Shift Leader- Children's Services

Human Resources & Development - Form 35 Version 15- Issued October 2022 JOB DESCRIPTION AND PARTICULARS OF APPOINTMENT ▪ Job Title: Shift Leader - Children's Residential Care ▪ Post Number: To be confirmed ▪ Grade and SCP: NJCAG8+2, SCP 19 - 24 £29,777 - £33,024 ▪ Directorate: People Where your role fits at Shropshire Council As Shropshire Council we are rightly proud of our achievements and we have proven to be a resilient local authority in our response to the many challenges we overcome, particularly over recent years. We will be continuing this momentum with ambition and a focus on delivering our four key priorities outlined within the Shropshire Plan: Healthy People, Healthy Environment, Health Economy and Healthy Organisation. We are committed to achieving this by aligning everything we do to our vision 'Shropshire - living the best life'; to tell everyone that Shropshire Council is a great place to be. We will enable a skilled, happy, healthy, diverse, inclusive, empowered, and proud workforce that influences and leads change, addressing any inequalities. As a member of the Children's Residential service within Children's Social Care you will support the achievement of these key priorities, making a real difference to the lives of people in Shropshire. Shropshire Council is undergoing a large-scale transformation programme aimed at 'Creating a better future', which puts improving the quality of life of all local people at the heart of everything we do. Their satisfaction will drive our decision-making and we are committed to changing for the better, by working together in new ways across the whole council and with our local partners. Front line services will be empowered to make decisions on the best form of service delivery and will have control of the necessary resources to do so. The People's function is concerned with promoting a healthy and inclusive society within Shropshire. This will be carried out through partnerships and collaborative working with health, housing, the private and independent sector. This post is based within the Children's Placement & Joint Adoption Service area which is a dedicated team responsible for providing and commissioning adoption, fostering and residential placements for Shropshire's looked After Children and young people. As a member of the Children's Placement & Joint Adoption Service, you will support the delivery of the transformation programme in line with the Council's vision, values and strategic objectives; via clear and ethical manager / staff interactions. Overview of your role To assist the Registered Manager and other senior staff in creating and maintaining an effective physical and emotional environment for children accommodated, consistent with the Statement of Purpose for the home. To support the achievement of departmental and divisional objectives as outlined in service plans and to relevant Departmental, Professional and National Care to work Standards/Legislation. The post holder is accountable to the Registered and Deputy Manager These duties are illustrative and not exhaustive. The post holder will be expected to become involved in a range of work to enable the service to respond effectively to the changing requirements of the Council and changes affecting the workforce. Who will your manager be and what will you be responsible for? The post holder will be: ▪ Responsible to the Registered Manager who is in turn responsible for the post holder's health and safety, training and development. ▪ Co-ordinating shifts, acting as a role model and leader to others; supporting others to achieve a high level of care and support for the young people. ▪ Responsible and accountable for a team of Residential Care Practitioners, acting in a supervisory/managerial capacity, monitoring performance, supporting development and undertaking annual appraisals. What will you be doing? ▪ Ensure that residential staff undertake their responsibilities through informal daily supervision. ▪ To ensure effective running and organisation of shifts for which you are responsible, leading on the development and implementation of daily shift plans and weekly planners for young people to ensure the smooth running of shifts, ensuring they are in place and being followed. ▪ Ensure the implementation of care plans in respect of all children and young persons at all times through positive role-modelling, leadership and guidance of others. ▪ Work alongside internal and external services as well as other professionals to ensure positive multi-agency working in the care of young people, maintaining professional relationships with young people, individuals with parent responsibility, social workers, educational staff and other professionals involved in the care of young people. ▪ To be accountable for all records, systems and operating procedures of the home as set by line management. This includes daily, weekly and LAC reporting. Providing guidance and leadership to colleagues and challenging poor practice in regards to this. ▪ To complete tasks pertaining to fire safety, health & safety and other records as directed by the line manager, delegating tasks as appropriate. ▪ To assist in ensuring that the care provided in the home is in line current legislation, departmental policies, procedures, practice guidelines and is also appropriate to the assessed needs of the resident children and young people, taking into account race, gender and disability. ▪ To be responsible for the provision of supervision of care staff as required by the Registered Manager or Deputy Manager. ▪ To promote and role model effective communication and consultation for residential staff. Communicating clearly and constructively about the home, service, colleagues, young people and Shropshire council at all times. ▪ Inform and consult with the relevant management staff regarding any operational difficulties which involve staff they have a responsibility towards. ▪ To recognise one's own strengths and challenges as well as those of colleagues to contribute effectively to the functioning of team, acting as a lead to manage shifts effectively. ▪ Motivate and support staff under your direction by use of coaching and guidance referring to relevant reading matter where applicable. ▪ Encourage residential care practitioners with training, qualifications and induction books and ensure they are making appropriate progress through the induction period, raising and addressing any concerns as required. ▪ Ensure that day to day routines of the establishment are carried out. ▪ Ensure knowledge of legislation relevant to Children's homes including the Children's Homes Regulations (2015), completing self-learning as necessary to guarantee practice is in line with current quality standards with an abilty to provide guidance to others in this regard. ▪ To be responsible on a day to day basis for management of the home in the absence of senior management. ▪ To take part in duty roster and sleep-ins on a regular basis as duty dictates, or as required by Registered/Deputy Manager, working flexibly in order to meet the needs of the home, young people and service and positively role model to others in this regard. ▪ Have a thorough knowledge of the homes Statement of Purpose; ensuring that this is imbedded in the working of yourself and care practitioners, including the homes values and ethos. ▪ To ensure own and others continuing vigilance when supervising young people in line with risk assessments to ensure that significant behaviours are noted and recorded. ▪ To contribute to new developments and policy formulation as appropriate and with the approval of the Registered/Deputy Manager. ▪ To utilise Shropshire Council and homes systems, policy and procedure such as the whistle blowing policy to ensure that poor practice, negligence and dishonesty is dealt with appropriately. ▪ To implement all learning with regard to training on a daily basis and provide direction to colleagues in this regard, challenging poor practice of others where applicable. ▪ To be pro-active and use resourcefulness to ensure that all working hours are used effectively and motivate and direct others in this regard. ▪ To operate at all times within the professional ethics and disciplines of social work as described in the BASW codes of ethics and the SAC which have been formally adopted by the Shropshire Council "Code of Practice" and ensure others are adhering to this through leadership and guidance, including input into formal procedures where applicable. ▪ Help to implement new methods of caring within own practice and the practice of others (e.g. Outreach, Restorative practices and preventative work) ▪ To be supportive of the senior management vision, values and plans for the home, raising concerns in an appropriate way whilst role-modelling a positive attitude to others. ▪ To facilitate children and young people in using the departments complaints procedure and to assist towards the resolution of difficulties arising in the home. ▪ Be accountable to the homes petty cash and ensure financial systems and processes are followed correctly. ▪ Take the lead in utilising hand overs effectively, helping to ensure consistency is established across shift patterns and that tasks are completed before leaving where reasonably practicable or handed over when this is not possible. ▪ Ensure all the basic physical and emotional needs of the young person on a daily basis are met and that accurate records for the young person are kept in line with organisational systems, providing direction to Residential Care Practitioners ...