Are you passionate about making a positive difference in children's lives in Southwark?
Does the sound of leading a team of dedicated professionals who share your passion for positive outcomes for children and families appeal to you?
If yes, we have the perfect role for you!
We are looking to recruit a Team Manager for our Assessment & Intervention (A&I) Service to play a key role in ensuring children in Southwark are safe and happy. Come and join us at Southwark and be part of a team dedicated to making a lasting, positive impact on the lives of children and families.
About Us:
Our Children's Services is dedicated to providing outstanding support to vulnerable children and families in Southwark. Our systemically informed, relationship-based approach prioritises the needs of each child, working purposefully with families to manage risk, promote positive outcomes, and create lasting change.
Our most recent Ofsted inspection was graded as ‘good’ in all areas. Ofsted noted that “children are at the heart of practice in Southwark”.
About the Team:
You will be joining a friendly team of dedicated professionals who share your passion for positive outcomes for children and families and ensure the delivery of a high quality, comprehensive, integrated, systemically informed social work service within Southwark’s Practice Framework.
About the Role:
As the Team Manager, you will provide leadership, management and professional guidance to your team. You will promote excellent social work practice, ensuring timely assessments, purposeful interventions and effective safeguarding measures.
Through one to one and group supervisions, you will challenge and motivate your team to deliver outstanding services to our vulnerable children, young people and their families while upholding high professional standards.
To be considered for an interview, your application will clearly evidence the following:
A Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check is required at enhanced level and you will also need eligibility to work in the UK.
Pay and Reward:
In return for all your hard work, skills and experience, you will receive:
Contact Details:
If you would like an informal conversation about this role, please contact Victor Dadzie via email at Victor.Dadzie@southwark.gov.uk
How we can support you:
We have a diverse range of training courses, practitioners and teams to help support you so you can provide the best outcomes. We have Family Support Workers, a Keeping Families Together team, a Parenting Assessment Team that conducts specialised court assessments and a SWIFT / clinical service that specialises in delivering intensive therapeutic services to families.
We also have Practice Group Coordinators who offer administrative support, including providing training on our database.
Recruitment Timeline:
Advert close date: We will be reviewing applications on a regular basis.
Interview date/s: We have weekly interview slots available.
The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative. We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.
Guaranteed Interview Scheme:
As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:
We are the largest local authority social landlord in London, managing 55,000 homes lived in by 40% of Southwark’s residents. We are home to over 18,300 businesses including iconic London venues and social enterprises and we have a young, diverse and growing population.
At Southwark we are committed to making our borough just and fair and are taking positive action to tackle inequalities.  Our residents and communities are our greatest asset and the passion we have for Southwark is shared by millions of Londoners who enjoy our outstanding cultural offer, use our hospitals and attend our universities. Our refreshed borough plan and focus on Southwark Stands Together, (which is our work with Southwark’s communities and the council’s staff to tackle racism, injustice and inequality) underpins all that we do.
At Southwark Children’s Services, we pride ourselves on doing our vital job differently. Our systemic, holistic, family-centred approach sits at the core of our values. And our endlessly supportive, collective, culture underpins everything we do to protect vulnerable children across our borough.
Southwark is a great place to grow and develop as a social worker. We continue to provide fantastic career progression opportunities. Supported by great partnerships and resources we are always growing and developing what we do through innovation, investment in our workforce and, most importantly, listening to children and families, and those that work with them.
Our offer to staff includes:
competitive remuneration packages
the opportunity to work in a vibrant borough in the heart of London with excellent access to Central London and easy transport links to the South East
a multi-cultural and diverse working environment, which provides excellent opportunities for enhancing your skills
modern digital plan with technology to support flexible working arrangements
professional development and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities through an established and extensive learning and development plan and opportunities.
opportunities to train as a Practice Educator and develop experience with student
clinical practitioners attached to every team to support you as an individual and your work with children and families.
culture of innovation and a ‘can do’ approach to problem solving in Social Care
stable, supportive leadership; Southwark has a lower ratio of workers to managers than most local authorities
small teams with supportive managers and manageable caseload
travel season ticket loans, cycle scheme, essential user care parking permits and local government pension
family friendly, flexible and agile working, from home or on-site
wellbeing programme, HSF Health plan and eye care scheme, EAP employee assistance programme, confidential counselling and support, and access to subsidised HSF health plan
If you are interested in having an informal discussion about this role, or working in children’s social care in Southwark, please contact Dan Comach, our Principal Social Worker at daniel.comach@southwark.gov.uk