Overview
Agency Advisor & Permanence Lead
PO7: £61,686 rising in annual increments to £64,938 pa incl. LW
Permanent / Full Time
Hybrid Working, 3 days a week in office
About Lambeth Children Services
Lambeth is a borough of huge diversity, strength, and possibility. Lambeth is home to approximately 63,000 children aged 0-18, representing nearly 20% of our borough’s population. Our Lambeth partnerships have the highest ambitions for our children and want them to grow up to be happy, safe and thriving in supportive communities. We have a rich network of good and outstanding schools, a passionate voluntary community sector and an exciting youth and play offer. Children growing up in Lambeth are surrounded by beautiful green spaces and a borough with a rich history, arts, and music scene.
Job purpose
The role provides the central operational and advisory leadership for securing effective permanency for children across Lambeth Children’s Social Care and acts as the designated operational interface with Adopt London South Regional Adoption Agency (RAA). It is the statutory Agency Advisor role providing quality assurance and advice to the Agency Decision Maker, ensuring permanence for children is at the heart of decisions and that practice is sound and outstanding. The postholder will ensure Lambeth Adoption and Fostering services are of outstanding quality and compliant with the Adoption and Fostering Regulations, National Minimum Standards and Statutory Guidance. The role includes collaboration with the RAA, partner Boroughs and Lambeth Children’s Social Care workforce to develop shared practice, procedures and pathways.
What you will do
* Lead and develop outstanding Permanency practice across Lambeth children’s services, providing leadership and advice to frontline social work staff, managers, Panel Chairs and Panel Members on changes in permanency and panel policies, procedures or other developments.
* Act as the designated lead for supporting and developing permanency practice and effective relationships, frameworks, guidance and permanence pathways.
* Provide leadership and advice to teams in delivering and implementing changes in permanency and panel policies.
* Coordinate with the Regional Adoption Agency (RAA) and partner Boroughs to develop shared practice, procedures and pathways.
* Collaborate to ensure there is effective practice relationships and an integrated approach to permanence planning.
About You
You must have the skills and qualities of a service leader, problem solver, and the ability to maintain calmness in difficult conversations about effective permanence for Lambeth Children. You will bring energy, enthusiasm and passion, with tenacity to lead, shape and develop a team, bringing creativity and innovation to the way we work. You would be the central operational and advisory role for securing permanency and act as the interface with the RAA.
You will be the statutory Agency Advisor providing quality assurance and advice to the Agency Decision Maker, ensuring permanence for children is at the heart of decisions and that practices are of outstanding quality and compliant with regulations and guidance.
You will collaborate with the RAA, partner Boroughs and Lambeth Children’s Social Care to develop shared practice and pathways to ensure effective working relationships. You will lead, support and develop permanency practice across Lambeth, providing leadership and guidance to frontline staff and panels.
A message from The Assistant Director
This is an exciting role at the heart of our improvement programme. The successful applicant will be a competent, confident and curious practitioner who promotes innovation, creativity and continuous improvement. You will support senior managers by advising on permanency strategy, policy and service direction, and translate quality assurance feedback into service delivery. You will keep senior management informed of issues and develop action plans as needed.
If you have any queries, please contact the Assistant Director: Andrews Osei, AOsei1@lambeth.gov.uk
Why Lambeth
* Fantastic, modern working environment in the award-winning Lambeth Town Hall and Civic Centre buildings
* Competitive Salaries
* Up to 35 days annual leave, dependent upon continuous service
* 5 Minutes from London Underground and excellent transport links into the centre of London
* Cycle to Work Scheme (including City Bike Hire scheme)
* Attractive Local Government Pension Scheme
We are a Stonewall diversity champion, a Living Wage Employer and we guarantee to interview all disabled candidates who meet the minimum criteria of the role.
Successful candidates will be asked to apply for an Enhanced Certificate from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). Further information about the DBS can be found at the DBS website. In addition, you may be required to undertake a Cifas check. Further information can be found here.
Please note we operate an anonymised application process. If you are uploading your CV or a personal statement, please remove personal details and replace with your unique candidate application number.
Interested?
Click the Apply button and complete an online application form evidencing your experience and understanding of contextual safeguarding and community working, and how you meet the criteria marked with an “A” at shortlist stage, along with uploading your CV.
Closing Date: 2nd of November at midnight
Lambeth aims for quality services and equal opportunities for all and is committed to safer recruitment
Seniority level
* Mid-Senior level
Employment type
* Full-time
Job function
* Human Resources
* Industries: Government Administration
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