Practice Manager- CSCT (MASH)

About The Role

Are you interested in professional development opportunities and the ability to practice to the best of your ability within a supportive, innovative team? If so, the Children's Services Contact Team (CSCT) is looking for a permanent Practice Manager to join our dynamic team. As a Practice Manager, you will be responsible for promoting excellent practice by supporting the delivery of services that aligns with the service-wide vision and objectives which includes: Equity, diversity and inclusion.

You will have, and demonstrate a clear understanding of inequities, how they affect different sections of our community, and the role that strategy and improvement can play in supporting better equality, diversity, and inclusion outcomes. You can influence the development of services, support and/or practice by:

• Effectively interacting, working with, and developing meaningful relationships with people of various cultural backgrounds.
• Interpreting issues and concerns from a cultural perspective and addressing situations or challenges from the points-of-view of multiple cultures.
• Recognising and advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in your team through your actions.

Main duties of the job:

• Working with the Team Manager and the other Practice Manager, to provide operational management of CSCT.
• Managing day to day activity to ensure it delivers high quality responses to contacts, within the required timescales.
• Ensuring that the business process within CSCT and the MASH is effective and efficient.
• Establishing and maintaining effective working relationships with key partners in CSCT, which are supportive and appropriately challenging.
• Ensuring information sharing in the MASH is a collaborative process.
• Reviewing, filtering and making transparent, evidence based threshold decisions on all incoming contacts, within specified time-frames and avoiding delay.
• Taking a lead role in co-coordinating and/or directly gathering relevant and proportionate information, via screening and MASH processes in order to analyse, make an assessment of risk/need and to decide the appropriate service to offer children and families within the specified time frames of the MASH.
• Creating conditions for excellent practice in a safe, calm and well-ordered environment for all staff and utilising reflective spaces such as coaching and supervision where the welfare and the safety of children and young people are paramount.

What Islington Offers:

• Availability of numerous resources to ensure families are supported to the right service the first time.
• Social workers and managers receive regular reflective supervision and practice development opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of their interventions and develop their skills.
• Zone 1-2 Annual Travelcard Payment.
• Retention bonus scheme.
• Comprehensive Employee Benefits Scheme.
• Modern office facilities located on Islington's Upper Street N1.
• Generous annual leave and flexible working opportunities.

For further information or for an informal conversation about the post, please contact Maggie Kalitowski- Team Manager Email: maggie.kalitowski@islington.gov.uk

Working for the team, service and our organisation:

Islington is a place rich with diversity and culture. As a council our sense of purpose couldn’t be clearer: we serve. It’s in the logo. We are committed to challenging inequality in the borough and as one of the largest employers we know that to look after the place and the planet, we have to look after our people. Together we can change the future. We are determined to create a more equal Islington, where everyone who lives here has an equal chance to thrive. To do this, everyone who works at Islington Council lives by a set of values which guide us in everything that we do: collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering. They spell out ‘CARE’, which is what we think public service is all about.

Our offer to you:

• Up to 31 days leave per year, increasing to 36 days after five years of local government service.
• A range of flexible working arrangements to maintain a healthy work-life balance, as well as a 35-hour working week.
• Learning and development opportunities to maximise your potential.
• Competitive pay and a commitment to paying all staff the London Living Wage at minimum.
• Excellent local government pension scheme.
• Cycle to Work scheme and discounted gym memberships.
• Local discounts from restaurants, shops, health and beauty therapists, and more!

Please note: Priority will be given to those at risk of redundancy within Islington Council. Current employees who are part of the redeployment pool must meet the essential criteria for shortlisting to be prioritised.

Workforce Equality, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Statement:

We are dedicated to creating an inclusive and equitable workforce, where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. Our workforce strategy places equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion at the heart of everything we do, reaffirming our commitment to fostering a culture of inclusion. We strive to create an environment where all colleagues feel they belong and can safely express their thoughts, ideas, and challenges, without fear of judgement or discrimination. We maintain a zero-tolerance approach to any unlawful discrimination, harassment, or victimisation on the grounds of any protected characteristics under the 2010 Equality Act, including but not limited to race, disability, sexual orientation, sex, religion and belief, age, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy, and maternity. Any incidents of discrimination will be promptly investigated and addressed in line with our HR policies to ensure a safe and inclusive environment for all colleagues. We use data to identify and address disparities, ensuring that our policies and practices are transparent and impactful in promoting a diverse representation of backgrounds and perspectives at all levels of the organisation. We look at inequality through an intersectional lens, recognising that different aspects of someone’s identity can combine to create unique experiences of discrimination and disadvantage. We know that advancing diversity and inclusion is a continuous journey, and we must listen to our colleagues and learn where we can further improve. We work closely with our Colleague Forums and Trade Unions, supported by active allies from our Corporate Management Team, to monitor and evaluate our practices, identify barriers, and empower colleagues to promote equality and inclusion in the workplace. Every one of us has a role to play in making Islington Council a truly inclusive workplace. By living out our CARE (collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering) values every day and embedding the principles of equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our work, we can all actively contribute to empowering people and creating a more equal Islington.

Pre‑Employment Checks:

• Proof of address.
• Evidence of any name changes (if applicable).
• Right to work in the UK.
• Overseas criminal record check (if applicable).
• Satisfactory references.
• Occupational Health clearance.
• Evidence of professional qualifications or registrations.
• DBS check at the appropriate level (if applicable).

Safeguarding:

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff, and volunteers to share this commitment. Some posts are subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service. The post is subject to Enhanced DBS check with children/adult barred list, Social Work England/HCPC registration, qualifications check and 3/5 years referencing.

Disability Confident Scheme:

Islington Council operates a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria and we are committed to providing support to applicants who request reasonable adjustments to be made during the recruitment process and throughout their career with us.