ABOUT YOU:

To be a success in this significant and vital role, you’ll have well developed experience of working with children and families in a statutory setting, and the ability to collaborate with professional networks, chair meetings and resolve conflict. It’s important that you’re capable of using systemic practice and similar models of change, and in addition to possessing experience of working with agencies such as CAMHS, therapists, adult services, housing and schools, you should also have a good understanding of the courts and how they work.
An inspirational manager and developer of students and your colleagues, and ready to role model effective assessment, intervention and engagement skills with families, children and young people, you’ll be open to both receiving and providing constructive feedback. Reflective and reflexive in your own practice, and capable of helping others develop these skills, we’ll also expect you to integrate sound professional knowledge into your social work and managerial practice.
Your good workload management skills will allow you to manage the fluctuating demands of your caseload, while your excellent communication and interpersonal skills will see you inspiring and motivating everyone you work with. A confident user of IT software applications, you should also possess a good understanding of the statutory framework of the Children Act 1989 and 2004 and other relevant legislation. When it comes to formal education, you should have a degree in Social Work or an alternative recognised qualification, be registered with Social Work England and hold an enhanced DBS check.
Westminster City Council is committed to supporting Care Leavers into the workplace. Care Leavers seeking their first job and who wish to be considered under our scheme, will automatically be invited to interview should they meet the essential criteria for the role.
The Council is committed to achieving diverse shortlists to support our desire to increase the number of staff from underrepresented groups in our workforce. We especially encourage applications from a Global Majority (GM), people who are Black, Asian, Brown, dual-heritage, indigenous to the global south, and or have been racialised as ‘ethnic minorities’ (formally known as B.A.M.E , Black, Asian and multiple ethnic) background and, while the role is open to all applicants, we will utilise the positive action provisions of the Equality Act 2010 to appoint a candidate from a global majority background where there is a choice between two candidates of equal merit. If you are from a Global Majority background you can self-declare this to the hiring manager as part of our positive action commitments.

As a Deputy Service Manager working with one of our Child Protection teams, you can make your own powerful contribution to Westminster’s success. We currently have two vacancies – one is in our Assessment Team and the other is in the North West Safeguarding Locality Team – but whichever one you join you’ll assist with the development of policy and strategy, working to ensure the service is effective, adapts to change and delivers good outcomes for the children, young people and families we support.
Supervising a group of social workers, senior practitioners and another specialist staff in the day-to-day delivery of the services we provide, you’ll be responsible for their performance and professional development, and the safeguarding, care planning and case management of the service users in your care. You’ll also work as part of the management team, providing leadership and support in all relevant aspects of the service such as development, quality assurance and ensuring best value for the council and the diverse communities we serve.
You’ll have a number of additional responsibilities – these include helping to manage the team’s budgets, contributing to the divisional, departmental and City Council budget management processes, and ensuring that high-cost cases are managed to minimise risk to the service user, the public and budgets. We’ll also expect you to alert the Service Manager to significant risks to the service, the reputation of the City Council or any other area, and be responsible for developing a plan to respond to risk.
Please refer to the Job Description for more information.