Team Manager - Fostering - Req24699

Leeds is a large, vibrant city with a great diversity of communities, including some areas of significant deprivation. We are looking for applicants from all backgrounds with the right level of knowledge, skills and experience. The successful candidate will be creative and passionate about improving the outcomes for children and young people, and who can commit to our culture of restorative practice and family decision-making.

As our next postholder you'll lead and motivate your team of professionals to deliver a high standard of social work, which places the child at the heart of everything we do, while ensuring that the responsibilities of the local authority are being met.

It's the Team Manager's responsibilitly to facilitate the effective recruitment of foster carers for Leeds City Council, by leading on key recruitment and retention activity and managing the staff who undertake these roles., Lead, motivate and direct a discrete team of professional social work staff to deliver a high standard of social work, which places the child at the centre and ensure that statutory duties and responsibilities of the Local Authority are being met. Enable the effective recruitment and assessment of foster carers for the local authority. Lead on key recruitment and retention activity and manage the staff undertaking these roles.,

• Directing, managing, and motivating a team of assessing social workers, including managing caseload levels through appropriately allocated, planned and supervised work which will be critically evaluated and reviewed, monitoring performance and ensuing compliance and high-quality service delivery outcomes.


• Manging the social work assistants within the team who support the recruitment and enrichment work.


• Assist in the development and promotion of services and practice improvements which are designed to mitigate risk and provide qualitative improvement to the outcomes for children.


• Act as an exemplar in knowledge of recruitment of foster carers, fostering regulations and the effective running of Fostering Panels, social care legal and guidance requirements, policy, procedures, and practice standards.


• Ensure that formal processes are instigated and managed appropriately in line with the best interests of the child.


• Where appropriate, ensure services meet regulatory requirements.


• Act as the key advisory contact for the ADM, Panel Chairs and other members of the department to support the effective running of Fostering Panels.


• Undertake the role of Panel Advisor as required.


• Lead on liaison with Social work colleagues in agreeing and applying procedures for action where children may be at risk.


• Provide regular supervision and appraisal to staff members maintaining supervision and appraisal records using the appropriate documentation and associated guidance.


• Provide appropriate support and mentoring to less experienced social workers ensuring they have a clear understanding of the expectations of the role and receive appropriate development opportunities.


• Actively promote the effective use of resources and to manage appropriate financial resources within available budgets within Council Financial Procedures and Standing Orders.


• Instigate and manage quality assurance activity in accordance with practice standards including, for example Case File Audits and foster carers experiences of support service provision in Leeds; ensure that improvements and corrective actions are highlighted and implemented in a timely manner.


• Ensure all case recording meets practice standard guidance in respect of timeliness and quality.


• Promote and instigate appropriate use of information technology, processes and systems in service delivery, maintaining records and management information to ensure efficient and effective service delivery including planning and control.


• Manage and deal with complaints in the most efficient and effective manner.


• Resolve complex and extremely challenging situations through conflict resolution, using counselling and negotiating skills and expertise.


• Proactively manage performance of the team across a range of agreed indicators, prepare appropriate reports and undertake management actions to improve performance, as necessary.


• Deal with all staff management issues promptly including recruitment & selection, probation of new employees, attendance management, staff supervision, performance, grievance or disciplinary issues.


• Undertake quality assurance of all reports to formal panels e.g. fostering panel;


• Contribute to developing and improving Children's Services using a creative and innovative approach to service/partnership development and delivery, taking a lead where required.


• Develop and produce team plans on an annual basis to ensure delivery of a professional child friendly and child focussed service which delivers in line with CYPSC Service plans and Service Improvement Plans and to take a lead on Service Development where appropriate.


• Ensure all Team Plans include clear expectations for the year and set achievable targets which are monitored and reviewed at regular intervals.


• Be a visible member of an integrated management team as appropriate and contribute to departmental, multi-agency Regional and National working groups as required.


• Actively promote and deliver partnership working through integrated practice for effective service delivery, ensuring compliance with joint protocols and provide specialist advice as appropriate to partner agencies and integrated services.


• Liaise and negotiate with other professional groups and agencies involved with children and young people and their families and represent Children's Services at key professional forums.


• Comply with the requirements of all Leeds City Council policies, procedures and staff instructions, including responsibilities under the Health and Safety Policy and Procedures which include, staff safety, on site visits/travel, working environment, fire safety, undertaking display screen and risk assessments.


• Undertake investigations under the disciplinary procedures of the Council as and when appropriate.


• Actively participate in training and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge, skills and competencies.


• Actively promote and support Leeds City Council's and Departmental Policies on Equal Opportunities and to work in an anti-oppressive manner to create a culture that ensures equality and values diversity.


• Provide appropriate support and mentoring to newly qualified social workers ensuring they have a clear understanding of the expectations of the role and receive appropriate development opportunities.


The duties outlined are not meant as an exhaustive list and will also comprise any other duties within the spirit of the post commensurate with the job evaluation outcome for this post.,
• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council Values and Behaviours and codes of conduct.


• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Best City Ambition of Health & Wellbeing, Inclusive Growth and Zero Carbon


• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council equality and diversity policies.


• Carry out all duties having regard to an employee's responsibility under Health and Safety Policies.


• Willingness to actively participate in training and development activities.


• Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade.


• Participate in appraisal, training, and development activities.


• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures.


• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity policies of Leeds City Council.


• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.


• The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.
  
  As a Team Manager, you will bring to the role:


• The ability to ensure high ethical standards by challenging poor practice and using research to inform high standards of excellence.


• Leadership skills including the ability to model a reflective practice approach which facilitates a team culture of evidence based practice.


• Budget management skills and a wider understanding of how this meets the business needs of the Department.


• The ability to develop, manage and motivate the team while offering appropriate supervision, and giving clear guidance on performance based on accountability agreements.


• Advanced negotiating skills to ensure effective solutions to challenging and complex situations., Qualifications: Appropriate social work professional qualification (BSc, BA, MA, DipSW, CQSW, or equivalent) is essential. You should be registered with the Social Work England upon commencement of the post and maintain yearly registration., Able to demonstrate leadership qualities including the ability to model a reflective practice approach which facilitates a team culture of evidence based practice.


• Able to demonstrate the ability to motivate and inspire team members to consistently raise standards in practice.


• Able to empower self and others, including service users, ensuring high ethical standards in practise.


• Able to demonstrate a sound theoretical understanding and the ability to critically apply theory in practice.


• Able to challenge poor practice and use research to inform high standards of excellence.


• Able to pass information effectively, accurately and concisely using a variety of formats.


• Able to manage a budget and have an understanding of how this meets the business needs of the Department.


• Able to demonstrate skills in risk management including the ability to identify indicators of risk and the preventative actions that will address them.


• Able to actively promote the change management agenda at team and area level.


• Able to analyse complex situations and make considered decisions.


• Able to analyse and understand statistical information.


• Able to prepare and present reports on complex issues to a variety of different audiences.


• Able to demonstrate advanced negotiating skills to ensure effective solutions to complex and difficult situations.


• Able to demonstrate a strategic and structured approach at team and area level and an ability to link the work of the team with the business plan.


• Able to contribute to the overall development of services for Children.


• Able to develop constructive working relationships with other Agencies.


• Able to develop, manage, motivate and lead the team and offer appropriate professional supervision, giving clear and specific guidance on performance based on accountability agreements.


• Able to manage caseloads and supervise the caseloads of others.


• Knowledge of safeguarding good practices including safer recruitment procedures, paramountcy principle, and requirements of the Children's Act 2004, Fostering Regulations and National Fostering Minimum Standards and any subsequent legal updates.


• Keep abreast of developments in Social work best practice, professional practice and legislation.


• Experience of providing structured supervision for staff and/or students.


• Post qualification experience.


• Experience of developing inter-agency and multi-disciplinary approaches to issues


• Experience of management of multi-agency work.


• Experience of developing new approaches to work related issues.
  
  Our mission is for Leeds to be the best city to grow up in for all our children and young people. Children's Social Work Services have an upcoming ambitious programme of recruitment and are seeking a Team Manager for our Assessment, Recruitment and Retention Team.


As a Team Manager you'll thrive on leading and motivating your team ensuring high-quality outcomes for the service. The postholder will be responsible for four assessing social workers and four fostering advisors who lead on our recruitment and retention offer to carers, children and young people.

You will be creative and innovative and ready to take the lead on generating ideas to progress our recruitment work. The successful candiate will join a collaborative team consisting of five other Team Managers who manage the teams of supervisory social workers. You will have a robust understanding of fostering and the regulatory context, ideally with direct experience of working in a fostering service.

We are committed to the ambition of Child Friendly Leeds. Through our visions and goals, we invest in children and young people to help build an increasingly prosperous and successful city. We aim to improve outcomes for all our children whilst recognising the need for outcomes to improve faster for children and young people from vulnerable and deprived backgrounds.

Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.


• a competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays


• membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions


• flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements


• a clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities


• a range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further


We provide comprehensive support and training packages at all levels with clear career progression opportunities and were awarded best Social Work Employer in 2019. We can offer continuous support, guidance and reflective supervision allowing you to grow and develop through your career