Safeguarding Team Manager

Role Responsibility

Team Manager Safeguarding Adults Older Persons and Physical Disabilities and the Central Referral Unit for Adult Safeguarding

Office Locations: Oxford Road, Maidstone/Worral House, Kings Hill and Kroner House, Ashford

Every adult in Kent deserves to live their lives free from abuse or neglect. We are looking for two Team Managers who can work in partnership with adults at risk of abuse and who have care and/or support needs to make a positive difference every day.

Kent County Council is looking for someone who can deliver excellence in collaborative approaches to making safeguarding personal, clarity in triaging and risk assessments, and refined skills in planning and overseeing proportionate safeguarding enquiries so that adults are empowered to exercise choice and control when others seek to exploit, abuse or neglect them.

We are looking for a person who will:

• Manage a team of registered and unregistered staff in the delivery of adult safeguarding services. Ensure all staff adhere to policies, procedures, the Safeguarding Adults Framework, Mental Capacity Assessment and Best Interest requirements in assessing the needs of clients.
• Lead the maintenance of high practice standards and enable continued development of professional skills that meet service requirements. Provide a high-quality resource of professional advice, guidance and expertise to staff in the team, across the Directorate and to professionals from other partner agencies.
• Monitor the progress of Safeguarding activity and local practices through audit and review, and ensure compliance with Safeguarding Adults protocols and procedures.
• Keep abreast of changes and new initiatives in practice, including changes in legislation,  Adult Social Care and Health Directorate and Health policies, and guidance from relevant national organisations to ensure that these are reflected in policy and practice delivered within the locality.
• Lead performance management across the locality, reviewing performance tracking systems at weekly team meetings. Take any actions necessary to manage risk and maintain required level of performance. Support the Service Manager in monitoring and taking action in wider Divisional service performance.
• Support the Service Manager in building resilience within the team, responding to emergency planning issues and ensuring there are business continuity arrangements in place at all times.
• Alongside the Service Manager, undertake business and workforce planning, recruitment of staff, induction and development of staff (including students) utilising the Social Care Capabilities Framework, promoting quality in care as the underpinning standard of practice. Ensure there is a system in place for monitoring the outcomes from learning and development and application of knowledge and skills acquired. Manage and resolve any staffing issues, working with HR as appropriate.

Adults who are at the greatest risk of the greatest harms demand the best social work practice that can be delivered. If you can do this then we want to hear from you.

The West Kent and CRU Adult Safeguarding Teams are both supportive and close professional teams who work as part of a countywide dedicated safeguarding adults service for Older People and People with Physical Disabilities.  We work in partnership with other agencies including Police, NHS and Social Care to conduct safeguarding enquiries.  The specialism of this dedicated service offers the opportunity for practitioners to concentrate their energies on delivering the best safeguarding practice possible without distraction from other Adult Social Care duties

You will be expected to lead the team and direct others to undertake safeguarding enquiries to ensure that any risk of abuse to an adult is assessed and responded to in a timely and proportionate manner. This requires an ability to work under pressure with competence and pace to make critical decisions for the protection of others.

You must hold a Social Work qualification and have up to date registration. You will need to have experience of working with adults, a sound working knowledge of the Local Authorities duties to undertake safeguarding enquiries, experience of inter-disciplinary working, excellent interpersonal skills and a firm commitment to continuous professional development, which you will be able to evidence. 

The ability to travel across a wide geographical area in a timely and flexible manner at various times of the day is essential. You should note that public transport is rarely a viable option as some rural areas of Kent often have limited public transport.

Kent County Council value their staff and as part of our commitment to you we ensure all staff receive:

• A comprehensive induction
• Regular supervision and a personal action plan to support your career development
• An annual appraisal
• Access to a wide range of training and development opportunities to support you in your role

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure application to the Disclosure and Barring service and registration as a qualified Social Worker with Social Work England.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

If you feel you have the qualities it takes to make a difference every day in protecting adults from abuse or neglect please make your application, illustrating how you meet the Job Description and Person Specification for this role.

We would positively welcome applicants contacting Team Managers Anna Ramsay on 03000 411552 or Janette Janes on 03000 413266, or by e-mail anna.ramsay@kent.gov.uk or janette.janes@kent.gov.uk to have an informal discussion and gain a greater understanding of the teams and the role.

Interviews will be held on the 25th October 2021

Contact Details

For further information on this role please contact Anna Ramsay on 03000 411552 or Janette Janes on 03000 413266, or by e-mail anna.ramsay@kent.gov.uk or janette.janes@kent.gov.uk 

About the Company

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds and faiths, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note – if you are interested, please apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.