Senior Care Officer - Children’s Homes Lead

This is a Full Time, Permanent Position. For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Kerry Netherclift (Deputy Manager) or Diane Ayre (Acting Manager) on 01482 612 929. You can also contact by email at kerry.netherclift@hullcc.gov.uk or diane.ayre@hullcc.gov.uk. This role is not available for Visa Sponsorship therefore is only open to applicants who have the right to work in the UK.

Are you playful and accepting, can you show curiosity and empathy? If you can then you have something really special to offer our Children living in Children’s Homes. If trauma brings resilience, then our Children are superheroes - they deserve the best; the best homes, the best help, the best opportunities, and children tell us over and over again, it’s the staff that matter. We believe that we need the right people, with the right commitment, skills, tenacity, imagination, and energy in order to offer the best to our children. To do this you will be offered high quality support, training, guidance, and development and be part of a motivated and ambitious team. Hull City Council has been on a journey of improvement and has become a leading provider of Children's Homes. We are committed to developing nurturing, high quality homes where children can thrive and achieve their next steps. If you want to be part of Hull's journey and make a real difference to children, now is a great time to join, we have an opportunity for a Senior Care Officer to join our Childrens Homes team.

About the role:

This role involves providing a secure, and inviting environment that meets the needs of young people and children in our care, providing packages of support in consultation with Social Workers, Consultant Social Workers and the Children’s Home Manager. In conjunction with the Children's Home Manager our Senior Care Officers manage the deployment and supervision of the staff group to provide an effective service to meet children's needs. They deputise/act for the Manager in his/her absence and undertake formal and informal supervision in line with policy and procedures such as sickness absence policies, to ensure support to staff and to promote effective use of resources.

About you:

• You should have completed NVQ Level 3 in Residential Child Care or have a Level 3 in a relevant area of Health & Social Care and the ability to complete the NVQ Level 3 in Residential Child Care within 2 years of appointment.
• You will work to the Home Manager and undertake duties commensurate with the needs of the Service.
• The applicant would need to have a supportive and enabling approach, be able to engage in new developments, motivate staff and provide positive direction.
• You should be able to provide advice, support and guidance on care plans or programmes as well as behaviour and general care of the children in the home and the outreach service.
• You will work, supervise and support staff who will be involved in the day-to-day running of the Home. This post involves shift work and sleep overs at the Home. Hours per week will vary, totalling 148 per month and will include long shifts and sleep in shifts. Hours will exceed 20 hours per week at times due to the rota.

ROLE AND PURPOSE

To provide a range of support to children and young people who are unable to live within their own family and require short term or long term residential care. To provide a safe and stimulating environment, ensuring high quality provision and maximising life chances of children looked after. In line with relevant legislation and corporate parenting levels of responsibility.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

• To promote and safeguard the welfare of children, young people and/or vulnerable adults.
• Customer Focus – Ensures that the home is a secure, warm and inviting environment that fulfils the individual needs of young people and children in need. Visit families in their own environments to work in partnership in assessing needs and providing packages of support in consultation with Social Workers, Consultant Social Workers and the Children’s Home Manager.
• Performance Management – In conjunction with the Children's Home Manager manages the deployment and supervision of the staff group to provide an effective service to meet children's needs. Deputise/acts for the Manager in his/her absence.
• Statutory Obligations – As per statutory requirements as specified in the Children’s Homes Regulations and Quality Standards.
• Assists in managing budgets and participates in systems to monitor spending to ensure value for money within budget provisions.
• Accepts lead responsibility for assessment and joint planning of services for individual children to produce a care plan and advise the care planning process which meets their needs.
• Participates in the recruitment and selection of staff, and undertakes formal and informal supervision in line with policy and procedures. Implements departmental policies, such as sickness absence policies, to ensure support to staff and promote effective use of resources.
• Refers to the Children’s Home Manager upon any concerns and suspicion, evidence or allegation in relation to child protection in accordance with the Safeguarding Board guidelines to ensure the safety and welfare of the children.
• Acts as a Link Worker or Co-Link Worker in respect to individual children including advocacy and attending meetings. Responsible on a day to day basis (shift) for all aspects of care for individual children’s well-being and quality of life, including administration of medication and personal care.
• Assists staff and children to deal with complex and competing needs to ensure their physical and emotional well-being. Facilitates and evaluates all aspects of the implementation of the Therapeutic Crisis Intervention Training.
• Works flexibly to meet the assessed needs of children and their families, by offering support to families and carers, sometimes in their own homes, day care and outreach as required, and work in partnership with schools and alternative educational provision to support and maintain an educational placement.
• Has responsibility for maintaining up to date, accurate and quality data on the Electronic Database with reference to case recording and all other relevant information. Through the supervision process ensuring that staff members comply with the requirements to record and maintain quality information on the Electronic System.
• Networks and liaises with voluntary, statutory organisations and colleagues within other parts of the Local Authority. Consults and liaise with Ofsted and provide notifications where appropriate.

Compensation Grades: GRADES 8 SS+ 2 INC Pay Ranges: £38,220.00 - £40,777.00

Benefits of Working of Hull City Council:

• A competitive salary
• An excellent pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Initially 23 days annual leave depending on length of service. You will also get eight public holidays per year, and three additional days off, one in May/August and one during the Christmas/New year period.
• Career development and learning experiences from a range of training courses and learning methods.
• Supportive and forward-thinking culture.
• Great career development opportunities.

We are committed to increasing the diversity, equality, and inclusion within our workforce to represent the people we serve and build an environment in which everyone can feel like they belong. We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply. We adopt a ‘name blind’ approach to shortlisting. Recruiting managers will not have access to personal information, including your name and contact details, until a shortlisting decision has been made. Equality monitoring information is not accessible by recruiting managers at any stage. Online searches, including social media, may be carried out as part of the recruitment process. The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. By joining our team you will be making a tangible difference to the lives of people in Hull. Working with people who are as passionate about our place and public services as you are.