Head of Permanence

Dorset Council

Sturminster Newton

Hybrid

GBP 94,000 - 127,000

Full time

11 days ago

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Job summary

Dorset Council is seeking an interim Head of Permanence to lead the permanence service for children in care. The role is hybrid, based at County Hall in Dorchester, with a day rate of £600 Inside IR35 and an immediate start.

You will oversee the permanence teams, provide strategic leadership, ensure high quality care planning, safeguarding, and collaboration with health, education, and partner services to improve outcomes for looked-after children.

Qualifications

Qualified social worker with UK registration and current practice knowledge.
Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams in a children’s services setting.
Strong strategic and performance management skills.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership for permanence and safeguarding services.
Line manage allocated managers and professional leads.
Ensure delivery of statutory social work pathways and performance targets.
Collaborate with health, IRO, virtual school, fostering and residential teams.

Skills

Leadership

Line management

Strategic planning

Partnerships

Education

Social Work qualification

Job description

Head of Permanence Hybrid - County Hall in Dorchester £600 a day Inside IR35 Immediate Start

Connect2Dorset Connect2Dorset is the managed service recruitment partner to Dorset Council, providing temporary, contract, and interim opportunities across the organisation. Built on values of being ethical, trustworthy, and caring, our profits are reinvested back into our Local Authority shareholders. We are looking for an interim Head of Permanence to lead our strategic and operational work for children in care in Dorset. Dorset are a learning partner with the DfE on the Enduring Relationships strategy, and we are keen to continue to develop and our offer for children in our care and our care experienced young people. As part of this work we are looking for a leader that can enhance our approaches to reunification, life long links, life story, permanence planning and preparation for adulthood using best practice and creating opportunities for innovation.

You will have line management responsibility for the service manager for our permanence service which includes three permanence teams.

You will also use your expertise to oversee and influence the work with children in care in our localities to ensure that all our children experience high quality care planning and permanence planning.

You will work collaboratively with our children in care health team, IRO service, virtual school teams, fostering and residential teams to achieve the best outcomes for our children.

Purpose and impact The main purpose of the role is to provide strategic and operational leadership/management to deliver statutory social work service pathways. The role is delivered against a clear set of national legislative and statutory frameworks under the Children Act 1989, the Care Act 2014 and other relevant legislation. To provide the Senior Leadership and management of relevant statutory social work services and multi professional arrangements. To work as a member of a senior leadership team within allocated areas responsible for the joint delivery of identified outcomes for vulnerable adults, children, young people and their families. To identify required strategic outcomes and to plan and oversee the implementation of programmes to deliver services and meet identified performance targets To monitor service delivery in relation to identified performance measures and to plan and deliver performance improvements where required. To provide visible and effective leadership including within strategic partnerships and Local Safeguarding Boards. To lead and contribute to delivery of early help and prevention strategies in partnership with others. To deliver and manage a range of services efficiently and effectively in accordance with Directorate policy and procedures To Contribute to strategy and policy development across the Council. To deputise for Directors or Assistant Directors as required. To act as an expert in regard to statutory social work providing strategic advice and guidance to staff and other professionals. To lead on the delivery of allocated projects or service development areas. To promote best practice and development programmes. To monitor and manage allocated budgets. To lead and manage staff groups.

Key responsibilities

To be responsible for promoting and safeguarding vulnerable adults and children
To provide the leadership to a number of services /professionals in regard to their specific area of operational service delivery.
To be responsible for taking professional decisions on complex matters within appropriate timescales.
To have direct line management for allocated Operational managers.
To promote, develop and plan services ensuring that there is an effective and efficient delivery of services which meet statutory requirements and may be subject to regulation and inspection.
To contribute to the strategic planning, working collaboratively with partners, communities, the voluntary sector and others as appropriate.
To provide a clear line of governance in regard to decision making on high risk and complex case issues and to elevate as appropriate.
To be responsible for the performance management and outcomes for an allocated portfolio of services.
To write reports, work plans and service plans as and when required.
To lead and/or relevant leadership and management meetings as required.
To lead and/or be involved in budget and performance discussions and work closely with colleagues in finance, performance and in other key support areas to ensure effective service delivery within available resources.
To make effective staff group.
To be responsible for performance and delivery of outcomes against key performance indicators in allocated areas.
To manage delegated budgets effectively and efficiently in line with the authority's scheme of cost centre management and delegation.
To manager early help and prevention resources as allocated.
To ensure that there is compliance with health and safety in allocated service areas.
To provide strategic leadership.
Undertaking any lesser or comparable duties as identified.
NB: The duties and responsibilities of this post are not restrictive and the post holder may be required on occasion to undertake other duties. This will not substantially change the nature of the post.