Head of Service for Corporate Parenting

Overview

In this senior role, you lead Corporate Parenting services to secure safe, stable, and capable outcomes for Children in Care, care leavers, and permanence; you will shape strategy, assure high-quality practice, and drive improvements across partner agencies. You will manage Service Managers and frontline teams to deliver timely, evidence-informed support centred on children’s best interests. This is a high-impact opportunity to influence policy, partnerships and services within Havering’s Starting Well agenda, and to lead a culture of continuous improvement and inclusion.

Responsibilities

• Provide visible, inclusive and values-led leadership across Corporate Parenting services
• Lead services supporting Children in Care, Care Leavers and Permanence with high standards of practice
• Drive service improvement via performance data, audits, QA and feedback from children and young people
• Ensure practice is evidence-informed and strengths-based to achieve lasting change
• Develop and support Service Managers and teams through supervision, performance management and workforce development
• Champion the voice of children and young people to influence service delivery
• Build strong partnerships with education, health, police and the voluntary sector
• Represent Havering in local, regional and multi-agency partnerships
• Manage resources and budgets to deliver value for money while maintaining outcomes
• Contribute to the Starting Well Senior Leadership Team and shape thefuture direction of Children’s Services

Key requirements

• Qualified Social Worker with registration (Social Work England)
• Significant senior leadership experience within Children’s Services
• Strong track record of improving practice quality, performance and outcomes in Corporate Parenting, Children in Care, Care Leavers or Permanence
• Detailed knowledge of children’s social care legislation, statutory guidance and practice frameworks
• Proven experience in leading and motivating managers and teams
• Experience delivering service improvement through performance management, QA and learning
• Strong partnership working skills and ability to influence across a complex system
• Experience of budget and resource management
• Excellent analytical, strategic planning and decision-making skills

• resilience
• emotional intelligence
• influencing stakeholders
• knowledge of children’s social care legislation and statutory guidance
• performance management
• quality assurance

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