Team Leader

Information

“More than just a job” 

 

Part of CrossReach Children’s Services, our Community Team in partnership with local agencies, supports young people to be a part of community life. By adopting a child-centred approach our team works with the ‘whole-child’, focusing on improving relationships, enhancing personal development and attending education.

As team leader you will support the Service Leader in the overall management of a small therapeutic house for up to four children and be part of a rota that provides on call support to a cluster of houses. At Crossreach Children’s Services we work from a relational approach which is attachment-informed and trauma-sensitive.

In fact, we’ll make sure that you have all the training and development you need, not only so you can do a great job, but to help you build your career with us too.

You can also look forward to a benefits package that includes an employer contributory pension and generous holiday allowance.

Main Function

The Team Leader will, through responsible Christian leadership, operate as a senior member of staff within the service to deliver a service that ensures that the needs of the children, young people and their families that we support, are fully met. You will be expected to work to the highest professional standards of those working within the Children’s workforce and adhere to professional codes of practice of SSSC, GTCS and other relevant professional bodies; ensuring that the aims and objectives of CrossReach and those specific to Children & Family Services and the section within which you are based are met.

All adults within our services, regardless of specific job remit and role, have a responsibility to promote a Therapeutic Environment and contribute to the Relational Health of children and young people in our services and have an understanding of how their role contributes. The following values and attributes are applicable to all those employed within Children & Family services and not solely to those whose primary role is to support the direct care and education of children and young people.

Main Duties

• To implement and uphold the aims, objectives, policies and procedures of CrossReach and Children & Family Services.
• As TL your main responsibilities will include:
  • Ensure the principles of Playfulness Acceptance Curiosity Empathy [P.A.C.E.] is embedded in everyday interactions between all 
  • Promote and strengthen Relational health through actively developing and role modelling positive and genuine relationships
  • Ensure that children & young people’s primary care needs are fully met - 
    • Safe
    • Healthy
    • Active
    • Nurtured
    • Achieving
    • Respected
    • Responsible
    • Included
• Monitor the health, well being, safety and security of children and young people and their environment. This includes following policy and protocols such as:
  • Shift Planning Protocols
  • Communication Protocol
  • Significant Adverse Events Protocol
  • Promoting Positive Behaviours Policy
  • Child Protection Policy
  • Practice Model
• Case manage and support individual GIRFEC lead practitioners in their Key Worker role .
• Monitor & evaluate the implementation of strategies that support care & education plans.
• Monitor & Contribute information for Assessment, LAAC Reviews, Children’s Hearings reports and any other relevant meetings.
• Ensure the effective delivery of service including:
  • Ensure Assessments and Re-assessment process is adhered to
  • Monitor & Evaluate individual and service outcomes in line with GIRFEC and CFE guidelines
  • Safe working environment through balanced staff rotas
  • Significant Adverse Events are recorded & monitored, including absconding & physical interventions
  • Promote equality for all individuals
• Support children and young people when they are emotionally, psychologically and socially isolated and distressed.
• Promote communication with children and young people where there are communication difficulties.
• Empower children and young people to make use of available services and information.
• Implement & monitor CrossReach policies relating specifically to :
  • Attendance Management
  • Health & Safety
  • Child Protection
  • Safe Recruitment
  • Staff Supervision & PQDP
  • Staff rota ensuring a safe working environment
  • Risk Assessment
• Promote the health and well-being of all children, young people and adults within a professional Christian framework in a sensitive and caring manner affording them dignity and respect.
• Accompany children and young people to various events and meetings off site i.e. family visits, activities, health appointments, review meetings, etc.
• To line manage Children & Young People Mentors.
• To cover the Service ‘on call’ rota, providing out of hours support.
• To demonstrate and share Christian love and support including sharing with others the leading of worship in accordance with CrossReach policy and by ensuring all staff meetings are opened with prayer and Bible reading.

PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT

• To assist the Service Leader in the regular review of services and planning, ensuring priorities outlined are met within timescales allocated.
• As part of the staff team to play an active part in the formulation of a yearly plan. Thereafter to be committed to working towards meeting the objectives identified.

QUALITY ASSURANCE

• Ensure that all services are delivered in accordance with the CrossReach Policies and Procedures. providing quarterly management reports which will contribute to annual Standards & Quality report in line with National Care Standards & Care Inspectorate Quality Standards.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

• To register with the Scottish Social Services Council and be committed to ongoing professional development in line with the requirements of the SSSC Codes of Practice.
• To participate in staff development programme and attend meetings, training courses and seminars as required.
• To maintain professional standards and responsibility for ensuring that you meet minimum standards required for SSSC registration.

FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT

• To support Service Leader as required in the preparation, management and monitoring of the annual operating budget.
• To ensure daily management of operational budget.
• To ensure that client records are maintained in line with CrossReach’s policies.
• To contribute to the maintenance of systems, to gather, record, and store data/information.
• To be responsible for monitoring the quality & accuracy of reporting and recording of information contained within: 
  • Daily logs i.e. individual daily diaries; journal; individual work record (Care and SW); record of work (education)
  • Individual Crisis Support Plans (ICSP)
  • Assessment; LAAC reviews and Children’s Hearing Reports
  • Reports relating to significant adverse event e.g. TCI where physical intervention has occurred
• To monitor and ensure that all communication is accurate and timely with :
  • Children and Young people
  • Colleagues
  • On call manager in adverse events or changes to agreed plans
  • Parents and Carers
  • External colleagues and agencies
• To ensure that all information relating to service users is kept strictly confidential in line with CrossReach Policy and the Data Protection Act 1998 and to ensure that the staff that you manage also maintain this level of confidentiality.

PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

• To support Service Leader in the recruitment and selection of staff as required.
• To be responsible for the direct supervision of Children and Young People Mentors. 
• To ensure that CrossReach’s personnel policies are implemented and understood by all staff and hold responsibility within delegated powers for the discipline of staff when appropriate.
• To undertake and facilitate the assessment of staff for SVQ’s and/or the supervision of students through Practice Teaching.
• To support Service Leader in the allocation of work carried out by team members.
• To support Service Leader in induction training and ongoing training for the team.
• To support and substitute for Service Leader, when required and convene regular team meetings, with an agenda and minutes.

LIAISON

• To assist the Head of Care in the promotion of services and to maintain close working relationships, as required, with all relevant professionals involved in the care of children, young people and their families , maintaining effective communication and co-operation with relatives and friend of children and young people.

Qualifications

Essential

Team Leader will be required to be registered with Scottish Social Services Council [SSSC] and have or attain within the registration period the minimum qualification of HNC Social Care and SVQ Level 3. A commitment to undertaking a Management Qualification is required.

A full driving licence.

Desirable

Desirable qualifications will include Degree level study in Social Work, Education and Psychology.

Additional Skills & qualifications of this post include:

• Knowledge & Understanding of Attachment and trauma sensitive approaches
• Counselling Skills
• Dyadic Development Practice Level 1 or equivalent

Personal

As we do our work in Christ’s name the job you have applied for requires you to have a Christian faith and be able to work within and uphold our Christian Ethos (this is an ongoing occupational requirement under the Equality Act 2010).

This post requires you to be a member of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) Scheme and undertake the necessary vetting checks.

Skills and Abilities

• Significant skills in the field of care and/or education:
  • A reflective and person centred approach with the ability to restore and strengthen relationships through relationships
  • Excellent communication skills combined with good planning, reporting and recording skills whilst effectively using current IT systems
  • Commitment to providing learning opportunities for children and young people and a dedication to the best possible outcomes for children and young people
• In undertaking your role you will be expected to demonstrate, from an asset/strengths based approach the following core principles-
  • Relational Health: understanding the impact of our relationships and interactions with those around us, including:
    • The impact that Past Experiences and Trauma have on how individuals understand themselves and the world around them
    • The ability to connect with children and young people before correcting them and responding to their needs before reacting
    • Being aware that your own past experiences has had an impact on who you are
    • Understanding that our role is to provide positive experiences which can start to heal past harm and build trust through positive and genuine relationships with children, young people and their families
    • Being mindful in all our interactions of language used – both words and tone; body language of stance and facial expression and how this may be perceived by others, based on their past experiences