Job title: Social Work Team Manager

Salary: £48,474.00 - £51,515.04

Contract: Permanent 

Internal vacancy. Applications will only be considered from existing Leeds City Council employees.

The Integrated Safeguarding Unit are recruiting for a full time Team Manager for the Dedicated Social Work Team at HMYOI Wetherby.

This is an exciting and unique opportunity to work with young people to promote their wellbeing, ensure their voices are heard and that they are kept safe in custody. HMYOI Wetherby currently holds both males and females aged 15-18 who are either remanded to youth detention accommodation or sentenced to custody. The Dedicated Social Work Team work with some of the most complex young people in the country to ensure that they are safeguarded, supported and they understand their rights and entitlements whilst in custody. We are seeking a Team Manager to lead and inspire the team and drive restorative practice in a secure environment. You will role-model skills in advocacy, relationship-building, challenge and complex multi-agency working, and demonstrate your social work values and focus throughout your work. You will be a key link between HMYOI Wetherby and external agencies and will look to bring best practice from the community into the prison setting. You will also be supported to be creative in providing new initiatives for the young people, and the Social Work Team have led on the introduction of a parkrun within Wetherby, the Clear Approach Programme for care-experienced young people and a ‘Time Out for Dads’ parenting course.

For a discussion about the role please contact Nicole Woodward, Service Delivery Manager, on 0113 3784822.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.

A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check against the Children’s barred list will be carried out on preferred candidates. Read our recruitment of ex-offenders policy.

We promote diversity and want a workforce that reflects the population of Leeds and the communities we serve. Leeds City Council is recognised in Stonewall’s Workplace Equality Index 2024. We are also an Age-friendly Employer, a Mindful Employer and a Disability Confident Leader.

All new Leeds City Council appointments are made subject to the satisfactory completion of a six month probationary period.

This role is based in the UK. Employment is conditional on confirmation of the right to work in the UK  - either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa. If you do not have the right to work in the UK and the role does not meet eligibility for sponsorship, please consider carefully whether you meet the eligibility to apply.

Job Description

Job Purpose: The role of the Team Manager is to lead, motivate and direct a 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. To be the key contact and advisor on safeguarding at a local level.

The role will work as part of a team within a health and social care setting, maintaining effective relationships with other colleagues, Elected Members, service users, families, carers, and other agencies.  

The post will initially be based community based. However, the post holder may be required as part of their duties to work in other locations throughout the city to effectively deliver their duties.

Responsibilities

• Direct, manage and motivate a locally or service based social work team, including managing caseload levels through appropriately allocated, planned, and supervised work. This will be critically evaluated and reviewed, monitoring performance within statutory timescales ensuing regulatory compliance and high quality service delivery outcomes.
• 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 social care legal and guidance requirements, policy, procedures, and practice standards.
• Ensure that formal processes, for example proceedings in the child and family courts or Fostering and Adoption panel processes are instigated and managed appropriately in line with the best interests of the child.
• Take a lead on Safeguarding including Safer recruitment, the requirements of Children Act 1989 & 2004, Working Together 2010 and any subsequent legal version updates to ensure a child friendly and child focused approach.
• Ensure services meet regulatory requirements as required.
• Act as key contact and provide advice to local professionals, families, elected members and other agencies on child protection law and proceedings.
• Lead on liaison with Police, health and education colleagues in agreeing and applying procedures for action where children may be at risk.
• Provide regular reflective supervision and appraisal to staff members maintaining supervision and appraisal records using the appropriate documentation and associated guidance.
• 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.
• Actively promote the effective use of resources and to manage appropriate financial resources within available budgets and within Council Financial Procedures.
• Instigate and manage quality assurance activity in accordance with practice standards including, for example Case File Audits; 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.
• Manage and deal with complaints in the most efficient and effective manner whilst following any statutory guidance around time frames.
• Resolve complex and extremely challenging situations through using the principles of restorative practice.
• 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., Adoption Panel, Child Protection Conferences, Family Court Hearings and Fostering Panels.
• 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 and area 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 at cluster / area or City Wide level 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 families, children and young people and represent Children’s Services at key professional forums.
• Undertake investigations under the disciplinary procedures of the Council as and when appropriate.
• Be flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required, commensurate to grade.
• Participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up-to-date knowledge and skills.
• Improve own practice through observation, evaluation, discussion and development programmes.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, knowing when to seek help and advice.
• Contribute to the overall ethos, work and aims of the service by attending relevant meetings, training days and events as requested.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds City Council policies and procedures such as child protection, equality, diversity and inclusion, health, safety and security, confidentiality and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.
• Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all by working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding and promoting the values, standards and equality and diversity of Leeds City Council
• Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment or victimisation and any form of abuse of equality and diversity, ensuring compliance with relevant policies and procedures
• Maintain your own Social Work England Registration and continual, professional development (CPD) requirements.
• The postholder is expected to work within the parameters of the council’s flexibility protocol.
• 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.

Qualifications

The post requires an appropriate professional qualification (DipSW, Degree, CQSW or equivalent). 

You should be registered with Social Work England upon commencement of the post and maintain registration

PERSONAL SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS: It is essential that the Candidate should be able to demonstrate the following criteria for the post within the context of the specific role duties and responsibilities:  Candidates will only be shortlisted for interview if they can demonstrate on the application form that they meet all the essential requirements

Method of Assessment will be through one or more of the following Application Form, Test, Interview, and Certificate

Skills Required

• Able to work flexibly across different work locations and areas as appropriate. 
• 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 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 practice.
• 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 understand how this meets the business needs of the Department.
• Able to demonstrate skills in risk management and assessment 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 performance data and 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 families, children and young people.
• Able to develop constructive working relationships with other partners, agencies, internal and external professionals.
• Able to develop, manage, motivate, and lead a Children’s Social Work team and offer appropriate professional supervision, giving clear and specific guidance on performance.
• Able to manage caseloads and supervise the caseloads of others.IT skills.

Knowledge Required

• DipSw or Equivalent.
• Safeguarding good practices including safer recruitment procedures, paramountcy principle, requirements of the Children’s Act 2004 and Working Together to Safeguard Children 2018and subsequent legal updates.
• Developments in Social work best practice, professional practice, and legislation.

Experience Required

• Providing supervision for staff and/or students.
• Post qualification experience.
• Developing inter-agency and multi-disciplinary approaches to issues.
• Management of multi-agency work.
• Developing new approaches to work related issues.

Behavioural & other Characteristics required

• Understand and embraceLeeds City Council Values and Behavioursand codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering theBest City Ambitionof 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 ensuring equality for all, working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding, equality & diversity. 
• 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.

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