Independent Chair – Cambridgeshire

mbi Medical Ltd; Cambourne; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

mbi Medical Ltd is seeking an Independent Chair in Cambridgeshire to oversee safeguarding and quality assurance for children in care. You will support performance management, review decision-making in CP conferences, and promote person-centred practice.

The role involves monitoring practice standards, ensuring timely records, chairing meetings including MAPPA where required, and contributing to policy development across the local authority.

Responsibilities

• To assist in the delivery of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s Quality Assurance Framework using performance indicators and management targets to ensure the best outcomes are achieved for children.
• To manage the Child Protection Conference decision-making process and in the absence of a majority decision, take the decision regarding the need for children and young people to be made the subject of Child Protection Plans.
• To implement the guidance from the IRO Handbook statutory guidance for Independent Reviewing Officers and Local Authorities in relation to case management and review for children in care.
• To undertake a quality assurance role in relation to children in need of protection or in care, by actively monitoring practice standards, systems and processes and identifying any practice deficits in order to improve service delivery for children, young people and their families.
• To ensure that the quality of casework presented to the service is monitored and that managers at all levels within Childrens Social Care are made aware of any cases that do not meet professional standards.
• To actively engage in discussion with Senior and Operational Managers identifying areas of good practice and challenging poor practice where necessary.
• To ensure that practice is person-centred, and to ensure that children’s views and wishes are sought and appropriately represented within all decision- making meetings.
• To contribute as required to the work of the Local Safeguarding Board.
• To be actively involved in working groups and panels where required. To monitor thresholds in relation to the safeguarding of children.
• To maintain effective administrative systems within timescales and to ensure that the records of meetings are of a high standard and accurately reflect the discussion and decision making at those meetings.
• To ensure that the records and plans arising from all meetings are produced and distributed within statutory timescales.
• To identify any shortfalls in practice standards, corporate parent responsibilities or in the provision of resources for Children in Care, according with the requirements of the Adoption Act 2002.
• To robustly monitor the effectiveness of multi-agency arrangements to implement safeguarding arrangements.
• To ensure that all children/young people are enabled to make a meaningful contribution to their meetings.
• To audit cases on themes identified locally to ensure safety of practice.
• To undertake presentations of the outcomes of audits or individual Management Reviews to a variety of audiences.
• To be an active member of the Safeguarding and Quality Assurance and Safeguarding service and to contribute to strategic policy and procedural developments.
• To carry out peer supervision
• To represent the Local Authority at Multi Agency Public Protection (MAPPA) meetings as required and any other meetings identified.
• To complete the functions of this role across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough as part of a shared Safeguarding and Quality Assurance Service.
• To demonstrate awareness/understanding of equal opportunities and other people’s behavioural, physical, social and welfare needs.
• To independently chair other relevant meetings such as Secure Accommodation Reviews or Placement Breakdown Meetings, as required.

Job description

Independent Chair – Cambridgeshire

• To assist in the delivery of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s Quality Assurance Framework using performance indicators and management targets to ensure the best outcomes are achieved for children.
• To manage the Child Protection Conference decision-making process and in the absence of a majority decision, take the decision regarding the need for children and young people to be made the subject of Child Protection Plans.
• To implement the guidance from the IRO Handbook statutory guidance for Independent Reviewing Officers and Local Authorities in relation to case management and review for children in care.
• To undertake a quality assurance role in relation to children in need of protection or in care, by actively monitoring practice standards, systems and processes and identifying any practice deficits in order to improve service delivery for children, young people and their families.
• To ensure that the quality of casework presented to the service is monitored and that managers at all levels within Childrens Social Care are made aware of any cases that do not meet professional standards.
• To actively engage in discussion with Senior and Operational Managers identifying areas of good practice and challenging poor practice where necessary.
• To ensure that practice is person-centred, and to ensure that children’s views and wishes are sought and appropriately represented within all decision- making meetings.
• To contribute as required to the work of the Local Safeguarding Board.
• To be actively involved in working groups and panels where required. To monitor thresholds in relation to the safeguarding of children.
• To maintain effective administrative systems within timescales and to ensure that the records of meetings are of a high standard and accurately reflect the discussion and decision making at those meetings.
• To ensure that the records and plans arising from all meetings are produced and distributed within statutory timescales.
• To identify any shortfalls in practice standards, corporate parent responsibilities or in the provision of resources for Children in Care, according with the requirements of the Adoption Act 2002.
• To robustly monitor the effectiveness of multi-agency arrangements to implement safeguarding arrangements.
• To ensure that all children/young people are enabled to make a meaningful contribution to their meetings.
• To audit cases on themes identified locally to ensure safety of practice.
• To undertake presentations of the outcomes of audits or individual Management Reviews to a variety of audiences.
• To be an active member of the Safeguarding and Quality Assurance and Safeguarding service and to contribute to strategic policy and procedural developments.
• To carry out peer supervision
• To represent the Local Authority at Multi Agency Public Protection (MAPPA) meetings as required and any other meetings identified.
• To complete the functions of this role across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough as part of a shared Safeguarding and Quality Assurance Service.
• To demonstrate awareness/understanding of equal opportunities and other people’s behavioural, physical, social and welfare needs.
• To independently chair other relevant meetings such as Secure Accommodation Reviews or Placement Breakdown Meetings, as required.