At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and manage the Family Safeguarding Hub to support children and families effectively.
- Company: Local authority focused on improving children's services and safeguarding.
- Benefits: Hybrid working, competitive pay, and opportunities for professional development.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for strategic influence and service improvement.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while leading a dedicated team.
- Qualifications: Qualified Social Worker with significant management experience in safeguarding.
The predicted salary is between 49500 - 60500 £ per year.
- 3 Month Contract With A Local Authority
- Job Purpose
To lead, manage, and develop the multi-agency Family Safeguarding Hub, ensuring that children, young people, and families receive the right help at the right time.
The Service Manager will oversee the effective screening, triage, and allocation of safeguarding referrals, ensuring statutory timescales are met, multi-agency information sharing is effective, and safeguarding risks are appropriately managed.
The postholder will provide strategic and operational leadership, drive service improvement, oversee performance and quality assurance, and work collaboratively with partners to improve outcomes for children and families.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead, direct, and manage the Family Safeguarding Hub, ensuring all high-priority referrals are assessed, screened, and allocated appropriately within statutory timescales.
- Provide strategic oversight of multi-agency safeguarding arrangements, ensuring effective collaboration between Children's Services, Police, Health, Education, Early Help, and other partner agencies.
- Ensure robust decision-making processes are in place to identify risk, safeguard children, and promote positive outcomes for families.
- Promote strong partnership working between Early Help Services and the Family Safeguarding Hub, ensuring seamless pathways and timely interventions.
- Oversee information-sharing arrangements across agencies to support effective safeguarding and decision-making.
- Lead on the development and delivery of multi-agency safeguarding training and awareness initiatives.
- Manage the consultation service for professionals seeking advice regarding safeguarding concerns and referral thresholds.
- Develop and maintain a high-performance culture, ensuring compliance with national legislation, statutory guidance, local procedures, and service standards.
- Monitor service performance through the analysis of key performance indicators, quality assurance activity, audits, and performance reporting.
- Lead on quality assurance processes, including referral audits, threshold reviews, case tracking, and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Ensure children, young people, and families' voices are central to service planning, decision-making, and practice development.
- Promote and embed strengths-based practice and motivational interviewing approaches throughout the service.
- Lead, motivate, supervise, and develop managers and staff, ensuring high-quality supervision, workforce development, and retention.
- Manage complex safeguarding issues, escalations, complaints, and operational risks effectively.
- Contribute to strategic planning, service transformation, policy development, and organisational improvement initiatives.
- Represent the service at multi-agency boards, partnership meetings, and safeguarding forums.
- Deputise for the Assistant Director when required and provide leadership across wider Children's Services functions.
Requirements
- Qualified Social Worker with a recognised Social Work qualification (CQSW, Dip SW, Social Work Degree, or equivalent).
- Registered with Social Work England.
- Significant senior management experience within Children's Social Care, Safeguarding, Early Help, or related statutory services.
- Proven experience leading safeguarding services, referral and assessment teams, MASH/Family Safeguarding Hubs, or similar multi-agency environments.
- Extensive understanding of child protection legislation, safeguarding frameworks, statutory guidance, and relevant government policy.
- Strong knowledge of threshold management, early intervention, risk management, and multi-agency safeguarding practices.
- Demonstrated success in leading service improvement, quality assurance, performance management, and inspection readiness.
- Experience managing substantial staffing budgets, resources, and workforce planning.
- Excellent leadership, coaching, mentoring, and people management skills.
- Strong analytical and decision-making abilities with the capacity to manage complex safeguarding challenges.
- Excellent communication, negotiation, stakeholder engagement, and partnership-building skills.
- Experience of driving cultural change, implementing new ways of working, and delivering continuous service improvement.
- Ability to influence senior leaders, elected members, and partner agencies to achieve positive outcomes for children and families.
- Enhanced DBS clearance required.
- Willingness to travel and work flexibly in line with service requirements.
- Additional Information
Working Hours
37 Hours Per Week
Location
Surrey County Council - Hybrid / Council Offices / Multi-Agency Hub
Payment Frequency
Bi-Weekly Payments
DBS Requirement
Enhanced DBS Check Required
Social Work Improvement Lead - Children's Services in Reigate employer: Civic Recruitment Limited
Civic Recruitment Limited is an exceptional employer that prioritises meaningful impact in the community, particularly for children and families. With a strong commitment to professional development and a collaborative work culture, employees are empowered to drive positive change while enjoying the benefits of flexible working arrangements and a supportive team environment in Ipswich. This role offers a unique opportunity to lead significant projects that align with national reforms, making a real difference in the lives of those served.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Social Work Improvement Lead - Children's Services in Reigate
✨Get Involved in Local Community Projects
One of the best ways to land a temporary role in social work is to dive headfirst into local community projects. Volunteer your time or skills at local charities or community centres to not only gain experience but also to connect with professionals in the field. They might just have some insider knowledge on temporary positions that pop up!
✨Engage with Social Work Networks
Join online forums and social media groups specifically for social workers. Platforms like Facebook or LinkedIn have dedicated groups where professionals share temporary job opportunities. Being an active member can help you stay in the loop and even get recommendations from those already in the field.
✨Attend Workshops and Seminars
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences related to social work in your area. These events aren't just great for learning; they're also hotbeds for networking! You never know who might be hiring or can point you towards a temporary position while you're soaking up new skills.
✨Apply Directly Through Our Website!
When you spot a role that piques your interest, especially for a temporary position, make sure to apply directly through our website! This not only shows your commitment to Civic Recruitment Limited, but also gives you an edge by putting your application right in front of the hiring team. Let’s get you moving on that path to your next opportunity!
We think you need these skills to ace Social Work Improvement Lead - Children's Services in Reigate
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let's highlight why you're passionate about social work and how your values align with those of Civic Recruitment Limited. Share specific experiences where you made a difference, as this field thrives on genuine motivation and connection.
Demonstrate Relevant Experience:When listing your experience, focus on any internships, volunteer roles, or temporary positions you've had in social work or related fields. Those skills are gold! Think about situations where you helped individuals or communities, and don't forget to mention any relevant certifications, like safeguarding or mental health first aid.
Keep It Concise and Relevant:Remember, for a temporary role, hiring managers want to see how you fit in and can hit the ground running. Keep your CV clear and to the point, showcasing only the experience that really matters for the role at Civic Recruitment Limited. We recommend a two-page limit – make every word count!
Emphasise Flexibility and Adaptability:Considering this is a temporary position, it's vital to show you can adapt to new environments quickly. In your application, highlight any past experiences where you had to adjust to different teams or roles smoothly. This shows you understand the nature of temporary work and are ready for the challenge!
How to prepare for a job interview at Civic Recruitment Limited
✨Sharpen Your Empathy Skills
In social work, it's all about understanding and connecting with people from diverse backgrounds. Make sure to prepare some examples from your experience where you've demonstrated empathy and resilience. Practising active listening techniques can help you articulate your approach during the interview with Civic Recruitment Limited.
✨Know Your Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with key social work theories and frameworks, like the ecological systems theory or person-centred approaches. These concepts might pop up during your interview for the temporary Social Work Improvement Lead - Children's Services role at Civic Recruitment Limited, so it's good to have a couple of insights ready to share.
✨Highlight Flexibility and Adaptability
Since this is a temporary position, showcasing your flexibility is key. Be prepared to discuss past experiences where you quickly adapted to new environments or changing client needs, which is crucial in the dynamic world of social work.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect some scenario-based questions that test your decision-making skills and ethical judgement. Think about how you would handle specific challenges you might face in the field. Having a clear structure for your answers will show Civic Recruitment Limited that you can think critically and act effectively under pressure.
