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- Tasks: Lead and improve services for Children in Care and Care Leavers.
- Company: Join Halton Borough Council, dedicated to supporting vulnerable children and young people.
- Benefits: Competitive salary up to £85,000 with potential for permanent role.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on children's lives while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Qualified social worker with management experience in children's services required.
- Other info: Exciting opportunity to work in a supportive and collaborative environment.
The predicted salary is between 68000 - 102000 £ per year.
Salary: Up to £85,000 per annum
Contract: Initial locum with potential for permanent appointment
Location: Halton Borough Council
Halton Borough Council is looking for a passionate and experienced leader to drive excellence in services for Children in Care and Care Leavers. This is a key senior role, responsible for ensuring high-quality support, safeguarding, and improved outcomes for children and young people.
Key Responsibilities:
- Children in Care & Care Leavers: Oversee care planning, permanency arrangements, and transitions into adulthood, ensuring children and young people receive the support they need.
- Fostering & Adoption: Lead recruitment, assessment, and support of foster carers and adopters, ensuring compliance with regulations and best practice.
- Residential Services: Manage the council's residential children's home, ensuring high standards of care and regulatory compliance.
- Performance & Quality Assurance: Develop and implement service improvement plans in line with Ofsted requirements, using data and audits to drive continuous improvement.
- Leadership & Workforce Development: Provide strong and visible leadership, supporting and developing teams to maintain high professional standards and effective service delivery.
- Budget & Resource Management: Ensure effective financial oversight and efficient use of resources, securing external funding where possible.
About You:
- Qualified social worker with Social Work England registration and significant management experience in children's services.
- Proven leadership in local authority or similar settings, with a strong understanding of statutory responsibilities and best practice in child protection, fostering, adoption, and care leaver support.
- Skilled in strategic planning, performance management, and quality assurance.
- Strong partnership working experience, including collaboration with agencies, courts, and safeguarding boards.
- Financial management experience, ensuring cost-effective service delivery.
- Excellent communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the ability to influence and inspire teams.
This is an exciting opportunity to lead a service that makes a real difference in the lives of vulnerable children and young people. Apply now to be part of a dedicated team committed to achieving the best outcomes for children in Halton.
Head of Service - CIC employer: Connect2Halton
Contact Detail:
Connect2Halton Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Service - CIC
✨Tip Number 1
Network with professionals in children's services, especially those who have experience in local authorities. Attend relevant conferences or workshops to meet potential colleagues and learn about the latest trends in child protection and care.
✨Tip Number 2
Familiarise yourself with Halton Borough Council's current initiatives and challenges in children's services. This knowledge will help you demonstrate your understanding of the local context during interviews and discussions.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare to discuss your leadership style and how you've successfully managed teams in the past. Be ready to provide examples of how you've driven service improvements and supported staff development.
✨Tip Number 4
Showcase your financial management skills by being prepared to discuss how you've effectively managed budgets and resources in previous roles. Highlight any experience you have in securing external funding for children's services.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Service - CIC
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights relevant experience in children's services, particularly in leadership roles. Emphasise your qualifications, management experience, and any specific achievements related to care planning and safeguarding.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Write a cover letter that showcases your passion for improving outcomes for children in care. Address how your skills align with the key responsibilities outlined in the job description, such as performance management and partnership working.
Highlight Relevant Experience: In your application, focus on your proven leadership in local authority settings. Provide examples of how you've successfully managed teams, developed service improvement plans, and ensured compliance with regulations.
Showcase Communication Skills: Demonstrate your excellent communication and problem-solving skills in your application. Use specific examples to illustrate how you've influenced and inspired teams or collaborated with various stakeholders in previous roles.
How to prepare for a job interview at Connect2Halton
✨Showcase Your Leadership Experience
As a candidate for the Head of Service role, it's crucial to highlight your previous leadership roles. Prepare specific examples of how you've successfully led teams in children's services, focusing on outcomes and improvements you've driven.
✨Demonstrate Your Knowledge of Regulations
Familiarise yourself with the relevant regulations and best practices in child protection, fostering, and adoption. Be ready to discuss how you have ensured compliance in past roles and how you plan to uphold these standards in the new position.
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect scenario-based questions that assess your problem-solving and decision-making skills. Think about challenges you've faced in previous roles and how you navigated them, particularly in relation to safeguarding and service improvement.
✨Emphasise Collaboration Skills
This role requires strong partnership working. Be prepared to discuss your experience collaborating with various agencies, courts, and safeguarding boards. Highlight successful partnerships and how they benefited the children and young people you served.
