Harrow Council - Head of Practice Improvement

* To lead and manage a frontline, needs led service which is predominantly related to high risk statutory children's social care services across a particular agreed area, while also providing professional cover for the full range: early help and intervention (including statutory responsibility for Children's Centres) to reduce the risk of escalation to targeted statutory services, children in need of protection, children looked after, those subject to Court proceedings and those young people involved in or on the periphery of the criminal justice system.
* To be accountable for high risk/strategic decisions in Children and Young People Services, including out of hours / on call.
* To identify, implement and lead continuous improvement programmes that will improve statutory social work service delivery, and embed a performance and accountability culture that drives standards and performance.
* To work closely with the Divisional Director CYPS/Corporate Director People Services to improve life chances and outcomes of children in need of early intervention, care, protection and support, clients of the youth offending team, care leavers and Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children.
* To deputise, where appropriate for the Divisional Director / Corporate Director People Services Directorate. This will include representing the directorate at strategic Court meetings, multi-agency strategic partnership meetings/meetings with community settings, Regional and National strategic forums.
* To lead and manage the commissioning, procurement, and contract management of complex ICT contracts in order to deliver client based / placement brokerage, and central government statutory reporting requirements across children and adult services.
* To act as the Principal Social Worker across CYPS, and represent People Services at regional and national PSW forums.
* To strategically oversee the business management delivery of the Harrow Safeguarding Partnership Board (Children and Adult Services).
* To provide strategic leadership of quality standards / quality assurance framework that monitors, evaluates and reports on the impact for children and young people.
* To lead and strategically manage the commissioning, procurement, and contract management of complex workforce requirements linked to training and development needs across the CYPS workforce.
* To provide strategic leadership across CYPS to meet requirements of OFSTED, external and corporate readiness for inspection and peer review activity.
* To provide strategic leadership on all matters relating to reporting of serious incidents to OFSTED reporting requirements and allegations of harm relating to the Harrow Local Area (across all partnership / third sector agencies).
* To act as Statutory Caldicott Guardian for People Services Directorate in order to ensure that Children and Adult Services makes sure that the personal information about those who use its services is used legally, ethically, and appropriately. To provide leadership and informed guidance on complex matters involving confidentiality and information sharing.

If you are interested in this role please send your updated CV in the first instance.