Head of Services for Children and Families
The Role
Do you want to help reduce and prevent the need for children in Wandsworth to be taken into care?
Does the sound of supporting children to build bright and stable futures for themselves appeal to you?
Would you like to spend every day at work knowing that you have made a difference in the lives of children and young people in Wandsworth?
If yes, we have the perfect role for you!
We are looking to recruit a Head of Services for Families and Communities to join our Wandsworth Children’s Service and play a central role in achieving positive outcomes for children and young people!
About the Service
There are over 60,000 children and young adults currently living in Wandsworth. In October last year, 1,731 were in need of specialist children’s services. We have some difficult challenges ahead of us, but we are an ambitious, united and driven team who are working together to safeguard the most vulnerable children in Wandsworth. It is with this resolve and determination to do the right thing, that we are inviting an experienced manager to join us.
The aim of the services managed is to provide specialist, intensive, targeted support to children and families in order to reduce or prevent the need for children to be taken into care. This successful candidate will work with Heads of Service in the Children and Families Division and the Assistant Director for Early Help to ensure services for children and families on the edge of care work effectively with statutory and early help services and that effective step up and step-down arrangements are in place.
About the role
It’s a role where you will have responsibility for the strategic leadership and effective delivery of specialist multi-agency and multi-disciplinary services for children and families.
You will have responsibility for front-door activities, two family centres and a contact centre as well as be responsible for supporting the Assistant Director in their strategic oversight of missing and CSE work across the Division and ensuring that consistent, high quality practice is embedded in relation to CSE and missing children and young people across the Division.
The successful candidate will also ensure effective performance management of the service to ensure improved outcomes for children and young people. The intention is to develop and lead the service to become a best practice example of innovative work with children and families
How to apply?
To be considered for interview your CV and supporting statement must address the requirements listed in attached Job Profile located at the bottom of the advert.
For an informal discussion about the role please contact Paul Angeli by email Paul.Angeli@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk
Benefits
The Shared Staffing Arrangement aims to be at the forefront of innovation in local government and the organisation will invest in your development and ensure the opportunities for progression that only a large organisation can provide
In return, we can offer you working arrangements that will enhance your work-life balance including a generous holiday allowance of 31 days plus bank holidays (pro rata). In addition, we offer a range of staff benefits such as membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, childcare vouchers, new technology scheme, interest-free loans on annual travel cards, discounts at many leisure activities, restaurants, shops and other establishments. A wide range of developmental opportunities is also offered.
Indicative Recruitment Timeline
- Closing Date: 11:59pm on 10th January 2020
- Interview Date: TBC
Useful Information
Please note that these dates are only indicative at this stage and could be subject to change. The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Equality Statement
Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.
Important Information:
This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaces the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).
Richmond and Wandsworth Councils