Service Manager | Children in Care and Young People

Service Manager | Children in Care and Young People Team | Wiltshire

Contract –

We require an experienced Service Manager to work within a Children in Care and Young People Team based in Wiltshire. To be successful for this role, you are required to have a minimum of 2 years recent Social Work experience of working within a Children in Care and Young People Team.

This post is part of the senior management team for Families and Children’s Service which has made excellent progress on its improvement journey to transform the lives of vulnerable children and young people in line with the Council’s business plan.

This post leads the Children in Care and Young People’s Service and works with families and young people who are on the edge of care, in care, carer leavers, and those involved in the youth justice system, displaying significantly risky behaviours, missing or being exploited.

The service is responsible for ensuring that children and young people who are looked after, care leavers, involved in the youth justice system or being exploited are provided with intervention and support to best meet their needs and to ensure they have the best opportunities to succeed in life.

We are dedicated to working in partnership with others developing new ways of engaging with our children, young people and their families and communities to improve their outcomes by ensuring that we build resilience and work as one team.

This post has responsibility for the following services:

• Young people service – youth offending team, no wrong door, emerald team
• Virtual school and vulnerable groups including CME and CMOE and care leavers up to the age of 25
• Children in care and placements and liaison with Adoption West as strategic lead for adoption work

The impact of this service is to ensure that children have:

• placement stability
• permanence
• good health and  are happy
• reduced risk 
• improved resilience
• the opportunity to thrive
• positive educational outcomes

A head of service with sole responsibility for a large corporate function or significant service to include an equal split of both operational and strategic responsibilities.

• Will be the council’s lead professional in the function or will be managing a significant service which has wide impact across the whole council.
• Will include managing significant risk for the council.
• Will typically have large operational teams and/or significant budget.
• Will report to an associate director and be working independently.
• Roles at this level will be the exception and there will not be more than one L3 post within the function/service area.
• It is likely that these roles will be complex and managing large numbers of staff, therefore you would not expect the whole of these services to be delivered via contracts.

To apply for this role you must have:

• A relevant Social Work qualification (BA/MA Social Work/DipSW or equivalent)
• Be HCPC Registered
• Up to date and proven knowledge of relevant legislation & guidance in relation to working with children in need, children with disabilities, looked after children and the safeguarding and protection of children & young people
• Extensive post-qualification management experience in statutory children’s social care
• A track record of developing successful multi-disciplinary teams
• Proven experience of LAC procedures including fostering and adoption
• Knowledge of requirement for supporting services through inspections (e.g. Ofsted, HMICFRS)

Salary is £500 - £550 per day.

4Recruitment Services is a specialist recruitment agency for Qualified Social Workers and Healthcare professionals. We offer:

• An excellent referral scheme of £250 for each successfully placed referral
• Training opportunities and professional development
• One on one specialist Social Work consultant care based within your geographical area
• 4Recruitment Services Employee Benefits Programme

Recruitment is done in line with safe recruitment practices. 4Recruitment Services is an equal opportunities employer.

To discuss this vacancy or other Social Work vacancies in your area please contact Ethan Leuii on 0208 911 1083.