Assistant Team Manager - Family Help

at  Dorset Councils

We are looking for colleagues to join our exceptional teams in children’s services based in Dorchester & West Dorset, Weymouth & Portland (Chesil) or North Dorset localities. In Dorset, we are dedicated to fostering an environment where every child can thrive, and we want our colleagues to do the same.
As Assistant Team Manager (Family Help) you will be responsible for a team of social workers and family workers in Family Help alongside the Team Manager, acting as Lead Child Protection Practitioner alongside the Lead Family Help Practitioner where there is a strategy discussion and/or s.47 enquiry. You will also serve as a link with the Multi-Agency Child Protection Team.
You’ll provide Social Work oversight of all s.17 child in need work within your team and across the locality, and support social work oversight of family help work.
The role includes direct line manager responsibility for student social workers, supporting group case supervision and individual supervision of social workers, student social workers and family workers.
You’ll be leading and developing practice improvement across the service by providing regular workshops, information sharing events, reports and analysis of data.

You’ll hold a Masters, BA or Diploma in Social Work or equivalent and demonstrate:

• Experience in dealing with complex cases
• Ability to manage, appraise and supervise staff
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Comprehensive knowledge of legislation, Regulations and Practice guidance (e.g. Children Act 1989, Mental Health Act 1983, NHS and Community Care Act 1990)

At the heart of our program is a commitment to support outcomes that matter – fostering environments where children, young people, and families not only stay together but thrive. We’re dedicated to providing the essential help they need, ensuring they are surrounded by the support of their family network, and creating safe spaces both inside and outside their homes.
In July this year, the Department for Education officially announced the Families First for Children Pathfinder. Dorset has been recognised for the fantastic work with children, young people and families taking place by being selected to be one of only three initial pathfinder sites nationally, testing the delivery of key reforms across the sector. This is a fantastic opportunity and comes with central government grant funding and support which recognises the scale and ambition of the work we need to carry out.
Our focus is on supporting families to meet the needs of their children and keeping children at home where it is safe to do so. You’ll find a variety of exciting challenges, working with our children, families, and partners, in a workplace that inspires you to grow professionally and personally.
As part of our model, we have developed multi-agency locality teams bringing together colleagues from across Early Help, Children’s Social Care, Educational Psychology, SEND and Inclusion services under the leadership of Heads of Locality and Strategy.

We also have truly exciting initiatives. Some examples are:

• The Pineapple Project that provides safe havens in Weymouth to help to keep young women safer when they are outside of their family home using the principles of community guardianship.
• Safeguarding Families Together; embedding specialist multi-disciplinary professionals within teams and working ‘whole family’. After successful pilots in Weymouth, Portland and Dorchester the project is due to be rolled out across all localities
• In the East of the county, the first two family hubs (with more locations planned) provide visible, appealing and welcoming spaces for families to access help and support from Dorset Council and partner services.

Join us and be part of our exceptional Children’s Services team, recently recognised as Good with Outstanding Leadership by Ofsted. This is not just a job; it’s an extraordinary opportunity to empower children and help them reach their full potential. With Pathfinder, we will be changing the way Social Care and how working with families is approached in Dorset and helping to shape this across the country.
As an Assistant Team Manager (Family Help) here in Dorset, you’ll truly make a difference to the lives of children and young people in our beautiful county.
We prioritise your wellbeing by offering access to talking therapies, a network of Mental Health Champions, and workshops facilitated by our dedicated Employee Wellbeing Team.
You’ll join a forward-thinking service, where you’ll be encouraged to think creatively, question how we do things, and devise new, innovative approaches through our partnership workforce events.

Our innovative model of working, Dorset Children Thrive, will support you to be part of a service that:

• Puts children and families at the heart of everything we do
• Focuses on ‘getting it right first time’ by providing early help
• Makes services easily accessible for all
• Develops a skilled, supported and confident workforce
• Provides quality and efficient services that meet the highest standards
• Measures success by how we have made life better for children and young people

Find out more about Children’s Services in Dorset: Jobs in Children’s Services - Dorset Council.

Please refer the Job description for details