Deputy Team Manager (Fostering Support and Supervision)

· To assist the Team Manager in the management, development and leadership of the social work team in order to safeguard and promote the welfare of vulnerable children, young people and their families
· To ensure the team delivers high quality services that address need and lead to improved outcomes in a timely manner
· To deputise for the Team Manager when required

Directly Responsible For:
Senior Social Workers, Social Workers, Personal Advisors, Family Support Workers, Social Work Assistants
Directly Responsible To:
Team Manager
Main Areas of Responsibility:
· Ensure the Council meets its statutory obligations to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, complying with legislation, statutory guidance, policy and procedures and relevant frameworks
· Under the direction of the Team Manager provide leadership and professional expertise to the social work team ensuring a high standard of service delivery
· Assist the Team Manager in the recruitment, induction, and training of team members
· Jointly prioritise and allocate work within the team with the Team Manager ensuring that children and families receive a timely and efficient service
· Assist with ensuring the maintenance of the performance of the team against agreed targets and performance indicators via regular and effective monitoring and analysis. To ensure that all team members are kept fully informed of the team's performance and are enabled to contribute towards improving performance.
· To undertake audits of cases and quality assure front-line practice on a regular basis to drive continuous improvement and enhancement of social work practice

· To deputise for the Team Manager as and when required
· Build honest relationships based on clear communication and ensure that all involved understand what will happen with the information, children, young people, families, carers and partner agencies provide to team members. Ensure that regard is given to service user consent, confidentiality, data protection and information sharing protocols.
· Actively engage in risk management policies, procedures and practice and to advise the Team Manager of resource shortfalls and recommend improved methods of working where appropriate
· Develop effective collaborative working partnerships, internally and externally, to meet the needs and achieve positive outcomes for vulnerable children and young people
· Foster and promote innovative best practice within the team and the service as a whole
· Model effective communication skills within the team, the service and communicate effectively in highly charged or challenging circumstances
· Take responsibility for developing and maintaining the required management knowledge and professional expertise for the role through Continuous Professional Development
· Take responsibility for obtaining regular professional supervision to ensure effective and reflective practice
· Prepare and participate in annual appraisals and reviews, identifying areas for improvement and carrying out agreed learning and development
· Effectively manage allocated workload by appropriately prioritising tasks and through efficient time management
· Authorise assessments, reports and care plans and take responsibility for ensuring plans for children and their families/carers are implemented in accordance with statutory requirements and practice standards
· Ensure that care planning is robust and effective in order that children achieve permanence in a timely manner and young people seamlessly transition into adulthood.

Supervision and Management Responsibility:
· Provide high quality supervision, including reflective supervision, improving quality, timeliness of work and outcomes for children and families
· Ensuring activities are planned to include meaningful one to one conversations, quality annual appraisals and regular workforce planning and development
· Manages performance and behavioural issues effectively.
Budget and Financial Responsibility:
· Being fully accountable for managing the council's resources well and complying with statutory requirements. This includes managing time, avoiding unnecessary waste, reuse and recycle resources to reduce personal impact.
Social Value Responsibility:
· Drive for social value through all activities, ensuring wider social, economic and environmental benefits for the council, residents and communities.
Physical Demands of the Job:
· This is mainly an office-based role and hence is sedentary, involving long periods of sitting.
Corporate Responsibility:
· Contribute to the delivery of the Council Plan.
· Delivering and promoting excellent customer service, externally and internally.
· Commitment to customer excellence by dealing with customer feedback, including complaints, and learning from feedback in the drive for continuous improvement.
· Making the council a great place to work, living the council's values, actively engaging in regular communications including team meetings, undertaking training as required and being responsible for managing own performance.
· Develop the City Council's commitment to equal opportunities and to promote non-discriminatory practices in all aspects of work undertaken.
· To ensure that all work functions are undertaken in accordance with health and safety legislation, codes of practice and the City Council's safety plan.
Competency Framework:
We operate a competency framework, a set of core behaviours which define how we are expected to approach our work, how we perform in certain situations and how we treat each other. Each competency details the standards of behaviours and skills required by all staff and this in turn supports delivery of our aim and our council plans linking them together with our values.
The post holder will be required to demonstrate the ability to perform at the following competency level 2.
The competency framework can be found here.
This job description is not intended to be either prescriptive or exhaustive. It is issued as a framework to outline the main areas of responsibility. You will be expected to carry out any other duties that may reasonably be required in line with your main duties and changing priorities of the organisation.

Assessment methods used: I = Interview, P = Presentation, A = Application, E = Exercise, T = Test, AC = Assessment Centre
Qualification and training
Essential
· Social Work degree or equivalent social work professional qualification (A)
· Registered with Social Work England (A)
Desirable
· Leadership/Management training
Experience
Essential
· Substantial post qualifying experience of working in a children and families statutory setting (A/I)
Desirable
· Supervisory or management experience in a Social Care setting (A/I)
Skills/Abilities
Essential
· Knowledge of children's legislation, statutory guidance, policy, and procedures (A/I)
· Knowledge of the Assessment Framework and other relevant assessment and planning tools (A/I)
· Knowledge of child development (A)
· Knowledge of and an understanding of statutory child protection and looked after children processes (A/I)
· Ability to provide clear direction (A/I)
· Effective communication skills, both written and verbal (A/I)
· Ability to prioritise tasks and problem solve (A/I)
· Ability to analyse information accurately and make judgements under pressure (A/I)
· Effective in chairing meetings effectively, ensuring clear plans/outcomes (A/I)
· Good supervisory skills, including reflective supervision (A/I)
· Ability to oversee and manage child protection and care planning work and ensure best practice (I)
· Ability to implement performance and quality assurance processes, achieving targets and delivering high quality practice (A/I)
· Demonstrate skills in collaborative and partnership working (A/I)
· Ability to demonstrate an understanding of being and effectively acting as a corporate parent in line with the Corporate Parenting Principles (I)
· Ability to work effectively as part of a team (A)
· Ability to take advantage of and use information technology, including agile working, to be efficient in practice and time management (A)
· Ability to meet the demands of the service and allocate work in a fair and equitable manner (A/I)

Desirable
· Ability to make good use of resources
· Ability to motivate and develop other
Commitment
Essential
· To work within and meet the Social Work England Professional Standards, including continuing Social Work England registration (A)
Desirable
· An understanding of and a personal commitment to the Vision and Values of Liverpool City Council
Other
Essential
· This post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) at the appropriate level

Experienced Deputy Team Manager required in Fostering Families and Friends Assessment Service, must have proven track record in Fostering and previously worked as a Deputy Team Manager.

The role will include supporting the Team Manager to manage a diversely skilled social work team, supporting and promoting good quality practice and performance. The candidate will be confident in making clear and accurate decisions to improve outcomes for children and young people and maintaining stable foster care placements. They must be used to working at pace with preparation for Ofsted Monitoring Visits and in line with our improvement plan.