At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the National Improvement Service to enhance practice quality for children and families.
- Company: A leading organisation dedicated to improving family law proceedings across England.
- Benefits: Flexible working, wellbeing days, generous leave, and a supportive work environment.
- Other info: Remote work flexibility with opportunities for professional development and collaboration.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while advancing your leadership career.
- Qualifications: Significant experience in social work with proven leadership and management skills.
The predicted salary is between 40500 - 49500 £ per year.
Our strategic ambition is for every child in family law proceedings to have an exceptional experience, everywhere in the country and every time.
While we are proud that Ofsted judged us to be ‘outstanding’ at our last inspection, there is always more to do to serve the best interests of children in public and private law proceedings across England.
Our inspection outcome has energised us to keep getting better at what we do for children and families and the feedback from them tells us we are doing just that.
We are pleased to be recruiting for a Head of Practice within our National Improvement Service (NIS), which collectively plays a key role in helping to continually improve the quality and impact of practice to children and families.
You will join a well-established leadership team in the National Improvement Service, working closely with the existing Heads of Practice and Deputy Director for Performance and Quality Assurance, you will help lead an innovative and crucial service that makes a difference for children through quality assurance, learning, improvement and support.
- This Will Include Accountability For
- Practice quality audits and analysis of performance and quality assurance at a national and regional level.
- Learning from Significant Incidents using a Child Record Review process.
- Co-ordination of National Learning and contributing to Child Safeguarding Review Panels.
- Learning from feedback.
- Leading the reporting of quality assurance of practice to Corporate Management Team Performance Boards.
- Providing monthly Quality Assurance and Impact Analysis and Reporting to the Operational Management Team.
- Oversight of 'Child First; Development (this is our case management system that learns from practice to support the improvement of individuals).
- Developing reporting for Mid-year Reviews of Operational Service Area Improvement Plans.
- Ensuring that the improvement service provides timely commissioned service support to Operational Service Areas.
- As you would expect, for such a key leadership role we have some key requirements:
- Significant post qualifying experience in a social work setting of working with children and families.
- Demonstrable experience of achieving positive outcomes for children through working in a family justice environment, including in a quality assurance / learning / improvement role.
- Evidence of professional development to support your progression into a managerial role.
- That you are an inspirational and motivated leader with high levels of resilience and management skills that encourage commitment from others and promote a positive and motivated organisational culture.
- A collaborative team worker who can build positive relationships and work effectively across boundaries and achieve results through others.
- Proven experience of managing staff, services and budgets at a senior level across a wide range of functions, including supervisory and/or practice management experience.
We are flexible on your location, and it is reasonable to assume you will predominantly work remotely.
However, as a senior leader you should expect to attend relevant offices for key meetings, which may include some overnight stays in different parts of the country.
If you join us, you will be well-supported through induction, supervision, learning and performance review, whether you are already at this level of leadership or are taking your next career step.
We also understand you may want to informally discuss the role with someone.
- We offer an attractive reward package
- flexible working to achieve that important work/life balance
- a comprehensive programme of support to maintain your wellbeing at work that includes 4 ‘wellbeing days’ in addition to a generous annual leave entitlement
- you may also be able to bring your ‘continuous service’ with you, bringing further benefits
We are an organisation valuing, promoting and prioritising equality, diversity and inclusion and we especially welcome applications from people with diverse backgrounds.
The Chief Executive and Corporate Directors sponsor our objectives in this regard, listening to and encouraging feedback from families, children, our staff, and partners about how well we are doing in terms of understanding and celebrating uniqueness.
Next steps
We have set out an indicative timeline for the recruitment to this role, which we hope gives an idea of when you can expect to hear from us.
- Closing date for applications: 31st August
- Initial interview: w/c 7th September
- Panel interviews: From 14th September
We look forward to hearing from you.
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Head of Practice (National Improvement Service) employer: Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service)
Cafcass is an exceptional employer that prioritises the welfare of children and families while fostering a supportive and collaborative work environment. With a strong commitment to employee development, we offer numerous growth opportunities for social workers, alongside a flexible hybrid working model that promotes work-life balance in the vibrant North East region. Join us to make a meaningful impact in the lives of children and families, while enjoying a culture that values your contributions and professional growth.
Contact Details:
Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Practice (National Improvement Service)
✨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 Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service).
✨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 Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service)!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
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✨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 Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service) 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 Practice (National Improvement Service)
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 Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service):Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service)! 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 Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service)
✨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.
