At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a dynamic team in safeguarding and supporting children and families in a vibrant community.
- Company: Join Lewisham Council, a pioneer in championing refugee and migrant rights.
- Benefits: Enjoy generous holidays, flexible working, and a supportive work environment.
- Other info: Hybrid working arrangements available with excellent training and development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Extensive management experience in children's social care and strong safeguarding knowledge required.
The predicted salary is between 64938 - 69660 £ per year.
Discover yourself in Lewisham where what you do makes a difference to our vibrant and culturally diverse communities. Lewisham is the UK's first Borough of Sanctuary, recognised for championing the rights of refugees and migrants.
We are seeking an experienced Group Manager to join our senior leadership team within the Family First Contact Point (FFCP). This key strategic and operational leadership role sits at the front door of Children and Young People’s Service, with responsibility spanning safeguarding, early help, assessment, short‑term interventions, and multi‑agency partnership working. The role includes oversight of the Emergency Duty Team (EDT), ensuring effective out‑of‑hours safeguarding responses, and leadership responsibility across the Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO) function, including providing cover where required. Candidates should bring significant experience above Team Manager level, having overseen practice, performance, and service delivery across a complex and high‑profile service area.
This central leadership role provides strategic and operational oversight of the FFCP, including front door decision‑making, safeguarding responses, assessment, and multi‑agency arrangements. You will lead a multi‑disciplinary service of Team Managers, Advanced Practitioners, Social Workers and Family Practitioners, ensuring high‑quality triage, timely decision‑making, and the completion of proportionate, high‑quality assessments and short‑term interventions for children and families at the front door. A key aspect is ensuring alignment between daytime services and the Emergency Duty Team (EDT), maintaining continuity of safeguarding decision‑making and robust out‑of‑hours responses. You will also provide senior leadership across multi‑agency safeguarding arrangements and work closely with partners such as police, health, education, and housing to coordinate responses.
- Provide visible leadership across FFCP, including EDT, ensuring consistent safeguarding responses
- Maintain oversight of performance, thresholds, demand and service flow
- Ensure high‑quality triage, assessment, short‑term intervention and statutory decision‑making
- Maintain oversight of the quality and timeliness of assessments and interventions
- Lead multi‑agency partnership working and safeguarding arrangements
- Oversee statutory processes including safeguarding pathways and EHC contributions
- Provide oversight of LADO activity and undertake LADO duties where required
- Drive practice improvement and quality assurance across the service
What’s in it for you? Excellent training and development opportunities, plus a range of benefits including:
- Generous holiday allowance
- Local Government Pension scheme
- Flexible working and family‑friendly policies
- Season ticket and bicycle loans
- A range of staff discounts including local subsidised gym memberships
- Supportive staff networks
We seek an experienced leader with substantial management experience across children’s social care, including front door services, and a strong understanding of safeguarding thresholds, statutory responsibilities, assessment, and early intervention. You should have experience overseeing or working alongside EDT services and demonstrate strong multi‑agency partnership working at both operational and strategic levels. Confidence managing multiple teams, leading service improvement, and ensuring high‑quality practice, including timely and effective interventions for children and families, are essential. A skilled and reflective leader with a clear understanding of good practice and the ability to translate strategic priorities into operational delivery is expected.
Location: Based at Laurence House, Catford, SE6, with hybrid working arrangements.
Special conditions: Social Work qualification required, Social Work England registration required, Enhanced DBS required.
Salary: £64,938 - £69,660 per annum (SMG1). All appointments will be offered at the minimum spinal column point (SCP) for the grade of the role. The only exception to this will be when matching current salary (up to the maximum of the scale), which is subject to evidential proof.
Diversity: Lewisham Council is a Disability Confident employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to ensure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process. We support the access to work scheme; further details are available.
The recruitment process is anonymous and we don’t accept CVs.
Group Manager, Family First Contact Point in London employer: Lewisham Council
Join Lewisham Council as a Group Manager in the Family First Contact Point, where your leadership will directly impact the lives of children and families in our vibrant, culturally diverse community. With excellent training and development opportunities, generous holiday allowances, and a commitment to flexible working, we foster a supportive work culture that prioritises employee well-being and growth. As part of a forward-thinking Local Authority, you will collaborate with multi-agency partners to drive service improvement and ensure high-quality safeguarding practices.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Group Manager, Family First Contact Point in London
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Lewisham Council.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Lewisham Council!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Lewisham Council, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Lewisham Council or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Group Manager, Family First Contact Point in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Lewisham Council:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Lewisham Council! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Lewisham Council
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
