Head of Service - Children in Care & Care Leavers
Salary: Up to £85,000 per annum
Contract: Initial locum with potential for permanent appointment
Location: Halton Borough Council
Halton Borough Council is looking for a passionate and experienced leader to drive excellence in services for Children in Care and Care Leavers. This is a key senior role, responsible for ensuring high-quality support, safeguarding, and improved outcomes for children and young people.
Key Responsibilities:
1. Children in Care & Care Leavers: Oversee care planning, permanency arrangements, and transitions into adulthood, ensuring children and young people receive the support they need.
2. Fostering & Adoption: Lead recruitment, assessment, and support of foster carers and adopters, ensuring compliance with regulations and best practice.
3. Residential Services: Manage the council's residential children's home, ensuring high standards of care and regulatory compliance.
4. Performance & Quality Assurance: Develop and implement service improvement plans in line with Ofsted requirements, using data and audits to drive continuous improvement.
5. Leadership & Workforce Development: Provide strong and visible leadership, supporting and developing teams to maintain high professional standards and effective service delivery.
6. Budget & Resource Management: Ensure effective financial oversight and efficient use of resources, securing external funding where possible.
About You:
1. Qualified social worker with Social Work England registration and significant management experience in children's services.
2. Proven leadership in local authority or similar settings, with a strong understanding of statutory responsibilities and best practice in child protection, fostering, adoption, and care leaver support.
3. Skilled in strategic planning, performance management, and quality assurance.
4. Strong partnership working experience, including collaboration with agencies, courts, and safeguarding boards.
5. Financial management experience, ensuring cost-effective service delivery.
6. Excellent communication, problem-solving, and decision-making skills, with the ability to influence and inspire teams.
This is an exciting opportunity to lead a service that makes a real difference in the lives of vulnerable children and young people. Apply now to be part of a dedicated team committed to achieving the best outcomes for children in Halton.
Connect2Halton is a trading style of Halton & Kent Commercial Services LLP- A joint venture between Halton Borough Council & Commercial Services Kent Ltd. Connect2Halton is an equal opportunities Employment Agency & Business. It positively encourages applications from all suitably qualified and eligible candidates.
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