JOB DESCRIPTION Team Manager, Children with

							                                JOB DESCRIPTION

Team Manager, Children with Disabilities & Complex Health Needs

Directorate and Section/Unit:       Children’s Services, Integrated Services
Scale / Grade:                      PO 3
Reporting to:                       Operational Manager - CWD/CHN
Responsible for:                    All staff in team - Social workers, Social Work
                                    Assistants, Administrators, other professionals
                                    as appropriate

1. Main purpose of job:

To assist the Operational and Service Development Managers to develop and deliver
uncomplicated access to thoroughly joined up integrated, multi-agency services for
children, young people and families, close to where they are needed and where:

       Service users tell their story only once
       There are single points of initial assessment
       The distance between assessment and support is as short as possible
       A single multi-agency plan is provided for those who need one
       Needs are met sooner in the development of problems
       Relationships are developed with internal and partner agencies to jointly
       deliver effective services in line with the needs of localities served
       Children at risk of significant harm are protected and offered appropriate and
       timely services

2. Responsibilities, duties and tasks:

Under the direction of the Operational Manager to provide leadership and
management to secure the following outcomes:

2.1 The quality of life and educational opportunity of children with disabilities,
special educational needs and/or complex health needs, is maximised
       Safeguarding standards are agreed, understood, implemented and monitored
       throughout;
       Assessment is timely, comprehensive and where at all possible, includes the
       child/young person in decisions about their future;
       The distance between assessment and support is as short as possible;
       High quality outreach and parenting support service is sustained to reduce
       the risk of children and young people needing high level care packages;
       Access to appropriate short breaks care opportunities is built to renew and
       refresh family well being;
       Children and young people with identified medical needs are supported to
       achieve good holistic outcomes;
       High quality, timely advice and information is available to children, young
       people, parents and carers and the professionals who support them;
       Comprehensive, holistic assessment and planning for children who will
       become Looked after will support access to high quality appropriate provision
       and services;
       Development of joint services with health providers and school settings is
       achieved, where possible, to maximise benefits to children, young people,

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       parents and carers and provide jointly agreed care pathways for children with
       a range of disability or complex health need or medical need;
       Effective, consistent and reliable relationships between partners in
       communities and across universal and targeted services are developed to the
       measurable benefit of children, young people and families;
       Strong partnership working with health providers of the Child and Adolescent
       Mental Health service supports and effective interface between the CAMH
       service and Children’s Services;
       Innovative and high quality services are developed in partnership with a
       range of other agencies and voluntary and community groups to develop a
       whole system approach to meet the needs of disabilities or health needs;
       High quality outcome and solution focused practice is sustained, that builds
       on the strengths of children, young people and families, as well as tackling
       weaknesses;
       The Common Assessment Framework, information sharing protocols and
       lead professional roles are deployed within localities to the measurable
       benefit of children, young people and families;
       The development of restorative practices in families, in schools/colleges and
       within communities is supported to improve outcomes and reduce
       dependency on targeted and specialist services;
       Professional practice is built on clear evidence of the effectiveness of
       particular ways of working, supported by clear and effective professional
       development links.


2.2 Assessment swiftly follows referral and casework management operates to
consistent high standards across the county
       Case planning decisions are based on detailed assessment and analysis of
       need and risk;
       Recording is maintained to a high and consistent standard within the team,
       and is routinely monitored;
       Compliance with the Integrated Children’s System is fully maintained;
       Where risk of significant harm is identified, swift action is taken to offer
       protection to the child/young person. The aim will be to support them within
       their extended family, unless it is deemed unsafe to do so. Where court
       action and emergency intervention are deemed necessary to protect a
       child/young person from serious harm, the Team Manager will seek approval,
       via the Operational Manager, from the SDM Area Services, who has
       delegated responsibility for such decision making;
       Where it is believed necessary for a child/young person to become looked
       after by the local authority, the Team Manager will seek approval, (via the
       Operational Manager, where directly managed by that person) from the
       Service Development manager, who has delegated responsibility for such
       decision-making.

2.3 Development is cohesive and compliant with national frameworks and
standards through
       The effective membership of service management team;
       Maintaining effective collaborative working relationships across organisational
       and managerial boundaries;
       Compliance with a wide range of relevant legislation and guidance to ensure
       delivery of services that are high performing against national standards.




2.4 Specific management tasks are undertaken effectively

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       Delegated responsibility for the effective delivery of childand young person
       plans, child protection plans and looked after children Care plans in
       collaboration with a range of other service providers;
       At the direction of the Operational Manager or the Service Development
       Manager, to implement policies, processes and practices that support a
       whole system approach for service delivery;
       To collaborate with officers in other services in the implementation of
       integrated service provision and to have delegated responsibility to ensure
       the team delivers integrated services across a range of settings in line with
       identified needs;
       To deputise, as required, for the Operational Manager;
       The effective monitoring and management of budgets in line with Directorate
       and service priorities;
       To deal with complaints at stage 1, to cooperate promptly with the
       preparation of Stage 2 complaint reports and to attend Stage 3 member
       panels as required by the Service Development manager
       To disseminate and ensure that team members act upon the learning from
       these;
       Delegated responsibility for ensuring effective business planning and
       performance monitoring to drive continuous improvement;
       To ensure that a performance focus is embedded in the team;
       At the direction of the Service Development or Operational manager, to
       prepare and present reports and information to appropriate meetings, such
       as senior management;
       At the discretion of the Operational Manager or SDM Area Services, to
       contribute to some strategic developments within the service, with other
       services or external agencies.

2.5 The effective recruitment, supervision, management and development of
team members, and through them, to ensure that needs of children and
young people are effectively met;
      To manage and monitor the work and performance of team members, from a
      range of professional backgrounds, through effective regular individual
      supervision, and to be accountable for the quality of the work of both
      individuals and the team.
       To be responsible for all matters of discipline and performance of staff, in line
      with Council and Service procedures, deal with disciplinary and grievance
      procedures at the earlier stages and delegate as appropriate. At the direction
      of the Operational Manager, to participate in later stages.
       To manage staff selection procedures and appointments, in line with Council
      and Service procedures, and delegate as appropriate.
      To manage staff sickness absence, in line with Council and Service
      procedures, and delegate as appropriate.
      To conduct individual staff appraisals, identifying training and developmental
      requirements to sustain and enhance the services of the Directorate.

3. Other duties:

       To maintain the highest standards of leadership and management of service
       staff, promoting the Council’s “way of working” and continuous improvement;
       Promote equality of opportunity and diversity for all employees and service
       users in line with the Council’s policies and practices;
       Maintain personal and professional development to meet the changing
       demands of the job, participate in appropriate training/development activities
       and encourage and support staff in their development and training;
       Undertake such other duties, training and/or hours of work as may be
       reasonably required by your manager and which are consistent with the
       general level of responsibility of this job;

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         Discharge the health and safety duties commensurate with the post and
         participate in the Council’s emergency response arrangements as directed by
         your manager;
         Present a positive image of the Directorate and County Council at all times as
         well as maintaining effective relationships with colleagues and external
         partners and other stakeholders.

4. Contacts:

In all contacts the postholder will be required to present a good image of the
Directorate and the County Council as well as maintaining constructive relationships.

Internal:          County Councillors, Service Development Managers and Operational
                   managers, other Children’s Services teams and managers, Legal
                   Services, other Directorates, Head Teachers and other staff in
                   schools.

External:          Staff in partner agencies such as Health Trusts, District Councils,
                   other Local Authorities, Police, Probation, Magistrates and local
                   judiciary, Connexions, voluntary and community organisations, service
                   user groups, DfES/CSCI/Ofsted/GOWM, press and media.

5. Notes:

         The Council reserves the right to alter the content of this job description after
         consultation to reflect changes to the job or services provided, without
         altering the general character or level of responsibility.
         This post is subject to a criminal record check under the arrangements
         established by the Criminal Records Bureau.
         Reasonable adjustments will be considered as required by the Disability
         Discrimination Act.

Prepared by:       Chris Parker                        Date:   26th October 2006
Last updated by:   Nick Edwards                        Date:   11th January 2007




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