Assistant Team Manager (Family Help)
Full time, 37 hours (flexible working considered)
Salary £41,418 - £49,498
Locality based - East Dorset & Purbeck, West Dorset & Dorchester, Chesil (Weymouth & Portland) and North Dorset
What’s in it for you:
Join our exceptional teams in children’s services, where you’ll be fully supported and appreciated throughout your career - whether you’re newly qualified, or an experienced practitioner. In Dorset, we are dedicated to fostering an environment where every child can thrive, and we want our colleagues to do the same.
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.
What sets us apart is our unwavering dedication to ensuring children in care and care leavers find stable, loving homes. This isn't just a job; it's a chance to make a lasting impact on the future of those who need it most.
We take immense pride in leading the way nationally, pioneering groundbreaking initiatives that have garnered recognition from the government. 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.
Here at Dorset Council, you won't just be an employee – you'll be a vital contributor to a legacy of positive change. Be a part of a community that values your skills, appreciates your passion, and recognises the difference you can make. Join us in creating a brighter future for children, young people, and families. Your journey towards meaningful work starts here.
Are you seeking a rewarding career in Children’s Services? Be part of designing social work for the future.
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 ‘Diagonal Slice’ initiative – our Children's Services' employee forum.
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.
What our people say:
“Dorset is a great place for children to thrive - I am very proud to be part of an organisation that recognises the strengths of our staff and the creativity we have in achieving great outcomes for our children, young people and families.”
“It was great to feel listened to about the big issues and developments within Children’s Services”.
“I am proud of the service I work in for their commitment to children and young people, working hard to collaborate with colleagues and agencies to achieve good outcomes.”
What you can expect to be doing:
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.
About you:
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)