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- Tasks: Lead quality assurance in children's services, ensuring outstanding practice and continuous improvement.
- Company: Join Richmond & Wandsworth Better Service Partnership, dedicated to enhancing outcomes for children and families.
- Benefits: Enjoy 40 days annual leave, flexible working, and a generous pension plan.
- Why this job: Shape impactful practices while collaborating with passionate teams in a supportive environment.
- Qualifications: Qualified Social Worker with leadership experience and strong analytical skills required.
- Other info: We promote equality, diversity, and are committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.
The predicted salary is between 49900 - 62451 £ per year.
Practice Assurance Lead
Up to £62,451 per annum
Permanent
Full Time (36 hours)
Wandsworth, London
Ofsted Rating: \’Good\’
Are you passionate about improving outcomes for children and do you see yourself as a leader of relationship-based practice?
Your role will be key within our Practice & Learning Service facilitating and co-ordinating the continuous improvement of practice quality in line with our Outstanding Practice Framework .Working across all Children’s Services teams, you will contribute to developing, embedding and leading the quality assurance framework and developing practice through learning episodes (audit programme), dip-sampling, thematic practice reviews and multi-agency audits.You will bring rigour to analysing key themes and learning arising from practice assurance activity and share these messages with practitioners, managers, senior leaders and multi-agency partners in creative and engaging ways.
Can you join us and play an active part in shaping what outstanding practice looks like for children and families in Wandsworth?
About the role
Reporting to the Service Manager for Practice Assurance,you will be working alongside colleagues in safeguarding, policy and performance, inspection readiness and workforce and learning (social care academy).You will be an experienced social work leader, who is child and family focused and able to thrive in a complex environment while responding in an agile way to service demands.
You will be integral to leading and developing the quality assurance frameworks across Place and Partnership (Early Help) and Children’s Social Care, completing regular practice assurance activity that seeks to understand practice and hear directly from those who experience practice, privileging their voice in understanding the difference practice is making to them.You will be someone who wants to stay close to practice whilst having sight across the whole practice system, supporting practice both at an individual and an organisational level in a role that is vital to inspection readiness.
Essential Qualifications, Skills and Experience
- You will be a qualified Social Worker, registered with Social Work England, with experience of leading and managing social work practice.
- You will have experience of leading effective quality assurance of practice and a passion for delivering the very best outcomes for children and families.
- You will have strong analytical skills, with an eye for detail; being able to make meaning out of complex information and share this in written form and easy to digest messages about practice.
- You will be able to build collaborative and effective relationships with teams, services and senior leaders within Children’s Services and partner agencies.
- You will be able to demonstrate an understanding and application of anti-discriminatory and anti-racist practice to social work practice.
If you meet the above criteria and want to be part of a quality assurance service that is committed to innovation and transformation, we encourage you to apply for this opportunity.
Closing Date: 25th August 2025
Shortlisting Date: w/c 25th August 2025
Interview Date: 5th September 2025
Richmond & Wandsworth Better Service Partnership are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone.We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services.
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer. If you require any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment and selection process, please let us know.
We are also committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.Some posts may be exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to these posts will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
We offer a wide range of benefits designed to attract, develop, and reward our employees such as 40 days annual leave (including Bank Holidays), flexible working and a generous pension plan.
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Practice Assurance Lead employer: Richmond and Wandsworth Councils
Contact Detail:
Richmond and Wandsworth Councils Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Practice Assurance Lead
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with the Outstanding Practice Framework mentioned in the job description. Understanding its principles and how it applies to practice assurance will help you articulate your vision for quality improvement during interviews.
✨Tip Number 2
Network with current or former employees in similar roles within Children’s Services. They can provide insights into the organisational culture and expectations, which can be invaluable when preparing for your interview.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare examples of how you've successfully led quality assurance initiatives in the past. Be ready to discuss specific outcomes and how they improved practice, as this will demonstrate your capability and passion for the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Stay updated on current trends and challenges in social work practice, especially those related to children and families. This knowledge will not only help you in interviews but also show your commitment to continuous learning and improvement.
We think you need these skills to ace Practice Assurance Lead
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV highlights your experience in social work leadership and quality assurance. Use specific examples that demonstrate your analytical skills and ability to improve outcomes for children and families.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: In your cover letter, express your passion for relationship-based practice and how you can contribute to the continuous improvement of practice quality. Mention your understanding of anti-discriminatory practices and how they apply to your work.
Showcase Relevant Experience: When detailing your previous roles, focus on your experience with multi-agency audits and thematic practice reviews. Highlight any specific achievements that align with the responsibilities of the Practice Assurance Lead position.
Prepare for Potential Questions: Think about how you would respond to questions regarding your approach to leading quality assurance frameworks and your strategies for building collaborative relationships. Be ready to discuss how you would engage with practitioners and senior leaders.
How to prepare for a job interview at Richmond and Wandsworth Councils
✨Understand the Role Thoroughly
Before the interview, make sure you have a solid grasp of what the Practice Assurance Lead role entails. Familiarise yourself with the Outstanding Practice Framework and how it applies to improving outcomes for children. This will help you articulate your understanding and show your passion for the position.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Experience
Be prepared to discuss your previous leadership roles in social work. Highlight specific examples where you've successfully led quality assurance initiatives or improved practice within teams. This will demonstrate your capability to thrive in a complex environment and your commitment to child and family-focused practice.
✨Prepare for Analytical Questions
Given the emphasis on analytical skills in the job description, expect questions that assess your ability to interpret complex information. Prepare to discuss how you've used data to inform practice improvements and how you can communicate these insights effectively to various stakeholders.
✨Emphasise Collaborative Skills
The role requires building effective relationships across teams and agencies. Be ready to provide examples of how you've fostered collaboration in past roles. Discuss your approach to working with diverse groups and how you ensure that all voices, especially those of children and families, are heard in practice discussions.
