Practice Manager in Leeds

As a Practice Manager, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring high-quality service delivery, compliance with statutory requirements, and the implementation of best practice standards. You will provide leadership, guidance, and supervision to staff, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and innovation, underpinned by a child-first and trauma-informed ethos. You will ensure excellent case management, robust decision-making and consistent quality assurance so that practice keeps children, victims and communities safe, reduces re-offending, and enables children to achieve positive, sustainable change.

We are a Youth Justice Service delivering child-first, inclusive and safe interventions that safeguard children, protect victims and the public, and support positive change through effective risk management and safety planning. We are a learning, restorative organisation that places the needs, strengths and potential of children at the heart of everything we do, working in partnership with families, education, health, police, probation, the voluntary sector and communities.

Job Purpose: The practice manager role is to line manage and support professional development of YJS practitioners, quality assure work and have oversight of practice within their team to ensure quality, consistency and to disseminate learning. YJS practice managers will support operational managers on day to day issues and may take responsibility across the Service for development and oversight of a particular area of practice. The practice manager may co-work or case manage complex cases and the role thus requires a practitioner of considerable experience with a wide knowledge base and excellent skills.

Responsibilities:

• To line manage youth justice workers and youth justice officers, working restoratively with high challenge and high support.
• To mentor, observe, support and advise all practitioners within the youth justice service, co-working and coaching so all workers benefit from the expertise of a practice manager.
• To support operational managers in case allocation, and team decision making, deputising where necessary, and ensuring case work is appropriately assessed, planned, delivered, reviewed and recorded.
• To case manage and co-work complex cases. Case allocation will be determined based on complexity, level of risk, profile and potential publicity surrounding a case.
• To support practitioners to achieve timescales, national standards and standards, following guidance and policies appropriately and promoting evidence based practice.
• To actively promote anti-discriminatory practice and ensure diversity issues are addressed.
• To support and evaluate students and complete practice educator training.
• To lead and contribute to strategic developments and support the embedding of excellent practice across the city.
• To provide consultation and training to youth justice service staff.
• To actively promote children's voice and influence.
• To chair meetings concerning young people, such as review meetings, risk panels, planning meetings.
• To audit cases and monitor and analyse performance data and to construct appropriate action plans to address practice deficits and promote good practice.
• To lead by example regarding good recording practice and share expertise around use of the Youth Justice Service case management system with others.
• To be involved in the recruitment and selection of staff within agreed multi-agency policies and procedures.
• To effectively use and manage appropriate financial resources within available budgets.
• To participate in training and development activities as necessary to ensure up to date knowledge and skills to meet National and Inspection standards.
• Be aware of and comply with Leeds Youth Justice Service and Leeds City Council policies and procedures e.g. safeguarding, risk management, equal opportunities, health, safety and security, confidentiality, and data protection, reporting all concerns to an appropriate person.

Qualifications: We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Practice Manager to join our Youth Justice Service team. This is an exciting opportunity to lead and support a dedicated group of professionals committed to improving and achieving positive outcomes for children involved in the justice system. You are an experienced practice leader (e.g., social work, probation, youth justice or closely related profession) with:

• Able to engage to and establish constructive relationships with the most complex children in the justice system and their families to work to bring about positive change.
• Able to motivate, inspire and challenge staff and to work in a solution focussed manner.
• Able to support the learning and development of staff, through supervision, training and coaching.
• Professional Social Work qualification, or Probation Studies Diploma, or Diploma in Youth & Community Work, or Foundation Degree in Youth Justice.

This role is based in the UK. Home Office guidance states that candidates must evidence their right to work in the UK prior to commencing employment, either as a UK or Irish citizen, under the EU Settlement scheme or having secured any other relevant work visa.

Essential requirements:

• Able to engage to and establish constructive relationships with the most complex children in the justice system and their families to work to bring about positive change.
• Able to motivate, inspire and challenge staff and to work in a solution focussed manner.
• Able to support the learning and development of staff, through supervision, training and coaching.
• Able to critically apply youth justice theory in practice.
• Able to work restoratively with colleagues, partners, children and their families with high challenge and high support.
• Able to challenge discrimination, prejudice and oppressive behaviour and work in ways which promote equality of opportunity, participation, and responsibility.
• Excellent judgement in assessment and management of risk.
• Self-motivation, initiative, enthusiasm, creativity, and an ability to work to deadlines.
• High standard of both oral and written presentation skills.
• Able to communicate, negotiate and influence a wide range of practitioners, managers, and partners from other agencies.
• Able to chair meetings.
• Competent in the use of ICT and ability to analyse data.
• Able to lead by example to promote excellence.
• Able to deliver services to children with a clear child-centred approach and philosophy.
• Extensive knowledge of relevant criminal justice and child care legislation and an excellent understanding of the evidence base regarding effective practice with children who offend.
• Understanding of children's rights and the principles of a child friendly and restorative city.
• Understanding of the work of other key agencies and links to youth justice practice.
• Understanding of the victim's perspective, restorative approaches, and issues of public confidence.
• Understanding of the principles of effective staff motivation, support and performance management.
• An understanding of data systems and analysis.
• Evidence of continuous professional development since qualification.
• Relevant post qualifying experience and demonstrable expertise in youth justice practice.
• Of providing structured supervision, mentoring, and coaching.

Essentials and benefits:

• Understand and embrace Leeds City Council values and behaviours and codes of conduct.
• Committed to continuous improvement in all areas and work towards delivering the Leeds Ambitions of health and wellbeing, inclusive growth, thriving strong communities, and a resilient sustainable city.
• Able to understand and observe Leeds City Council policies and procedures.
• Carry out duties having regard to an employee's responsibility under Health, Safety and Wellbeing.
• Leeds City Council is one of the largest employers in the region with over 14,000 employees. We seek to recruit and develop talented individuals who embody our council values and ambitions.
• A competitive salary and annual leave entitlement plus statutory holidays.
• Membership of the West Yorkshire Pension Fund with generous employer contributions.
• Flexible and hybrid working arrangements subject to service requirements.
• A clear career pathway and continuing professional development opportunities.
• A range of staff benefits to help you boost your wellbeing and make your money go further.

If you do not have the right to work in the UK, you must consider your own eligibility for sponsorship for a particular role through the Skilled Worker visa route before applying. To be eligible for sponsorship you'll usually need to be paid the standard salary rate of at least £41,700 per year or meet one of the other eligibility criteria. Please ensure you are eligible before applying.

Participate in appraisal, training and development activities to ensure up to date knowledge and skills.

Be aware of and support difference and ensure equality for all working in an anti-discriminatory manner, upholding equality and diversity of Leeds City Council.

Recognise and appropriately challenge any incidents of racism, bullying, harassment, victimisation, and any form of abuse, reporting any concerns to the appropriate person.

Flexible and adaptable to change to assist other services as required commensurate to grade. The Council has adopted a flexibility protocol and the role will be expected to work within these parameters.