Team Manager in Portsmouth

6 Month temp contract based at Medina House, Cosham

37 hours per week/ office based

Why work for Portsmouth City Council:

• Portsmouth City Council continues to make significant investment in social work with children, young people and their families.
• We have a clear training pathway and a high ratio of supervisors to staff ensuring practical and emotional support to our frontline workforce.
• You will find that we are a friendly place to work and one where you will feel valued by frontline and senior managers alike.
• Portsmouth CSC is a dynamic service, where service users and staff at all levels come together to contribute to service design and delivery.
• We are committed to transparent and timely interventions, and our service has been graded as Outstanding in our last Ofsted inspection.
• We have a learning culture through reflective practice opportunities and joined up working with local Universities.
• The Portsmouth model brings together a Family Safeguarding approach with our restorative and trauma informed practice.

The Service:

Family Support and Safeguarding provide Social Work interventions to families under children in need and child protection plans as well as Public Law Outline. The Central two team is an effective, hardworking team providing robust intervention to families within the Family Support and Safeguarding Team.

What is the role of Team Leader:

• You will join a team of Team Leaders based in North Family Support & Safeguarding Teams supporting Social Workers at ASYE, band 9 and 10 grade levels.
• The team also has two advanced practitioners.
• You will report to the Service Leader and will be based at the Civic Office, Guildhall Square.
• You will supervise a team of Social Workers supporting vulnerable children open to the department, subject to children in need, in need of protection and children we care for.
• The role requires the individual to ensure all team requirements are met regarding performance management, compliance with statutory guidance and local policies and procedures, quality assurance, and embedding the Portsmouth model of practice.
• The Team Leader will be responsible for supporting Social Work staff to assess need and identify outcomes needed to safeguard the wellbeing of vulnerable children and create high quality plans and support robust interventions.
• This will be done through regular quality supervision, opportunities for reflective practice and the chairing of planning meetings.
• You will ensure that children are central to assessment, planning and intervention and that their views and the views of their parents/carers are properly embedded in all aspects of service planning and delivery.
• The Team Leader will offer scrutiny and challenge to Social Work staff to promote a creative and dynamic workforce committed to ever improving outcomes.
• The quality of work will be regularly reviewed and audited through reading case files, direct observation and getting feedback from service users and partner agencies.
• The Team Leader will lead by example having integrity, promoting equal access and having aspiration.
• You will create positive working relationships across the team, with other professionals and with children and their families.
• The Team Leader will have supervisory responsibility for approximately six social workers who you will support with a reflective and restorative approach to practice as well as encouraging work within the context of a Family Safeguarding approach.
• The Team Leader has responsibility for the quality of casework, performance management and staff development in their Team.
• The Team Leader will assist social work staff with the analysis to support recommendations for ICPCs, court proceedings and out of home placements.
• This post holder will seek the support of Service Leaders with decision making in crisis situations, and in the preparation of work for relevant decision making/resource allocation panels.
• The Team Leader will ensure the Social Workers are completing statutory tasks in a timely and quality way to meet the needs of vulnerable children to a high standard.
• This includes timely and accurate assessments that lead to effective plans of intervention that are implemented to effect increased safety and well-being for vulnerable children in Portsmouth.
• Supervision of Social Workers is required to assist with decision making processes about social work intervention.
• The Team Leader will have the support of their Service Leader where decisions are complex, involve removing children from their home environment or have significant resource implications.
• The Team Leaders work with a range of partner agencies including Health, Education, Police, Housing and Community/Voluntary services to co-ordinate, plan, commission and deliver services to vulnerable children in Portsmouth.
• This is necessary to meet the statutory requirements as defined in the Children Act 1989 and the Childcare Act 2004.
• The team leader will take a lead role in supporting the Locality Network meetings.
• Jointly with the Service Leader, the Team Leader will promote staff performance, learning and development, supervision, appraisal, implementation of departmental policies and promoting staff well-being.
• The Team Leader will work within the resources available.
• Statutory guidance and local policies and procedures assist decision making, but the role requires experience and judgement to ensure standards and best practice are applied.
• The post holder is required to have a good professional knowledge and ability to ensure the safe delivery of services by a capable and competent workforce.
• Team Leaders work closely with professionals across the Children's and Adult's workforce delivering services to families.
• The Team Leaders will communicate directly with service users through the formulation of plans and in supporting social work staff with complex issues.

Who is the person?

An experienced Social Worker or Team Leader who understands the value of Social Work intervention with very vulnerable children and their families. We are seeking inspirational, committed and motivated individuals who are ready to shape the changing face of social work today raising professional standards by delivering and developing an expert service.

You will have a recognised professional qualification in social work, excellent organisational and communication skills, and take pride in everything you do. You will be curious and creative and above all have a 'can do' attitude. You will be able to work as part of a team and ensure that front-line practice contributes to strategic priorities.

You will need to have a high level of scrutiny as you will be closely monitoring the work of the Social Workers in your team.

You need to:

• Have Diploma/Degree/MSc in Social Work and be HCPC registered.
• Be skilled at recognising appropriate levels of decision making.
• Have the ability to use statutory procedures and local standards/processes to inform good practice.
• Have substantial post qualification social work experience in Children's Social Care, preferably in a Locality team.
• Experience of development and implementation of the business plan.
• Have the ability to translate strategic priorities into front level practice.
• Be able to take responsibility for own learning and evidence effective professional development.
• Have the ability to pass on learning to others and to present information to others (using PowerPoint).
• Be able to demonstrate a level of authority and to be able to support, challenge and scrutinise professional practice.
• Be able to contribute to the process of staff development, including reporting to the Service Leader about capability and disciplinary matters.
• Be aware of the training calendar so as to identify priority courses for individuals in accordance with learning needs and to assist in the process of commissioning and developing training in accordance with the identified need.
• Have good organisational skills, communication skills, written skills, IT skills and analytical skills.
• Be resilient and able to lead by example and motivate staff.

Portsmouth City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. It is also committed to promoting quality childcare across the City that works to improve outcomes for children.

DBS Disclosure at Enhanced level will be required prior to any offer of employment and this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

Every post is subject to PCC and Portsmouth Safeguarding Children's Board safer recruitment procedures.