We are pleased to have opportunities for Assistant Team Managers and aspiring Assistant Team Managers to join Dorset at an exciting time, as we shape the future of Family Help in Dorset.
We’re proud that Dorset Council is a rated Outstanding authority by Ofsted for our work with children, young people and families. This reflects our strong commitment to high quality, child centred practice and the positive culture we’ve built across our services.
Our Localities teams are Chesil (Weymouth & Portland), Dorchester & West (Office base: Dorchester), North (Office bases: Blandford and Sturminster Newton) and East & Purbeck (Office bases: Wareham & Ferndown). Please state your preference in your supporting statement as to which locality, if you have one.
Leading national change: The Families First Partnership (FFP) Programme sets out a major national reform of family support and child protection in England, aiming to shift the system toward earlier, more joined up help for families. Dorset was selected as a national Pathfinder local authority for the Families First for Children programme, placing us at the forefront of developing new ways of working with children, families, and communities.
We take immense pride in leading the way nationally, pioneering ground‑breaking initiatives that have garnered recognition from the government. You will join a team of dedicated professionals in Children’s Services who, in recent months and years, have set new standards in their commitment to the well‑being of children and families.
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.
We are bringing together our Family Help and Child Protection teams to support families in telling their story, only once, focusing on building and sustaining relationships with practitioners supporting them.
As part of the reforms, we are developing our multi‑agency child protection teams. We are introducing Lead Child Protection Practitioners within the Multi‑Agency Child Protection Team (MACPT) and you will work closely with these practitioners and the MACPT to support the needs of our children.
The success of our model was recognised by Ofsted in May this year, with us being rated ‘Outstanding’. Inspectors commented that ‘practitioners have been resolute in universally saying that they feel supported, valued and receive regular and helpful individual and group supervision. They feel equipped with a wealth of resources and training. Practitioners’ relentless dedication to ensure children, families and care leavers receive the support they need shone through in this inspection.’
What You Will Be Doing
* Work collaboratively with the Multi‑Agency Child Protection Team to ensure timely identification of child protection concerns, support family help lead practitioners to undertake s.47 enquiries and deliver good child protection outcomes.
* Provide Social Work Oversight of s.17 child in need work within your team and across the locality and support social work oversight of family help work.
* Have direct line manager responsibility for practitioners (Family workers, social workers and student social workers).
* Have experience of managing, appraising and supervising staff and/or mentoring others.
* Experience of working with families at all levels of need and have the ability to manage and chair meetings.
* Lead and develop practice improvement across the service.
* Work as part of an Assistant Team Manager group to deliver training and development opportunities to large groups of staff.
We are a high performing, motivated, enthusiastic and reflective authority, offering high support and high challenge. We work to a restorative Thrive model, with a focus on building trusting relationships, within which children and their families can thrive. We want Dorset to be the best place to grow up, where children are safe, receive high quality education and opportunities in line with their needs.
About You
* Social work qualified and registered with Social Work England.
* If qualified after 2012, you have completed your ASYE.
* Experienced leader and supervisor with experience of managing/mentoring/supervising practitioners.
* Strengths‑based with excellent communication skills. Your communication style should be restorative demonstrating your ability to offer high support and high challenge.
* Experience and passion for supporting and developing practice.
* Significant skills in building and maintaining relationships and commitment to multi‑agency working.
* Experience in reflective supervision and developing reflective practice to ensure robust oversight.
See Context Statement and Person Specification for qualifications, experience and skills.
A culture of development
As highlighted, we take professional development seriously and have an extensive training offer, including motivational interviewing, restorative practice and strengths‑based approaches. We also have a commitment to leadership training and a leadership pathway for our managers to access.
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