Service Manager-Fostering Innovations

Liquid Personnel is recruiting an experienced Service Manager – Fostering Innovations for its client’s Fostering Innovations team based in Hillingdon. This is a full-time permanent role offering up to £60,000 per annum and the opportunity to lead a high-performing fostering service focused on achieving outstanding outcomes for children and young people.

Purpose of the Job

To comply with and understand Fostering Innovations safeguarding policy and procedures and take action as appropriate in relation to children and vulnerable groups regarding matters of safety, protection and wellbeing. Fostering Innovations is committed to promoting equality of opportunity, valuing diversity and eliminating discrimination as a core value.

The Service Manager is accountable for developing and managing Fostering Innovations, including managing all aspects of fostering resources and support functions within the Agency. Working in accordance with the policies and procedures of Fostering Innovations, relevant legislation, and national guidelines, the Service Manager promotes and ensures that Fostering Innovations provides a professional fostering service for local authorities placing children and young people. The Service Manager is responsible for working in accordance with current safeguarding and child protection practices, regulations, National Minimum Standards, guidance, and Ofsted requirements.

The Service Manager will contribute to the provision of a first-class fostering service for children by working closely with the Directors to effectively manage the social work team in the assessment, supervision, and support of foster carers.

The Service Manager will ensure that Fostering Innovations is fit for purpose as a fostering agency by supporting its continuous development and maintaining, improving, and developing the quality and standards of childcare provision and practice within the fostering service.

Fostering Innovations Staff Values

1. The needs of the child are paramount.
2. Commitment to the stated purpose as expressed above.
3. Honesty and respect are central in all dealings with others.
4. Valuing difference.
5. Judgements will be based on evidence, not hearsay.

Key Tasks

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Monitor and control the activities of the fostering service and 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.
• Contribute to fostering service planning and development, including:
• Attendance at provider forums and meetings.
• Tendering and contracting.
• Content for publicity and marketing materials.
• Manage a team of Team Managers, ATMs, and Supervising Social Workers.
• Manage a high-quality fostering service, ensuring 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, providing support, supervision, and advice.
• Maintain the agency’s high standards to promote positive outcomes for children and young people and 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 and 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 and 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, ensuring 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, adhering 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 and 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.

Leadership and Management

• Manage a team of Team Managers, ATMs, and Supervising Social Workers.
• Manage other staff as required.
• Promote learning and development within the workforce and contribute to the development and delivery of training.
• Contribute towards the development and review of the Agency’s policies and procedures and 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.

Communication and Relationships

• 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 and contribute to planning and developing the service in line with customers’ changing needs.
• Represent and promote the Agency.

Safeguarding Children and Young People

• 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.

Confidentiality

• Safeguard the confidentiality of information relating to carers, children, and young people at all times in accordance with agency policies, procedures, and government guidelines.

Health and Safety

• Comply with Health and Safety regulations and guidance in the course of employment.

Data Protection

• 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.

Equality & Diversity

• 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.

Ethos and Values

• Subscribe to the ethos and ethical values upheld by Fostering Innovations and demonstrate those values in everyday work.

Additional Expectations

• Ability to work flexibly to meet the needs of the service, including occasional evenings and weekends.
• Current full driving licence and the ability to meet the travel requirements of the role.
• The post is subject to an enhanced DBS check.

The Service Manager is accountable to the Fostering Manager and will receive professional supervision every 8 weeks from the Fostering Manager and Responsible Individual.

Reasonable Adjustments:

If you consider yourself to have a disability or require any reasonable adjustment during the recruitment process or within the workplace, please highlight this at the earliest opportunity by contacting our team. With this information, we will provide appropriate support to you throughout the process and into your work placement.

We are unable to support or accept applications from candidates who are residents within the Red or Amber list of the Code of practice for the international recruitment of health and social care personnel in England, based on the World Health Organisation (WHO) Workforce Support and Safeguard List.

BH: 200454
GH: 35419