Head of Through Care

Job Purpose

• Discharge the statutory duties of the Children's Directorate in respect of children in need, in need of protection and in need of being looked after, ensuring that the families are fully supported with the Right Approach, Right Place and Right Time as set out in our Early Help Strategy.
• To lead on operational decision making alongside strategic planning to ensure that the Authority meets its corporate responsibilities, ensuring cost effectiveness, efficiency and responsiveness. This includes recognising the role delivered through the Lead Member for Children's Services, and with elected members in the responsibilities as corporate parents.
• To lead and deliver service change in line with the Council's strategic priorities and aims, motivating and inspiring teams across the service. To develop working partnerships both within and outside of the Council, including maximising opportunities for children and families to shape our services.
• To fully represent the Council within the Region, learning from best practice and co-operating across the network to build responsive services for our children, where they are seen to be 'Children first and at the heart of all we do'.

Statutory Responsibilities

To be accountable across the range of Children's legislation, regulation and guidance including:

• Children Act 1989
• Working Together 2018
• National Minimum Standards for Fostering
• National Minimum Standards for Adoption

Specific Responsibilities

• To ensure that children's safeguarding is an organisational and universal priority, through effective performance management within the service, and through wider engagement across the Council and with partners.
• Ensure the council's compliance with the relevant statutory obligations and guidance in relation to vulnerable children and young people.
• To be accountable for a substantive budget (Children's social care c£80million), ensuring best value is delivered through appropriate deployment of resource.
• To build robust partner relationships, and through good system leadership, enable children and families to experience integrated and considered support at the earliest point of intervention. This will include work through the Safeguarding People Partnership as well as in operational multi-agency work.
• To exercise delegated statutory powers in accordance with the Council's Constitution. This will include accountability for a child becoming looked after, and whether their liberty should be curtailed; to be accountable as an Agency Decision Maker; to have oversight of Responsible Individuals as appropriate.
• To enable elected members to deliver their responsibilities in respect of children, including as corporate parents.
• To lead in the commissioning of identified services, working closely with colleagues to do so; to ensure that there is robust contract management in place and that this is fully utilised in informing subsequent planning; to ensure that the best interest of the Council is secured with all relevant external providers.
• To actively seek feedback from children and families, such that this will inform service planning, and to support the wider service in progressing this more iterative learning; to build on the Council plan so that our children benefit from the best possible start in our Child Friendly borough.
• To promote and implement good employment policy and practice, ensuring that individuals are effectively performance managed, supported in their professional development and are fully equipped to deliver service expectations. This will include services not directly within the remit of the post holder - for example disciplinary investigations and chairing decision-making panels.
• To ensure that there is rigorous oversight of corporate expectations such as Business Continuity Planning and Risk Management; that these are up to date and are tested as is appropriate. This will include participating in out of hours and emergency planning, both specifically within the service and as a senior officer within the authority.

Special Conditions

• Politically restricted post
• This post is subject to the DBS checking process
• Driving Licence will be subject to checking with the DVLA. It is a council requirement to have Business Use Car Insurance and a valid MOT certificate

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