At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and innovate in children's social care, ensuring safety and support for families.
- Company: Lewisham Council, a champion for diverse communities and children's rights.
- Benefits: Generous holiday, pension scheme, flexible working, and staff discounts.
- Other info: Hybrid working model with strong commitment to diversity and inclusion.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the lives of children and families in your community.
- Qualifications: Professional qualification in Social Work and significant leadership experience.
Discover yourself in Lewisham where what you do makes a difference to our vibrant and culturally diverse communities! We have a rich history of welcoming people from all over the world and are proud to be recognised as the UK’s first Borough of Sanctuary, for our work in championing the rights of refugees and migrants.
We are looking for three Senior Leaders to join Lewisham Children’s Social Care, Family Help and Care to provide strategic and operational leadership across our children’s social care services. The roles are senior leadership roles for ambitious, values-driven professionals who are passionate about improving outcomes for children, young people and families. You will play a key role in shaping and delivering high-quality, effective and innovative services, ensuring that children are safe, heard and supported to achieve their potential.
What’s the role?
- Provide strong, visible leadership across children’s social care teams and services.
- Drive improvements in practice, performance, quality and outcomes for children and families.
- Ensure services are delivered in line with statutory duties, legislation, safeguarding requirements and best practice.
- Lead and develop managers and practitioners, creating a culture of accountability, learning and continuous improvement.
- Use performance data, quality assurance and professional intelligence to identify priorities and drive improvement.
- Work collaboratively with education, health, police, housing, early help and other partners.
- Ensure children and young people’s voices and experiences are central to service design and decision-making.
- Contribute to strategic planning, service development, workforce planning and budget management.
- Support the service to respond effectively to inspection, audit and regulatory requirements.
- Promote a strengths-based, relationship-focused approach that improves outcomes for children and families.
- Carry out duties with due regard to the Council's Values and behaviours.
What’s in it for you?
- Excellent training and development opportunities, plus a range of benefits including:
- Generous holiday allowance
- Local Government Pension scheme
- Flexible working and family friendly policies
- Season ticket and bicycle loans
- A range of staff discounts including local subsidised gym memberships
- Supportive staff networks
What we’re looking for
You will be an experienced social care leader with a strong track record of managing complex children's services and delivering sustainable improvement. You will have:
- A professional qualification in Social Work and current Social Work England registration.
- Significant post-qualification experience within children’s social care.
- Proven experience at senior management level within a statutory children’s social care environment.
- Strong knowledge of safeguarding, child protection, corporate parenting and relevant legislation.
- A demonstrable record of improving practice, performance and outcomes.
- Excellent leadership, communication and relationship-building skills.
- The ability to inspire teams while maintaining clear standards of accountability.
- Strong analytical, strategic and decision-making skills.
- Experience of working effectively with senior leaders, elected members and multi-agency partners.
- A commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion and ensuring the voice of the child informs our work.
Location
The job is primarily based in Laurence House, Catford, London, SE6 4RU, but we operate a hybrid approach where you will be required to work both in the office and from home on a regular basis.
Special conditions
- To apply for this post, you must have a degree in social work or equivalent qualification and be registered with Social Work England.
- Weekend working is required for this job.
- The job is subject to an enhanced DBS check.
The recruitment process is anonymous and we don’t accept CVs. It is essential that you complete the application fully and that your supporting statement covers how you meet each of the person specification criteria listed.
For an informal discussion about this job, please contact FHCRecruitment@lewisham.gov.uk.
Salary: £79,629-£86,121 SMG3 per annum (SCP 61-65)
Diversity Lewisham Council is a Disability Confident employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process.
The Council reserves the right to close adverts early if there is a large response.
Head of Service - Family Help & Care in London employer: Borough of Lewisham
The Borough of Lewisham is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive work culture that prioritises the well-being of both employees and the children they serve. With excellent training opportunities and a strong emphasis on collaboration, staff are empowered to grow professionally while making a meaningful impact in the community. Working in Lewisham not only provides a chance to contribute to service development but also fosters a sense of belonging through various supportive networks.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Service - Family Help & Care in London
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Borough of Lewisham.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Borough of Lewisham!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Borough of Lewisham, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Borough of Lewisham or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Service - Family Help & Care in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Borough of Lewisham:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Borough of Lewisham! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Borough of Lewisham
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
