Job Purpose
To establish and maintain quality assurance systems to ensure that professional standards are met in respect of safeguarding and management of risk, with the support of Operational managers. To work with and alongside YJS workers at a “hands-on” level to enable them to work restoratively and continually develop their youth justice practice at a practitioner level. To assist gatekeeping and allocation of work and ensure it is managed in accordance with relevant statutory and departmental policies and procedures. Managing and supervising members of the team and delegating appropriate responsibilities to them. To contribute to the development and delivery of the Youth Justice Plan and Youth Crime Prevention Strategy in partnership with other agencies. To communicate effectively and credibly with a range of partner agencies with regard to YJS policy and practice. To chair complex inter agency planning meetings any other meetings, as required within the service area. Undertaking any other duties as may be appropriate to the level and nature of the post as determined by the YJS Manager. To encourage continual development in our lead areas, promoting and delivering training to ensure the embedding of up to date practice. To introduce, embed and continually develop at team level models of systemic practice consistent with the introduction and development of relevant theoretical frameworks. The successful candidate will attend and oversee Youth Court.
About You
A relevant qualification in a discipline involving work with young people or substantial recent experience of direct work with young people and their families involved in Youth Offending services.
Knowledge of current practice and service development issues concerning young people who offend and their families.
Substantial and recent practitioner experience in a YJS. Experience and ability to supervise staff, both in respect of direct work and in the promotion of professional development.
Building effective relationships with young people, families and other professionals.
Knowledge of the causes of crime and effective methods of reducing offending behaviour.
Knowledge of “Outcomes” concepts, quality assurance methodology and change/project management techniques. Knowledge of Restorative Approaches within a Youth Justice context.
Knowledge of diverse, multi-cultural communities and their needs.
Ability to manage dealing with high risk and complexity in a way that delivers effective management of risk and vulnerability and produces good outcomes.
Sound risk assessment skills for youth offending and safeguarding work.
Ability to develop the practice skills of others through a range of methods including reflective supervision, coaching, observation & feedback, training and joint working.
Able to produce high quality evidence-based assessments.
Competent in the use of YJS Case Management Systems.
Home to 94,000 children, Croydon is a truly unique place to practice social work. We are a borough with big ambition, grit, and determination. Children's social care was judged ‘good’ in our last Ofsted inspection.
Our systemic practice framework places emphasis on relationships as key to supporting change for families. We make sense of the world through relationships, focusing on the whole family system and thinking about our own part in that too – what we bring, our own family stories and beliefs, how we use ourselves in the work that we do. Our practice model is all about collaboration - with our families, networks and partners; being open to challenge and ensuring our practitioners are highly trained in a variety of intervention approaches. Our established clinical service will support you to grow your own systemic practice within the service, providing accredited training, co-working and direct work with families.
For an informal chat about working in Croydon, contact Agata Stolowska at agata.stolowska@croydon.gov.uk