Responsible for the leadership and management of a social work team (s) ensuring that vulnerable children and their families receive responsive services that safeguard and promote their welfare.

Actively promote and contribute to the strategic developments for children and their families in Walsall working with a restorative approach.

Responsible for Senior practitioners, social workers, NQSW's and trainee Social workers.

To have full responsibility for the delivery of services to children, young people, their families and carers, in line with legislation, guidance and local policy and procedures.

To make highly complex decisions relating to social service provision for children, young people and their families within Walsall.

To manage allocation of work in accordance of with priorities, ensuring that assessments, care plans and reviews are implemented where required and monitor and review procedures and policies. To ensure that all statutory timescales are met.

To work collaboratively with partner agencies and within the children's division and in the voluntary sector to ensure multi-agency assessment, planning, interventions and review.

To negotiate the provision of services with voluntary and external agencies that supports the delivery of services to children, young people, their families and carers.

To contribute to the management of services as a member of the Children's Services Management Team.

To promote effective internal and external communication. To chair and participate in working groups, task groups, and to be fully involved in Service planning, Child Protection Conferences and associated review processes.

To ensure the requirements of appropriate child care legislation and guidance are understood by all members of staff. This should be disseminated during team meetings and supervision periods. JOB DESCRIPTION (JD) AND EMPLOYEE SPECIFICATION (ES) Manager Template 2

To monitor and review effective workload management and to ensure performance management/quality of cases is being maintained.

To contribute to the development of the service plan whilst leading on the development of their team plan.

To ensure that all new staff members are fully inducted and are aware of the Directorate's policies in respect of health and safety, anti-discriminatory practice and Walsall Council's strategic plans.

To work with colleagues to recruit and select staff in the Children's services division in accordance with the Council's procedures in respect of safer recruitment.

To monitor the performance of staff through regular supervision, observations of practice and appraisal. To work with colleagues to ensure the most effective deployment of staff in the service.

Ensure that training and development needs of staff in the Children's Services area are identified and met through the use of the Employee Performance Assessment (EPA's) or other appraisal processes. Training plans should be reviewed regularly.

Promote and enforce the Council's Health and Safety Policy and maintain safe working practices for self and others. To be responsible for the professional supervision, guidance, reflective practice and support to social work staff involved in assessment work and any other relevant activities within the team.

To be available to provide case work management and individual support to other staff across the service when other managers are not available.

To regularly review the work of the team and service delivery, initiate new developments and any other changes as appropriate in consultation with the Group Manager.

To be accountable for own progression in career development by learning through training opportunities and both personal and professional development opportunities.

To effectively manage delegated budgets allocated to children's Services and to ensure value for money and effective use of resources, utilising best value principles.

Delivery of service within allocated budget(s) and in compliance with the Council's financial and other regulations.

To ensure efficient forecasting of all allocated budgets, and to inform their Group Manager of budget pressures.

Make arrangements for the payment of grants to children, young people, their families and carers. To ensure that thresholds for service intervention have been met.

To contribute to planning processes for Children's Services in the Borough, and including those that contribute to the meeting of Improved Outcomes for Children, Performance Assessment Framework, and Best Value performance targets.

To use management information systems effectively to drive up the performance and quality of the service. 3

To ensure that all statutory requirements are met and that staff are fully updated when changes are made in respect of current developments, new guidance, research and legislation.

To undertake regular case audits and ensure that statutory obligations and performance management targets are being met.

To ensure service users are aware and have access to the Complaints and Representation Process and ensure that Children's Services conforms to the Social Services Representation and Complaints Procedure.

To keep up to date with Walsall Council and services policy, national trends, research, government guidelines, legal issues, etc.

To ensure that the Service seeks to involve parents/carers and young people in the planning of services and review processes, including actively seeking their views and their participation.

To promote and enforce the Council's Equal Opportunities Policy, and ensure services take account of the cultural, religious and linguistic background of users and meet the relevant Equality Standard.

Ensure all team members operate ICT systems effectively and in accordance with the Directorate's procedures. To operate at all times within the professional ethics and disciplines of social work as described in the BASW codes of ethics and HCPC codes of practice

Prepare reports and maintain all necessary records including computerized records for administrative and statistical purposes in Children's Services.

Contribute to the development and review of management information systems in planning and monitoring service activity.

To arrange with Information Services and Quality and Performance Management for the collection of information required to monitor the achievement of Government and internal indicators and targets

The post holder will comply with and promote the Council's Health, Wellbeing and Safety at Work policies and ensure these are implemented effectively within his/her areas of responsibility.

Through personal commitment and clear action, the post holder will promote the Council's employment policies, with particular reference to diversity, equality of access and treatment in employment, service delivery and community involvement. To support/develop a working culture within these services that reflects the corporate vision.

Ensure that the services provided aligned to the Council strategy, vision, aims, objectives, priorities and continuous improvement programme and play their part in achieving these. This includes compliance with Standing Orders, Financial Regulations, Code of Conduct and the Councils Policies and Procedures. This job description sets out a summary of the duties and accountabilities of the role. It is not intended to be exhaustive.

Enhanced DBS disclosure is required for this post.

Significant post qualifying experience substantially in services to children and families. Experience of supervising other social care staff and challenging their practice where necessary.

Experience of determining priorities in the implementation of a social work service.

Experience and commitment to the use of IT systems and communication tools.

To have extensive experience of utilising a range of social work skills at PQ level within a Local Authority or recognised equivalent authority.

Experience of financial management in a social care setting and knowledge of best value principles.

Knowledge and understanding of customer care practice.

Knowledge and understanding of the importance of performance management and the use of management information systems in operational management.

Working knowledge of health and safety issues. Experience of carrying out audits.

Social work qualification, BA, MA, CQSW, CSS, DipSW,

HCPC registration

Enhanced DBS disclosure