We are seeking applications for a child protection coordinator (PO6) within the Safeguarding and Quality Assurance Service. This is an opportunity to develop your leadership and quality assurance skills with an experienced team. We are looking for qualified social work managers with substantial experience in child protection work.
The post will involve:
Chairing child protection conferences and other complex meetings.
Ensuring correct decisions and recommendations are made when planning for children at risk of significant harm.
Undertaking case reviews such as independent management reviews.
Contribute to improved standards and outcomes for children and their families by providing advice and consultation.
Contribute to continuous service improvement by quality assuring service provision.
Contribute to continuous service improvement through delivery of training, influencing changes to policy and practice and ensuring their implementation.
Leading on completion of audits and report on findings.
Managing allegations against staff
To chair child protection conferences and other childcare meetings.
To ensure correct decisions and recommendations are made when planning for children at risk of significant harm.
To undertake case reviews such as independent management reviews.
To contribute to improved standards and outcomes for children and their families by providing advice and consultation.
To contribute to continuous service improvement by quality assuring service provision.
To contribute to continuous service improvement through delivery of training, influencing changes to policy and practice and ensuring their implementation.
Equity, diversity, and inclusion
As part of the Safeguarding and Quality Assurance Service you will champion the drive to address disproportionality and inequality that exists and demonstrate the values of social justice.
You will have, and demonstrate a clear understanding of inequities, how they affect different sections of our community, and the role that strategy and improvement can play in supporting better equality, diversity, and inclusion outcomes.
You can influence the development of services, support and/or practice by:
Effectively interacting, working with, and developing meaningful relationships with people of various cultural backgrounds
Interpreting issues and concerns from a cultural perspective and addressing situations or challenges from the points-of-view of multiple cultures
Recognising and advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion through your actions.
You will be one of 3 Child Protection Coordinators working alongside a Family Group Conference Manager. You will work within the Safeguarding and Quality Assurance within Children's Services.
Closing date: Sunday 28th January 2024 at 23:59
Proposed Interview date: Friday 1st March 2024
For further information regarding this post please contact Tim Djavit on 020 7527 8101 or timur.djavit@islington.gov.uk
Our relational model practice model focuses on facilitating meaningful and sustainable change for families. Changes to the way we practice include:
The adoption of an organisation wide motivational social work model of practice, which is underpinned by 7 elements: purposefulness, collaboration, empathy, autonomy, clarity of concerns, evocation and focus on the child throughout levels of practice;
Development of evidence-based model for supervisions that reflects a more emotionally-intelligent style of management;
Regular reflective supervision and practice development opportunities to lead in spreading innovations and practice improvement.
The benefits to this post include: good pension scheme and generous holidays, flexible working arrangements, a supportive management team and a great location near Finsbury Park and Arsenal tube station and Upper Street in Islington.
Essential criteria
HCPC recognised social work qualification
Ability to recognise risk and ensure that this is addressed in an emergency and through on case management.
Essential criteria
Experience of chairing complex meetings with participation from a variety of professional disciplines, children and families
Thorough knowledge of proposed and actual legislation, statutory regulations and government guidance and standards relevant to children and young people looked after.
Experience in chairing complex meetings, initial and review CLA meetings in line with national and local policies and procedures – ensuring that the child’s interests are the focus of attention.
Experience in ensuring that children/family members/carers/ other professionals are appropriately involved in all child care processes; role model a trauma informed approach to interacting with children, young people, families, carers, social workers and other professionals.
Demonstrate appropriate personal authority when chairing effectively multi-agency meetings concerning children and deal with any conflict that arises.
An understanding of the importance of race, gender, disability and sexuality for our looked after children and young people and an ability to ensure that these factors are given proper consideration in the child care planning.
Ability to liaise with senior managers who supervise child care work, and effectively challenge where appropriate
Experience of a range of quality assurance methods including audit.
The ability to deliver training and produce explanatory information, which is accessible to the whole community.
Essential criteria
Ability to communicate effectively, face to face and in writing, on child care matters with a range of professionals, parents and young people
Ability to form and maintain appropriate professional relationships with foster carers, children, young people and their families
Ability to maintain accurate, up to date written records to a high standard and recorded in a child friendly manner.
Essential criteria
Ability to adhere to the Council’s Dignity for All policy.
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.