Are you interested in professional development opportunities and the ability to practice to the best of your ability within a supportive, innovative Outstanding Local Authority? If so, Islington is looking to recruit an enthusiastic and talented Practice Manager to our Children in Need Service.
Islington was rated as Outstanding by Ofsted in March 2020. Ofsted has reported “Children in Islington benefit from services that have gone from strength to strength ... Senior leaders and members of the council demonstrate an unwavering commitment to improving and enriching the lives of children and their families. This is evidenced by the significant and sustained investment in children’s services, and by the wide range of highly successful initiatives that are having a positive impact on children and their families, whatever their level of need. Highly skilled and experienced staff listen carefully to children to understand their needs and ensure that plans are effective”.
What is Motivational Practice?
Motivational Practice is Islington’s Practice Model. There are core elements that underpin the practice framework that provide a set of skills around how to communicate in a helpful way with workers that you supervise, the professional network as a whole and families we work with, supporting a process of change.
The Practice Manager is responsible for the case monitoring and supervision of all cases in their supervision group and will play a crucial role in developing a reflective and supportive supervision environment. You will ensure the delivery of high quality assessments, care planning and case progression for children in need and child protection cases whilst assisting the team manager build effective and meaningful relationships with key partners.
You will be accustomed to employing social work principles such as dignity, respect, empathy, and strength based, collaborative approach to service delivery. Motivational interviewing skills with a Trauma Informed lens are the cornerstone of social work practice in the Children in Need Service. In order to help us select the best candidate’s Islington have developed a two stage interview process with the first stage being an opportunity to test out applicants Motivational Interviewing (MI) compatibility. Candidates are not required to have advanced MI skills, rather we are seeking to identify those who have the capacity to develop these skills with the advanced training and coaching. Further details will be provided to all candidates who are shortlisted and offered an interview.
Those candidates who are successful following Motivation Interview will have a written test and panel interview.
For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Martin Tait on 0207 527 7179, Maureen Stratton on 0207 527 7777 or Marc Mathison on 0207 527 3556.
Closing date: Sunday 1st October 2023 at 23:59
Proposed Interviews: Wednesday 11th October 2023
What Islington Offers:
Protected caseloads and reduced bureaucracy will allow more intensive work with families, more frequent visits and the opportunity to build transformative relationships and undertake more direct work,
A specially designed core training package to deliver goal based interventions, use evidenced based tools, develop reflective and thoughtful risk assessment, and to measure progress,
Availability of an intensive multi-disciplinary service to enhance social work intervention where the concerns for the child are high risk,
Social workers and managers receive regular reflective supervision and practice development opportunities to enhance the effectiveness of their interventions and develop their skills.
We take pride in providing a learning environment where staff can develop, with controlled case loads, safe working practices, a culture of strong supervision and excellent training opportunities enables a supportive working environment for all staff.
Essential criteria
Maximum score 6
SWE recognised Social Work qualification and considerable post qualifying experience in a statutory social work setting.
Experience in supervising child and family Social Workers with a mixed-range of skills and experience.
To demonstrate the application of legislation and regulations that dictate the powers and duties of the local authority in safeguarding children in need of help and protection or who are looked after (e.g. child protection measures, pre-proceedings and Public Law Outline).
Essential criteria
Maximum score 8
Demonstrated skills aligned with the Motivational Practice framework.
Demonstrate evidence of developing a culture of learning focused on your staff’s expertise, strengths and developmental needs. Ability to Champion the Motivational Practice Model and facilitate its use with children, young people, families/carers, staff and the wider service.
Demonstrate an ability to maintain a safe, calm and well-ordered environment that is motivating, supportive and efficient. Facilitate reflective practice that pays attention to priorities and pressures and offers constructive and strengths based solutions with, children, young people, families/carers and partner agencies that keep children safe
Demonstrated evidence of using respectful authority and empathy to build relationships in which you exercise proportionate statutory powers to address risk and maximize the opportunity for children, young people and families/carers to make informed choices. Show evidence of inviting respectful challenge to develop logical plans of action.
Essential criteria
Maximum score 10
Demonstrate ability to debate, discuss, reflect upon and test hypotheses to help make sense of the complexity of children, young people and families’ lived experiences. Make decisions that consider the child’s and young person’s voice for current and long-term outcomes, reviewing these in consultation with families and other professionals.
Demonstrate knowledge of research including indicators of risk and protective factors to children and young people and how you have used supervision processes to implement and monitor effectiveness of interventions
Ability to lead a small team providing reflective individual and group supervision that safeguards children and young people and helps to improve outcomes for them and their families
Experience of identifying the emotional barriers of supervisees which affect practice and show an ability to support them.
To ensure all reports and plans are of high quality
Essential criteria
Maximum score 14
Demonstrate ability to effectively allocate work and use practice data and other systems to monitor and improve practice in order to be accountable within legal, regulatory, procedural and performance frameworks.
To provide observation and feedback/coaching of direct practice to measure its quality alongside effective case management underpinned by theory and best evidence. Ensuring that child protection is prioritised.
To ensure all HR processes are fully complied with.
Deal with difficult situations including complaints and conflict between families and other professionals.
Ensure the help provided is delivered is child-centred.
Ability to adhere to the Council’s Dignity for All policy.
This role requires a good standing with Social Work England (SWE) and satisfactory enhanced clearance from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).
Islington is one of the most vibrant areas of London, with a diverse population, a unique cultural identity and a wealth of open spaces, theatres, museums, cinemas, and galleries.
Our Children’s Social Care services have been rated by OFSTED as Outstanding and praises an “unwavering commitment to improving and enriching the lives of children and their families”
A snapshot of what we offer our social workers:
For more information and a discussion about working for London Borough of Islington, contact our Principal Social Worker Wynand McDonald, Principal Child and Family Social Worker at Wynand.mcdonald@islington.gov.uk.