Deputy Team Manager (DTM)

Luton; England; Hybrid; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in the United Kingdom is seeking an experienced social worker to manage and lead a team focused on child welfare. The role involves ensuring the safety and well-being of vulnerable children, guiding staff, and making critical decisions in complex situations. Strong leadership, communication, and risk management skills are essential. The position offers competitive pay and a hybrid work model.

Qualifications

• In-depth post-qualifying experience in child and family social work.
• Experience in coaching and mentoring staff.
• Knowledge of children’s safeguarding and management of risk.

Responsibilities

• Lead the team alongside the Team Manager and manage day-to-day operations.
• Provide social work service of assessment, care planning, and child protection.
• Ensure effective risk management and decision making in safeguarding children.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching and mentoring

Communication skills

Organizational skills

Risk management

Job description

Job Category : Social Care – Qualified

Children, Families & Education

Location : Luton

Hours Per Week : 37.00

Start Date : Immediate Start

Start Time : 09 : 00

End Time : 17 : 30

Salary : Rate : £41.50ph

Hybrid 3 days a week in the office

2 vacancies

PURPOSE OF POST

To work alongside the Team Manager to lead the team. Line managing, supporting and coaching a team including ASYE’s, Social Workers and Senior Practitioners. Assisting with training and ensuring that standards of social work practice are maintained and reported to the Team Manager.

To prioritise the most vulnerable and at risk children and recommend appropriate advice and action, escalating to relevant services as required and in line with Luton’s thresholds, working with our Practice Framework.

PRINCIPAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Work closely with the Team manager in managing in the day to day operations of the team, including deputising in their absence, providing a social work service of assessment, care planning, child protection and key working within the scope of the Children Act 1989 and related legislation in order to -

• Prevent the separation of children from their families whenever possible and appropriate
• Promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young people
• Ensure children and young people reach their full potential and have equal access to services available
• Ensures effective risk management, decision making and preventative working to safeguard children and young people effectively in accordance with statutory requirements and policies
• Establishes the appropriate assessment required and identifies the level of need for support / services and or placements for children and young people
• Follow procedures to determine the need for care proceedings to be instigated where the risk of significant harm is so great as to warrant a Court Order
• Maintains effective systems for prioritising, allocating and monitoring workloads and ensures that suitable systems of supervision and appraisal are in place to ensure children and families needs’ are met in accordance with legislation, departmental policies and procedures
• Contributes to borough wide services with professional knowledge of an area of specialism on an Operational and Strategic basis as required.

Experience

In-depth post qualifying experience including in – depth experience in the field of child and family social work

Demonstrable experience of coaching / mentoring staff

In-depth service specific knowledge of children’s safeguarding and management of risk

Demonstrable experience of managing staff

Skills / Abilities

Able to assist the Team Manager in managing, motivating and developing a social services team, effectively achieving high levels of performance from staff and representing the service and department at a variety of internal / external meetings.

Demonstrable communication skills, including :

• Able to develop and maintain effective administrative and organisational procedures.
• Able to lead and chair multi-disciplinary meetings.
• Able to negotiate and influence service users, staff at all levels, elected members and other professional both internal and external.
• Able to make sound professional judgements including high risk issues about children, parents, families and carers.

Commitment to the achievement of the highest possible standards of professional practice by all team members, through co-working, coaching / mentoring and the provision of advice, guidance and assistance.

In depth literacy, numeracy and analytical skills to be able to produce complex reports and make key recommendations.

Specialist Knowledge

Knowledge of current legislation, national guidance and best practice relevant to the post

Knowledge of social care needs of children and families