Interim Head of Service - Children in Our Care, Care Leavers and Disabled Children & Young People's Team

4 Month Contract With A Local Authority

Job Purpose

To provide strategic leadership, operational management and professional direction for Children in Care, Leaving Care, Corporate Parenting and Disabled Children & Young People's Services, ensuring high-quality outcomes for children, young people and families.

Reporting to the Director of Children's Services, the postholder will lead key statutory services, driving performance, service improvement and transformation while maintaining effective safeguarding arrangements, permanence planning and corporate parenting responsibilities. The role will play a pivotal part in delivering the Council's Families First, reunification and improvement agenda, whilst ensuring services remain child-centred, outcome-focused and compliant with legislative and regulatory requirements.

The successful candidate will provide visible leadership, support workforce development, manage complex partnerships and contribute to the continued success of an Outstanding Children's Services authority.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for:
  • Children in Care Services
  • Leaving Care Services
  • Corporate Parenting Services
  • Disabled Children and Young People's Services
• Lead the operational delivery of statutory children's social care services.
• Ensure high standards of safeguarding, care planning, permanence and corporate parenting practice.
• Drive service improvement, transformation and innovation across children's services.
• Support the delivery of the Families First and reunification agendas.
• Ensure children and young people receive high-quality, timely and effective services that improve outcomes and life chances.
• Lead performance management arrangements and ensure services meet key statutory, regulatory and local performance indicators.
• Oversee placement sufficiency planning and commissioning arrangements.
• Manage complex placement, funding and service delivery challenges.
• Lead strategic planning relating to Children in Care, Care Leavers and Disabled Children's Services.
• Champion the voice of children and young people across service delivery and strategic planning.
• Work collaboratively with health, education, police, housing and other partners to improve outcomes.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key stakeholders, regional partnerships and commissioned providers.
• Provide professional advice and briefings to senior leaders, elected members and external partners.
• Ensure compliance with Ofsted requirements, legislation, statutory guidance and best practice.
• Lead service budgets, financial planning and resource management.
• Support workforce development, succession planning and staff wellbeing initiatives.
• Represent the Council at regional and national forums where required.
• Lead and support inspections, audits, reviews and quality assurance activities.
• Contribute to corporate objectives and wider children's services strategies.

Requirements

Essential

• Significant senior leadership experience within Children's Social Care.
• Proven experience managing:
  • Children in Care Services
  • Leaving Care Services
  • Corporate Parenting Services
  • Safeguarding Services
  • Permanence Planning Services
• Strong knowledge of:
  • Children's legislation and statutory guidance
  • Safeguarding frameworks
  • Children's Care Planning
  • Care Leaver responsibilities
  • Corporate Parenting duties
  • SEND and Disabled Children's Services
• Experience leading service improvement and transformational change programmes.
• Experience working within a local authority children's services environment.
• Proven ability to operate effectively within complex political and partnership environments.
• Significant experience managing budgets, commissioning and resource allocation.
• Experience working with Ofsted frameworks and inspection preparation.
• Strong understanding of placement sufficiency and commissioning challenges.
• Excellent leadership, communication and influencing skills.
• Ability to provide strategic direction whilst maintaining operational oversight.
• Experience building effective relationships with health, education and partner agencies.
• Ability to manage high-profile, complex and sensitive service issues.

Desirable

• Qualified Social Worker with Social Work England registration.
• Relevant management or leadership qualification.
• Experience working within an Outstanding or Good local authority children's services department.
• Experience leading Families First and reunification programmes.
• Knowledge of regional commissioning arrangements and partnership models.

Additional Information

• Location: Walsall
• Hours Per Week: 37 Hours
• Bi-Weekly Payments