Social Work Team Manager - Fostering

• Keep apprised of the changing contexts, research, practice theories and statutory procedures that govern child protection work 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.
• Provide specialist social work and child protection knowledge and advice to the team, service, and other multi-agency professionals that helps them better understand the diverse experiences the children and young people have that we work with and support.
• To liaise, network, influence, and coordinate with other multi-agency partners to provide the best level of multi-disciplinary support to the children and families we work with.
• Represent the local authority in a professional and competent matter, especially when making representations at court, with families, or with other agencies.
• Work within the Council’s policies, procedures, values, and code of conduct at all times and to help ensure others within the team are aware of and follow these expectations.
• Ensure that timely response and action is carried out by the team to any contacts, referrals, allocations, complaints, information requests, child protection enquiries, court directives received, and plans for children.
• To 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.
• Maintain regular supervision and appraisal of worker performance in the team that includes case management oversight, timely decision making, the effective implementation of children’s plans, reflective space, respectful challenge, recognising areas of good and weak practice, and supports the ongoing learning and development of workers.
• Regularly audit and review case work and records so that case notes are contemporaneous and sufficiently detailed, case summaries and chronologies are up to date, assessments and reports are completed to a good standard and are holistic, that plans are being actioned and monitored for progress, contingency plans are in place and utilised when necessary, the voice and best interest of the child is consistently evident, and decision making takes place at key points in the planning and review process for children.

• CQSW, DipSW, BA Social Work of equivalent professional qualification.
• At least 1 years’ experience of supervising professional staff.
• Knowledge of relevant childcare legislation.
• Ability to travel independently to all required areas by the job’s responsibilities.
• Experience with, or a willingness to be trained and learn, the Signs of Safety practice model and support this approach in all aspects of the work carried out by the team.
• Previous management or supervisory responsibilities of other practitioners working with children and families.

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