Service Manager-Fostering Innovations

Job Summary

Required Qualifications

• •Current full driving licence
• •Ability to meet the travel requirements of the role
• •Post is subject to an enhanced DBS check
• •Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service, including occasional evenings and weekends
• •Undertake mandatory safeguarding training relevant to work with children and young people
• •Ensure that staff undertake mandatory safeguarding training
• •Comply with Team Fostering's Safeguarding Policy
• •Liaise with multi-agency partners, including LADO's
• •Provide timely safeguarding monitoring information to the Directors and Ofsted as required
• •Comply with Health and Safety regulations and guidance
• •Comply with the Agency's policies and the Data Protection Act
• •Ensure all data is recorded accurately, promptly, kept up to date, and maintained in a non-discriminatory manner
• •Comply with the Agency's Equality and Diversity Policy
• •Actively promote equality of opportunity and an anti-discriminatory service
• •Subscribe to the ethos and ethical values upheld by Fostering Innovations
• •Manage a team of Team Managers, ATMs, and Supervising Social Workers
• •Manage other staff as required
• •Promote learning and development within the workforce
• •Contribute towards the development and review of the Agency's policies and procedures
• •Work closely with the Directors, social workers, and foster carers
• •Establish and maintain relationships with local authorities
• •Represent and promote the Agency
• •Commit to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people
• •Recognise the Agency's responsibility to ensure safe and appropriate policies, working practices, and systems
• •Ensure that the Agency's policies and procedures are properly implemented and monitored
• •Ensure that agency practice complies with UK legislation and the UK National Minimum Standards
• •Work within financial budgets
• •Contribute to strategic planning for the agency
• •Prepare and contribute to reports, including Regulation 35 Reports, Business Plans, Team Action Plans, Training Plans, and Inspection Reports
• •Supervise Form F assessment work
• •Work closely with the Fostering Manager and Directors in the assessment of prospective foster carers
• •Create fostering panel schedules
• •Lead foster carer recruitment activities
• •Achieve annual foster carer recruitment targets
• •Liaise with Ofsted (or equivalent), including providing statutory notifications
• •Keep abreast of developments in the field of foster care
• •Undertake other tasks relating to the management and operation of a first-class fostering service
• •Undertake other tasks relating to the management and operation of a first-class fostering service as determined by the Directors
• •Ensure that Fostering Innovations is fit for purpose as a fostering agency
• •Support its continuous development
• •Maintain, improve, and developing the quality and standards of childcare provision and practice within the fostering service
• •Promote and ensure that Fostering Innovations provides a professional fostering service for local authorities
• •Work in accordance with current safeguarding and child protection practices, regulations, National Minimum Standards, guidance, and Ofsted requirements
• •Manage all aspects of fostering resources and support functions within the Agency
• •Work in accordance with the policies and procedures of Fostering Innovations, relevant legislation, and national guidelines
• •Promote and ensure that Fostering Innovations provides a professional fostering service for local authorities placing children and young people
• •Work closely with the Directors to effectively manage the social work team in the assessment, supervision, and support of foster carers
• •Contribute to fostering service planning and development
• •Attend provider forums and meetings
• •Tendering and contracting
• •Content for publicity and marketing materials
• •Monitor and control the activities of the fostering service
• •Ensure quality performance that exceeds the National Minimum Standards and meets the Fostering Services (England) Regulations
• •Ensure the fostering service is organised, managed, and staffed to produce the best possible outcomes for children, with safeguarding at the centre of all activity
• •Prepare the fostering service and coordinate all activities for monitoring and inspections by Ofsted, London Care Councils, and Local Authority frameworks
• •Manage a high-quality fostering service
• •Ensure that comprehensive support services and robust supervision are provided to all foster carers
• •Supervise and manage a staff team, including social workers and other social work staff
• •Provide support, supervision, and advice
• •Maintain the agency's high standards to promote positive outcomes for children and young people
• •Ensure that social work and foster care practice continues to achieve 'Outstanding' or 'Good' in Ofsted inspections
• •Take responsibility for ensuring that the Agency's policies and procedures are properly implemented and monitored by social workers
• •Ensure that agency practice complies with UK legislation and the UK National Minimum Standards
• •Contribute to Agency or Team training and development where applicable
• •Work within financial budgets and promote good practice and placement stability to ensure the continuing security of the company
• •Be a member of the Management Team
• •Contribute to strategic planning for the agency
• •Prepare and contribute to reports, including Regulation 35 Reports (monthly monitoring), Business Plans, Team Action Plans, Training Plans, and Inspection Reports
• •Supervise Form F assessment work
• •Ensure that high standards are maintained and that work is compliant with agency standards within agreed timescales
• •Work closely with the Fostering Manager and Directors in the assessment of prospective foster carers
• •Adhere to timescales and Foster Panel activity
• •Ensure that the Agency's health and safety policies are implemented
• •Work closely with the Fostering Manager and Directors to create fostering panel schedules
• •Lead foster carer recruitment activities under the direction of the Directors
• •Achieve annual foster carer recruitment targets
• •Liaise with Ofsted (or equivalent), including providing statutory notifications
• •Keep abreast of developments in the field of foster care
• •Undertake other tasks relating to the management and operation of a first-class fostering service
• •Manage a team of Team Managers, ATMs, and Supervising Social Workers
• •Manage other staff as required
• •Promote learning and development within the workforce
• •Contribute to the development and delivery of training
• •Contribute towards the development and review of the Agency's policies and procedures
• •Keep them updated at all times
• •Undertake other tasks relating to the management and operation of a first-class fostering service as determined by the Directors
• •Work closely with the Directors, social workers, and foster carers to establish, develop, and maintain productive working relationships
• •Work closely with the Directors to establish and maintain relationships with local authorities
• •Contribute to planning and developing the service in line with customers' changing needs
• •Represent and promote the Agency
• •Commit to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and protecting them from risk of harm
• •Recognise the Agency's responsibility to ensure safe and appropriate policies, working practices, and systems are in place for all staff working with children and young people
• •Comply with Team Fostering's Safeguarding Policy and promote the safeguarding of children throughout all work
• •Liaise with multi-agency partners, including LADO's, in relation to any safeguarding matters regarding children placed through Team
• •Undertake mandatory safeguarding training relevant to work with children and young people
• •Provide timely safeguarding monitoring information to the Directors and Ofsted as required
• •Ensure that staff undertake mandatory safeguarding training and contribute to that training where appropriate
• •Safeguard the confidentiality of information relating to carers, children, and young people at all times
• •In accordance with agency policies, procedures, and government guidelines
• •Comply with Health and Safety regulations and guidance in the course of employment
• •Comply with the Agency's policies and the Data Protection Act in all aspects of work
• •With particular reference to the protection and use of personal data relating to carers, children, and young people
• •Ensure all data is recorded accurately, promptly, kept up to date, and maintained in a non-discriminatory manner
• •Comply with the Agency's Equality and Diversity Policy and demonstrate commitment to the policy in all aspects of work
• •Actively promote equality of opportunity and an anti-discriminatory service
• •Subscribe to the ethos and ethical values upheld by Fostering Innovations and demonstrate those values in everyday work