Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey – Head of CYP Services

Posted 1 month ago

Head of Children and Young People’s Service

36 hours per week, part time also considered

Salary: £43,000 – £46,000 depending on qualifications and experience

(Mileage to be paid at 45p per mile)

Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey has been established for over 100 years. We enable and empower people who are Deaf, hard of hearing, blind, partially sighted, and deafblind to overcome barriers and to be as independent as possible.

An exciting opportunity has arisen to lead our Children and Young People’s Service, as part of our Charity’s senior leadership team. The service helps children, young people and families to thrive, by providing a variety of vibrant and impactful services including the Habilitation Service on behalf of the Local Authority.

This role requires an outstanding individual who is passionate about providing high-quality care and support for children and young people, and who can lead and manage with strategic vision and operational excellence.

Candidates should have a strong knowledge of regulatory frameworks and best practices, have excellent leadership and people management skills, and the ability to manage budgets. A working knowledge of safeguarding as a Designated Safeguarding Lead is essential.

We can offer you:

A generous annual leave allowance (full time annual leave entitlement is 28 days per annum, plus bank holidays)
Investment in your development
Access to an Employee Assistance Programme
Pension contributions 6% matched with the Pensions Trust
Annual flu vaccinations and an eye test every two years with a contribution towards work related glasses
Wide range of training opportunities suitable for your role
A staff rewards programme
A growing range of other staff benefits
A vibrant and friendly team!

An Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service will be required, which we can arrange.

Closing Date: 19th December 2024 at 5.00 pm

For an application pack please contact Sophia Eyre, workforus@sightforsurrey.org.uk or by post to Sophia Eyre, Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey, Rentwood, School Lane, Fetcham, Surrey, KT22 9JX. For further details please telephone 07396 820 717.

Sensory Services by Sight for Surrey is an equal opportunities employer and accredited as Disability Confident. Website: www.sightforsurrey.org.uk

Registered Charity No: 1121949, Company No: 06309405

JOB PROFILE

Post Identification: Head of Children and Young People’s Service (CYPS)

Reports to: Chief Executive

Job Purpose: To lead and develop the Children & Young People’s Service.

Principal accountabilities:

Provide overarching leadership, and management, to the Children and Young People’s Service (CYPS).
Lead, in collaboration with the Senior Habiliation Specialist – Team Manager, the Surrey County Council contract for Habilitation services ensuring that the Key Performance Indicators are met and reported on, in line with the contractual obligations, and that the contract is secured for the future.
Lead, in collaboration with the Senior Habilitation Specialist – Team Manager, the CYPS Service Facilitator and others, the delivery of outputs and outcomes of a number of grant funded services.
Ensure policies and procedures are followed at all times, and to ensure appropriate risk assessments are conducted and maintained.
To be the designated Safeguarding Lead for Children and Young People for the charity, working closely with Surrey Safeguarding Children Partnership and other organisations such as Surrey Youth Focus, and internally with the Designated Safeguarding Lead for Adults.
To plan and manage the departmental budget for the Children and Young People’s Service, making best use of resources at all times to achieve maximum impact for the people we support across the organisation.
Regular reporting to Surrey County Council, Services Committee, Trustee Board, and funders as required.
Line management of the Senior Habilitation Specialist – Team Manager, the Children and Young People’s Service Facilitator, and a number of other direct reports.
Support and supervise the team of staff and volunteers to ensure that they perform and work to the agreed standards and in line with our organisational values.
Conduct annual appraisals and identify training needs within the team to meet all national standards.
Work with the Senior Habilitation Specialist – Team Manager to succession plan, and manage the on-boarding and development of Trainee Habilitation Specialists to ensure the charity is well resourced.
Provide information, support and advice for children and their families /carers.
To develop the service to include children and young people who are Hard of Hearing or Deaf, and their families, working in partnership with other organisations to ensure we add value.
To share responsibility for the Charity’s operational decision making with other senior managers.
To oversee the management and maintenance of the contract for Children’s statutory register of vision impairment.
To work in partnership with internal teams, such as fundraising and communications, to ensure the Children and Young People’s Service is well resourced, and always in line with the charity brand.
To develop and manage external partnerships as required.

Work Context

The Children and Young People’s Service provides a number of high-quality services to support and enable children, young people, and families to thrive. These services include contracted statutory services, and those that have been funded by grants, trusts and donations. The services include a Habilitation service, a recreation programme, a family support service, and a counselling service for children, young people and families.

The Children’s Services Team is contracted by Surrey County Council Children’s Service to provide assessment, mobility and independent living skills training. The post-holder has to apply Surrey County Council’s eligibility criteria and adhere to legal requirements e.g. Community Care Act, Carers Act, Safeguarding Children and Adults, Data Protection Act, as well as following internal policies and procedures. There is also some joint working with other organisations e.g. Education, Health, Social Care and other partner organisations. The post-holder is expected to adhere to the General Social Care Council Code of Conduct for Social Care Workers.

The client group is vulnerable and there is a high degree of risk involved in teaching independence skills especially mobility e.g. teaching vision impaired children and young people to cross roads. Managing risk for the services within the department is central to this role to ensure that the children and young people we work with are safeguarded at all times.

The Head of Department will generally work Monday to Friday, with a need to work flexible hours to support staff who work outside of normal office hours to deliver services and support. Part of the role will involve ensuring there is adequate cover for the department across the week. There will be a need to sometimes work during the weekend or evening, and time off in lieu will be given.

The Head of Department needs to monitor the needs of the service, and where possible find creative and innovative ways to develop the service and address growing and changing needs.

The Charity constantly needs to reassess its priorities in line with a changing funding environment and the needs of the people we enable and empower. These factors are crucial to the Charity’s survival and need careful attention. In order for it to successfully manage these pressures there is a need for all staff to be flexible and work wherever their core skills are needed most. No one will be asked to carry out work for which they are not properly trained.

Competencies required:

Strategic Management/Operational Service Planning/Forward Planning

Understanding the strategic direction, and strategic objectives, of the Charity, and understand and communicate how the work of the Children and Young People’s Service contributes to the delivery of the strategic goals. This will involve taking the lead on one or more of the strategic goals, alongside Senior Managers from across the organisation. Planning work and meeting agreed targets, standards and the needs of the people we support. Work within agreed procedures to achieve team and personal objectives.

Inspiration

Leading by example and providing visionary leadership. Valuing and supporting others and motivating them towards the pursuit of a common goal. Demonstrating a constructive and consultative approach to problem solving.

Making things happen

Establishing plans and organising and prioritising the activities of self and others to ensure that the intended results (goals and targets) are achieved on time and within the available resources. Collaborating with others to make things happen. Managing crises effectively.

Communication

Communicating information to the right people, in the right format, in a positive, persuasive, accessible, timely and clear manner. Listening actively, demonstrating their understanding of communications they receive and responding to them appropriately.

Developing Others/Team Development

Recognising the strengths and development needs of others, understanding individuals’ motivations. Supporting, coaching and developing others. Sharing their knowledge and skills with others. Acting appropriately to deal with poor performance. Planning to meet identified needs, acting to equip others to meet new expectations. Monitoring progress and using constructive feedback, together with providing support and advice on how to progress. Contributing positively to the development of the work of the charity.

Managing Change/Embracing Change

Encourage a climate where the opportunities offered by change are recognised and embraced. Taking time to manage the change process and to adapt to changing and uncertain needs and circumstances. Seeking ways to continuously improve their own performance. Suggesting where improvements in service could be made. Open to new ways of doing things. Working with people in a personalised way.

Innovation

Creating an environment which enables innovation. Putting forward creative ideas, proposals and solutions to problems. Stimulating an environment which encourages and supports others to think creatively so as to find new ways of working, of developing the organisation and meeting service user requirements.

Personal Impact

Acting with integrity and in line with our values at all times. Striving to develop the competencies needed to meet organisational needs. Respecting the opinion and expertise of others. Showing honesty and professionalism and the ability to be flexible when necessary.

Customer Focus

Building good professional relationships with the people we support and their families. Endeavouring to understand what the people we support want and being responsive to their needs and offering a personalised service. Respond positively to feedback. Deal with complaints in a professional and timely manner.

Use of Technology

Using relevant technology proactively and effectively to do their job and, wherever possible, to deliver services.

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS

Desirable

Graduate Diploma in Habilitation and Disabilities of Sight (Children and Young People) or equivalent qualification which specifically meets all the learning outcomes arising from the ‘Quality Standards – Delivery of Habilitation Training (Mobility and Independent Living Skills) for Children and Young People with Visual Impairment (2011)’: Qualification Participant Learning Outcomes.
Registration with relevant professional body.
First Aid Certificate (if the successful applicant does not already hold this, they will be required to complete it before starting in post)
Level 3 Safeguarding qualification (if the applicant does not have an in-date certificate they will be required to complete this before starting in post)
Communication skills for working with people who are Deaf, or those with Dual Sensory Loss e.g. clear speech, block alphabet, deafblind manual, BSL

Essential

Extensive experience of working with children, young people and families
Extensive work history in roles that include the overarching responsibility for Safeguarding children and young people as a Designated Safeguarding Lead
Leadership experience including leading a Multi-Disciplinary Team
Excellent line management skills
Excellent Communication Skills
Excellent IT skills including Microsoft 365 and a range of databases
Excellent communication skills
Basic counselling skills e.g. listening, reflecting, summarising
Experience of working with Social Care and/or the NHS in either an operational or commissioning context
Experience of managing risk

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS/EFFORT

Ability to travel extensively throughout Surrey, and to support with events where required.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT

Office based, with travel to the homes of people we support, schools, colleges, hospitals, Social Care Teams, and community facilities for events.

DIMENSIONS

Human Relations: self, a team of multi-disciplinary staff, and a team of volunteers

Organisation Chart:

On induction.