Strategic Leader, Family Help & Safeguarding

Reading Borough Council; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Leadership programme

Family Safeguarding training

Reflective supervision

Wellbeing and workforce offer

Job summary

Reading Borough Council seeks an exceptional Head of Service for Family Help to lead statutory children’s social care, safeguarding and relational practice. You will shape strategy, inspire teams and collaborate with health, education, police and the voluntary sector to deliver durable outcomes for vulnerable children and families.

The post requires a qualified Social Worker with substantial leadership experience in statutory services, driving improvement, and delivering high-quality care

Qualifications

• Accomplished children's social care leader with experience in statutory services and delivering improvements.
• Strong strategic insight, emotional intelligence and credibility to lead through change.
• Passionate about improving outcomes for children, young people and families.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight across Family Help and statutory social work services.
• Lead the implementation and development of the Family Safeguarding Model.
• Ensure high-quality assessments, interventions and care planning delivering meaningful change for children and families.
• Oversee services for children in need, child protection, pre-proceedings, care proceedings and children in care.
• Build partnerships across education, health, police, legal services and the voluntary sector.
• Drive quality assurance, performance management and continuous improvement.
• Support children in care through effective corporate parenting.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic leadership

Relationship-based practice

Education

Qualified Social Worker (Social Work England)

Job description

Reading Borough Council seeks an exceptional Head of Service for Family Help to lead statutory children’s social care, safeguarding and relational practice. You will shape strategy, inspire teams and collaborate with health, education, police and the voluntary sector to deliver durable outcomes for vulnerable children and families.

The post requires a qualified Social Worker with substantial leadership experience in statutory services, driving improvement, and delivering high-quality care