We are recruiting for Heads of Practice in a number of locations to be part of our senior leadership team covering a number of operational service areas nationally.
If you join us, working closely with your Assistant Director, you will play a pivotal role in helping fulfil our strategic ambition for children where Cafcass is involved - exceptional experiences, for every child, everywhere and every time.
If this ambition resonates with you, let us tell you more about the role, what we're looking candidates to demonstrate and what you can expect if you join us.
Firstly, the areas we are recruiting for are detailed below and we have included details of where our offices are located. If you decide to apply, within your application form, you will be able to indicate which area(s) you wish to be considered for.
Areas within the service area Offices within the service area
South Yorkshire and Humberside Sheffield and Hull
Cornwall, Devon and Somerset Exeter and Plymouth
Cheshire and Merseyside Liverpool
Coventry, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Coventry
Sussex and Surrey Brighton
Let us tell you a bit more about the role…
As a Head of Practice, you will draw on your considerable, professional Social Work experience to lead and inspire those around you to ensure the delivery of high-quality services and practice.
You will set high standards and combine this with high levels of support so the Service Managers you lead can create the conditions for our Family Court Advisers, who engage directly with children and families, to deliver exceptional experiences.
Reporting directly to an Assistant Director - who will typically have leadership responsibility for 2-3 service areas - you will lead on internal practice improvement as well influence local delivery partners while also working on a mix of strategic and operational matters. By ensuring Cafcass priorities, policies and plans are delivered to the highest possible standard, you and your teams will deliver positive outcomes for children and young people going through significant events including care proceedings, adoption and parental separation.
More detailed information about the role responsibilities can be found in the job description, which you are encouraged to read prior to applying.
What we’re looking for...
We are looking for someone who can demonstrate their experience and capability as a highly effective Leader who guides, influences and inspires others to consistently fulfil their responsibilities and to identify individual and collective opportunities for professional improvement.
You will also thrive on the responsibility of ensuring quality of practice and service delivery across the operational area is not only sustained but continually improved. You will be motivated to achieve performance standards by supporting Service Managers to ensure strong, consistent performance management behaviours and processes are embedded.
The person specification for this role is included within the job description.
Further information
Whilst you can expect to work remotely some of the time, reflecting the seniority of the role it is likely there will be some national travel with the role.
Similarly, as a Senior Leader, you will be expected to have a regular, visible office presence not only for formal meetings but to also model the importance and value of staff using office spaces to connect and collaborate. Therefore, whilst you don't necessarily need to live in close proximity to the office(s) this may be something for you to consider.
We are a diverse, inclusive organisation that is a safe space for colleagues with shared aspects of identity and lived experience, which helps ensure we provide a service which promotes the diversity and uniqueness of children and families from all backgrounds. We especially welcome applications from people from diverse backgrounds as we strive to ensure our workforce reflects the diversity of the children and families we work with.
We provide extensive wellbeing support for colleagues, as well as excellent benefits, all of which we hope encourages you to join us. Further information is available on the 'Working for us ' pages of the Cafcass website.
Next steps / timelines
If and when you are ready to apply, our application process is straightforward and quick to complete. You don’t need to complete your application in a single visit, you can start it and come back and amend your responses / update your CV, just make sure you come back before the closing date to submit.
Below we have given you an indication of a timetable we are hoping to work towards, although dates are subject to change.
Closing date:
Not Yet Published
Panel interview:
We hope to complete interviews between 6-17 October
We understand that considering a new role is a big decision, and you may require further information before applying. If so, please contact the relevant Assistant Director from the list below providing your contact details and best times to contact you.
However, whilst they will try to respond as quickly as possible, we wouldn’t want you to miss the closing date before you're able to speak with them. Therefore, if the closing date is approaching, we recommend you apply and as part of your application you can ask questions, and this may allow us to contact you and provide you with the required information that will help you decide if you still wish to be considered.
Service area Assistant Director
South Yorkshire and Humberside Mairead Morgan
Cornwall, Devon and Somerset Gentian Dyer
Cheshire and Merseyside Michelle Evans
Coventry, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Michelle Hulme
Sussex and Surrey Michael Kemp
Finally, in anticipation of your application being successful, you might want to read about the offer and pre-employment checks process. As part of your application you can highlight any concerns or questions about the pre-employment checks and we encourage all applicants to do so, safe in the knowledge such information will not be shared with individuals involved in the selection process.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Please be advised successful applicants will be subject to a range of pre-engagement checks, including a Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS). In accordance with the DBS code of practice and our own policy, should an individual have a declared criminal offence an individual assessment will be completed. Further information on what the assessment covers can be found by viewing the Cafcass DBS policy .
#LI-IT1