply online' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV.

If you would like a copy the Job Description, please click here

If you are wanting further information that isn't in the JD, please contact Nathalie Nathalie.s@hays.com

Please note: Applications for this vacancy may close prior to the date advertised above so you are advised to apply as soon as you are able to.

All applicants for this role will require an enhanced DBS check.

The Council is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications, regardless of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, age or religion or belief.