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Head of Systemic Practice and Specialist Services

Please Note: The application deadline for this job has now passed.

The Role

Can you inspire, encourage, and develop excellent social work practices to make a real difference in the lives of children and young people?

Are you someone who is practice focused and passionate about delivering the best outcomes for children and families?

Would you like to spend every day at work knowing that you have made a positive difference in helping keep families together in Wandsworth?

If yes, we have the perfect role for you!

We are looking to recruit an inspirational, practice focused and passionate Head of Systemic Practice and Specialist Services to join our amazing Children’s Services and help play a central role in achieving positive outcomes for children in Wandsworth!

Our goals and visions

Our goals and vision are all about keeping families together where it is safe to do so. We work with family’s strengths to help them meet the challenges they face alongside supporting our practitioners to do transformational work needed to reduce or prevent the need for children to be taken into care and support the safe return of children home from care.

About the team

You will be joining a friendly and engaging team that is committed to keeping families together by working closely with colleagues and partners in respectful and appreciative ways to help find families strengths to deliver the best possible outcomes for children in the borough.

About the role

Bringing expertise in the field of systemic practices, you will be responsible for developing, promoting, and communicating the practice approach into all aspects of service delivery within children’s social care and early help services. You will be responsible for:

  • managing our Systemic Practice Team, Intensive Intervention Team and Edge of Care Team
  • leading the training and delivery of systemic ideas and practices across children’s services
  • working directly with children and families
  • ensuring effective performance management of the service

Reporting to the Deputy Director you will have a varied role and the chance to make it your own.

To be shortlisted to interview for this position your CV and personal statement (no longer than two sides of A4) will clearly evidence:

  • having a social work qualification and UKCP recognised qualification in family and systemic psychotherapy
  • skills in working across multiple contexts
  • have brilliant communication skills both verbally and written
  • an ability to build strong relationships with practitioners and families

Contact details

If you would like to have an informal chat about the role, please contact Nick Pendry by email at nick.pendry@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk.

Benefits

We recognise the importance of a good balance between work and home life so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working including, working from home, compressed or part-time hours, term time only, job shares and other arrangements. Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore.

We also offer a generous holiday allowance of 39 paid days (pro rata) including bank holidays and a wide range of learning and development opportunities. In addition, we offer a comprehensive range of staff benefits such as membership of the Local Government pension scheme, childcare vouchers, new technology scheme, interest-free loans on annual travel cards, discounts with many leisure activities, restaurants, shops and other establishments.

Indicative Recruitment Timeline

  • Closing Date: Midday on Friday 5th March 2021
  • Interview Date: To be confirmed

Useful Information:

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. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Please note that the advertised dates for interviews may change due to the current Covid-19 situation. If they do, we will let you know as soon as possible. Your health and wellbeing is our top priority. Should you become unwell due to Covid-19 during the recruitment process we would very much appreciate receiving an update from you as soon as possible.

We particularly welcome applications from sections of the community who are currently underrepresented within our teams, including BAME backgrounds and candidates with disabilities.

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).

How to apply

To be considered for interview your CV and supporting statement must highlight your knowledge, skills and experience listed in attached Job Profile located at the bottom of the advert.

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils

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