Adoption Deputy Manager

Job description

Job responsibilities

The post holder will support the Manager to direct, co-ordinate and provide leadership to all staff within the team. The post holder will deputise for the Manager as appropriate during time of absence providing management cover and support to operational arrangements. This includes deputising as the professional adviser to the adoption panel as required. The post holder will hold a small caseload of complex adoption cases as required. The post holder will assist in ensuring that services are delivered in accordance with the National Minimum Standards, and Adoption Regulations, Adoption Wests agreed priorities, policies and procedures; and to seek improvement and innovation in how services are provided.

Specific duties and responsibilities include:

Supervision and appraisal of designated staff as agreed with the manager ensuring that this is in accordance with the supervision and appraisal policy. To ensure supervisees work within the relevant MA13-1462 Deputy Team Manager Adoption West Page 2 of 3 legislation, guidance and departmental procedures.

Set and monitor standards and performance in line with Departmental internal and external indicators with supervisees.

Maintain up to date knowledge of all cases and projects held be supervisees. Undertake regular file audits in accordance with Departmental policy.

Responsibility to ensure that the team works within legislation and the relevant protocols for information sharing and retention of records guided by the best interest of children and young people and based on consensual model.

To ensure the effective operation of a duty system to respond in a timely effective manner to all enquires the service manages including enquiries to become an adopter, requests for adoption and special guardian support, schedule 2 work and non agency adoptions.

Prioritising enquiries in accordance with identified need and allocate work; make judgments in respect of intervention, assessments and child protection and closure of cases.

Operate within the Departmental policy and procedures. To keep up to date with national initiatives, legislative changes, practice developments and best practice in the adoption field and identifying their implications, working with all staff across services to implement the key changes that arise from these.

Assist the team manager to implement and monitor the effectiveness of the adoption team development plan and recruitment strategy.

To have responsibility delegated by the team manager for the delivery of performance indicators in line with set targets and Departmental expectations which may include:

Timeliness of adoption enquiries, assessments and assessments for adoption support.

Timeliness in home-finding for children being placed for adoption.

Increasing the number of adoptive placements.

To secure the effective involvement of prospective adopters parents/carers, children and young people in the development and evaluation of adoption services.

Model and provide good equalities practice and value diversity within the team and in contact with other professionals, children, young people and families. Ensuring that the adoption service can respond to and reflect the diversity of service users.

To ensure the effective assessment and management of risk in safeguarding children and young people through a robust adoption assessment and adoption support process.

To ensure that complaints and allegations are dealt with in accordance with departmental procedures.

To assist the Manager in the robust management of resources within the Team by ensuring quality and value for money in service delivery.

Able to travel throughout Wiltshire and beyond as required to carry out the duties of the post.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Social Work Degree/Dip/CQSW/CSS or equivalent.
• HCPC registered social worker.
• Driving licence.
• Proven knowledge of legislation/regulations relating to adoption and adoption services. Commitment to continuous professional development.
• Post Qualification in Social Work including covering a full range of child care work including fostering and adoption practice.
• Experience of work with looked after children/ permanency planning and adoption and an excellent awareness of the issues that are relevant to children who are adopted or subject to a Special Guardianship order Understanding of and commitment to the principles of practices of equality and diversity, both in relation to employment issues and to service delivery.
• Experience of effective work within the legal time framework, including court proceedings.
• Up-to-date knowledge of child care law and ability to apply relevant legislation and related guidance and procedures.
• An ability to challenge poor performance and evidence of improving performance.
• Evidence of developed assessment and analytical skills and ability to assess risk.
• Proven organisational skills, including the ability to prioritise work and set priorities for supervisees and team members as appropriate.
• Ability to assimilate information quickly in order to reach decisions and judgements in respect of interventions and workload priorities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Good IT skills.
• Proven ability to communicate with Children, young people parents and carers.
• Ability to champion the needs of adopted and looked after children to improve their outcomes.
• Displays a commitment to the protection and safeguarding of children and young people.
• Understanding of and commitment to the principles of practices of equal opportunities, both in relation to employment issues and to service delivery.
• Ability to contribute positively to the overall management of the team and department.
• Takes responsibility for own professional development and commitments to evidenced based practice.
• Energy, resilience, humour determination and the ability to work under pressure whilst maintaining a collaborative style of working.
• Fluent English language skills.

Desirable

• Experience of staff /student supervision and/or consultation.
• Other relevant training or qualifications in child care.
• Management qualification or prepared to undertake training.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Wiltshire Council

Address

County Hall

Bythesea Rd

Trowbridge

Wiltshire

BA14 8JN

Employer's website

http://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)