Permanency Team Manager and Panel Advisor - Permanent

Your new company
Children ServicesOur vision is a Southend Where All Children Achieve Success. By joining Southend City Council as Team Manager, you will be key in making our vision a reality for all children. You will be joining a service where we demonstrate with pride that:

• All paths lead back to the child.
• We spend time getting to know each child and their story.
• We do what we say we're going to do.
• We work with the whole family.
• No matter what, we aim to make things better.

You will provide support to work to the highest standard using our model of practice, Restorative Practice, to deliver the vision. You will access a professional social work development offer that has been designed by social workers, whatever stage you are at in your career. You will be given regular restorative supervision and separate supervision focussing on development and evidencing your SWE registration. We want everyone to take the lead in an area of interest for your team, and you will explore this with your line manager.We have posts in a number of teams, so please contact our recruitment partner, Hays, to discuss the teams we are currently recruiting too.

Your new role
Southend Council are looking to appoint a permanent, full-time, Permanency Team Manager and Panel Advisor.The post-holder will be responsible for the line management of all connected carers assessments, Special Guardianship assessments and initial viability assessments. They will hold the permanence lead function and panel advisor role for fostering, which requires partnership work across children's services.

The key responsibilities are for management and coordination of the Permanency and Fostering panel, including management, training, development and quality assurance of fostering panel chair and panel members.Coordinate and attend Permanency Panel, Permanency Planning Meetings and case track meetings, advising on the best way to achieve the most appropriate outcomes for children.Contribute to the training of fostering chair and panel members and giving advice to panels where it is required.Monitor the outcomes for children who have been presented to ensure effective panel functions and ensure the quality assurance of the panel record and their distribution.

The post-holder will also need to provide formal, professional supervision to staff, ensuring that appraisals are undertaken, identify skills gaps or training needs. You will also be responsible for monitoring and reporting on the team's performance, standards and quality of work, to ensure that the council complies with policy, procedures and professional standards.

The position is hybrid working, but you will be expected to be on site a minimum of 1 day a week. There will be a face-to-face team meeting every other week on a Tuesday.

What you'll need to succeed
To be successful in this position you must be able to work in the UK, have a recognised Social Work qualification and be registered with Social Work England.You are required to have 2+ years managerial/performance management/quality assurance experience as well as knowledge of legislation and fostering regulations, along with 4+ years of working within children and families.

What you'll get in return
Pension:
Southend-on-Sea City Council provide membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) for employees aged under 75. The LGPS is a generous scheme and provides you with a future income, independent of share prices and stock market fluctuations.Leave Entitlements:We offer our employees a generous leave entitlement from 25 days up to 32 days based on length of service (Continuous service). Southend-on-Sea City Council also offer a range of flexible working and family-friendly leave.*We also offer paid time off to allow employees to undertake volunteering activities*Here at Southend-on-Sea City Council we also offer our employees free access to a benefit portal that provides access to wellbeing support and a range of salary sacrifice schemes to help spread the cost of items, including:

• Bicycles, cars, electronics and gym membership.
• The portal also provides access to a range of discounts on products and services including retail, food shopping, travel, dining out and leisure activities.

What you need to do now
If you're interested in this role, click 'apply now' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV, or call us now.

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