Practice Managers - Children's Social Care Salary range Band 11 (£49,764 - £52,805 per annum) Working Pattern Full Time Working hours 36.25 We will offer flexibility where we can if you are interested in a role, please speak to the recruiting manager about what flexibility they might consider.
Many of our colleagues can work from home for one or more days a week and/or they flex the hours they work.
We call this SMART working, and it gives you the option to flex your days and hours so you can fit your work around your life and life around your work.
Contract type Permanent Application deadline 3rd February 2025 Interview type In person This is an exciting opportunity to lead and manage a team within Trafford Children's Social Care.
Here in Trafford Children's Services our vision is that our teams are offering the right help at the right time, and that at all levels our interventions make life better for children and families.
We are ambitious for our children and for our practitioners - and our core value is 'would this be good enough for my child'?
About you We want to have practitioners and managers who are confident and brave in their practice and are supported by strong leaders at all levels.
As a relatively small local authority, we pride ourselves on our friendly teams, manageable caseloads, creative approach and colleagues who support each other.
We were pleased to see this recognised in the Ofsted report that followed our ILACS inspection in late 2022, which highlighted that "social workers in Trafford are overwhelmingly positive about both the local authority and the support they receive." Families First This is our dedicated Child in Need Service where you will work on a locality basis with children and families that require a social work assessment.
We have developed a specialised service in this area of work to allow us to strengthen our assessment and planning for children in need and their families, raising the status of children in need and ensuring a consistent approach across the borough.
Teams complete duty on a rota basis and social workers will have a varied workload including undertaking section 47 enquiries, completing child and family assessments and holding a manageable case load of children who are supported through child in need planning.
It is also important that social workers in this service are able to build relational partnerships that strengthen our work and enable the step down of plans where it is safe to do so and in the families' timescales.
About the Roles As a Practice Manager, you'll ensure that a high-quality service is provided to children and families.
You will take the lead role for the team, make management decisions and review, advise and give informed direction when required, ensuring that practice serves to continuously improve the quality of life outcomes for children and young people.
You will make sure that effective care planning takes place for all children and plans are reviewed within the required timescales.
You will ensure effective financial and budget oversight.
You'll also be able to demonstrate experience in managing and developing staff, alongside leadership abilities and excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
You should have: At least 3 years' post qualifying experience of social work 2 years' experience of providing professional supervision / line management in line with council policies.
Detailed knowledge of key legislation, statutory guidance, regulations and frameworks in relation to children.
Detailed knowledge of relevant legislation and social policy issues; and of different approaches to social work practice, paying particular regard to relational and restorative approaches with children and their families.
About us In Trafford our approach is strengths-based, using relational and restorative practice.
Our recent Ofsted report referred to our "relational model of social work practice, which is well regarded by the wider workforce, has been successfully implemented." We believe that a culture and environment in which our managers and social workers can thrive is an essential element of improving outcomes for children and families.
To support this, we have invested in a 3-year programme with relational specialists Strengthening Practice to provide ongoing training and enhance our social workers' personal development.
Our 2023 Ofsted report recognised this, noting a "cultural shift (that) has been underpinned by a strong training offer to support social workers to develop the skills they need to provide a better service to children".
Trafford Council and its partners in the public, private and third sectors have a Vision which sees us working together to close inequality gaps and maximise Trafford's huge potential.
Our vision: Trafford where all our residents, businesses and communities prosper.
Trafford is a lively, prosperous place to put down roots and build a career.
The council and Trafford schools employ around 8,000 people, who are central to making the area great.
In return for their commitment, the council offers its employees development opportunities, as well as a fair and flexible workplace.
The council is a Living Wage Employer.
Additional Information Please note all roles are now hybrid meaning a blend of locality-based and home working.
An enhanced DBS check with children barred list check will be required.
You may need to work outside of normal hours from time to time, including weekends and should be willing to travel within and outside of the Trafford area as required About the benefits You will be welcomed into a friendly environment where your personal and professional development will be encouraged.
You will have the opportunity to work and grow in a people-centred and values-based organisation that promotes a positive permission culture.
Your opinions matter so you will have the opportunity to shape how we do things here at Trafford.
To learn more about Trafford as a place to work visit and t o view more about our awards and benefits please visit: Trafford - Benefits | www.inploi.com (greater.jobs) OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment - greater.jobs | www.inploi.com For this opportunity, you must be able to prove you have the right to work in the UK - if in doubt please visit the following link Employers' right to work checklist - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) .
Please note we are not a licensed sponsor .
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With the General Data Protection Regulations coming into force we have in place a new privacy notice for staff, contractors, volunteers, trainees, those on work experience and job applicants.
To find out more, please click here: Recruitment & Employment Privacy Notice (trafford.gov.uk)