Deputy Director, Children & Families

We are looking for an ambitious and talented Deputy Director to lead work to improve the health of children and young people. You will contribute to the leadership of the Early Years, Children and Families Directorate as an active member of its senior leadership team so that together we create a place of work where everyone can thrive and do their best work. Alongside this, as a member of the Senior Civil Service, you will make a significant contribution to collective leadership across the Primary Care and Prevention Group, DHSC and the Civil Service.

The Children & Families division leads work on child health for children over the age of 2 up to the age of 19 / 25 for SEND. It also leads DHSC's work on child safeguarding and tackling child sexual abuse and domestic abuse. We have recently strengthened the Children & Families Division so we are better able to design and deliver policies and programmes that will make a difference to the health of children and young people. The post holder will work with the Deputy Director for Start for Life Policy to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to deliver the government's commitment to secure the healthiest generation of children ever.

You will lead on:

• Developing policy advice and proposals for improving the health and well-being of children and young people from the age of 2 to 19/25 for SEND. This will include working collaboratively with colleagues in DHSC, NHSE and other government departments including DfE to ensure policies can have real work impact.


• Work with DfE, NHSE and the Home Office to strengthen Safeguarding for Children.


• Work with the Home Office and others to maximise the contribution Health organisations make to tackling Child Sexual Abuse and Domestic Abuse.


• Co-lead, with the Deputy Director Start for Life Policy, policy development and strategic coordination of system wide activity to achieve the government's commitment to the healthiest generation of children ever.


We have recently strengthened the Children & Families Division so we are better able to design and deliver policies and programmes that will make a difference to the health of children and young people. The post holder will work with the Deputy Director for Start for Life Policy to develop and implement a comprehensive plan to deliver the government's commitment to secure the healthiest generation of children ever. You will be leading teams working on policy areas that matter and where you will be able to see the impact of your work.

As part of the Early Years, Children & Families Directorate Senior Leadership Team you will help shape a broad programme of work to improve child health and contribute to leadership of a directorate of talented colleagues who are committed to making a difference. You will work closely with colleagues in NHSE, the Department for Education and the Home Office, as well as other government departments and delivery partners, to improve child health, working in collaboration with others to align objectives and ensure our policy and programmes have real world impact.

As Deputy Director Children & Families your priority responsibilities will be to:

• Work collaboratively with colleagues in DHSC, NHSE and other government department, lead development and implementation of policies to improve the health and well-being of children and young people to deliver ministerial priorities including securing the healthiest generation of children ever.


• Lead DSHC's contributions to improving Child Safeguarding and to taking Child Sexual Abuse and Domestic Abuse.


• Lead work on child health actions to support manifesto commitments and delivery of the Health, Opportunity and Safe Streets Missions. Provide policy leadership on child health for cross government priorities including the Child Poverty Task Force.


• Ensure all policy is underpinned by robust evidence, making use of the best available quantitative and qualitative evidence by working with analytical colleagues in the Directorate and wider department and external experts. This will include preparation for fiscal events.


• Ensure effective ongoing engagement with external stakeholders and user groups informs policy development and implementation, including addressing health inequalities and disparities.


• Identify opportunities where taking a wider system-based approach will increase our effectiveness and by using collaborative networks and system leadership help ensure we use these opportunities to improve the health and well-being of children and young people.


• Take an active role in the Directorate (Early Years, Children & Families) and Group (Primary Care & Prevention) Senior Leadership, including by role-modelling leadership of cross-cutting corporate workstreams and activity.


• Lead, support and motivate a talented team of approximately 30 civil servants so that they are part of a happy, inclusive and high performing culture.