Location
London Borough of Islington

Hours
Full Time

Salary
£57,495 per annum

About the Role
Are you interested in professional development opportunities and the ability to practice to the best of your ability within a supportive, innovative team? The Children's Services Contact Team (CSCT) is seeking a permanent Practice Manager to join our dynamic team.

As a Practice Manager, you will promote excellent practice by supporting the delivery of services aligned with the service-wide vision and objectives, including equity, diversity, and inclusion.

You will demonstrate a clear understanding of inequities and their impact on different sections of our community, and the role that strategy and improvement can play in supporting better equality, diversity, and inclusion outcomes.

You will influence service development and practice by effectively interacting with and developing meaningful relationships with people from diverse cultural backgrounds, interpreting issues from multiple cultural perspectives, and advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion within your team through your actions.

Main duties include working with the Team Manager and another Practice Manager to provide operational management of CSCT, managing day-to-day activities to ensure high quality responses to contacts within required timescales, and ensuring effective and efficient business processes within CSCT and the MASH.

You will establish and maintain effective working relationships with key partners, ensuring collaborative information sharing in the MASH. You will review, filter, and make transparent, evidence-based threshold decisions on all incoming contacts within specified timeframes, coordinating and gathering relevant information to assess risk and need, and deciding appropriate services for children and families.

You will create conditions for excellent practice in a safe, calm, and well-ordered environment for all staff, utilising reflective spaces such as coaching and supervision where the welfare and safety of children and young people are paramount.

What Islington Offers:
- Numerous resources to ensure families are supported to the right service the first time
- Regular reflective supervision and practice development opportunities for social workers and managers
- Zone 1-2 Annual Travelcard Payment
- Retention bonus scheme
- Comprehensive Employee Benefits Scheme
- Modern office facilities located on Islington’s Upper Street N1
- Generous annual leave and flexible working opportunities

Experience
Proven experience in operational management within children’s services or a related field is essential. Experience working with diverse communities and promoting equity, diversity, and inclusion is required.

About you
You will be collaborative, ambitious, resourceful, and empowering, embodying Islington Council’s CARE values. You must have a clear understanding of cultural inequities and be able to work effectively with people from various backgrounds. You will be committed to creating an inclusive and equitable workforce and fostering a culture of inclusion.

You will be able to maintain a safe and supportive environment for staff and children, using reflective supervision and coaching to promote excellent practice.

Qualifications
Relevant professional qualifications and registrations are required, including Social Work England/HCPC registration where applicable. You must be able to pass all pre-employment checks including DBS enhanced check with children/adult barred list, occupational health clearance, and provide satisfactory references.

Additional Information
Islington Council is committed to equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion and operates a guaranteed interview scheme for candidates with disabilities who meet the minimum criteria. Reasonable adjustments will be provided throughout the recruitment process and career.

Pre-employment checks will include proof of address, right to work in the UK, overseas criminal record check if applicable, and evidence of professional qualifications or registrations.

Safeguarding is paramount; all staff are expected to share this commitment to the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults.