Head of Service -Safeguarding Children with Disabilities

Head of Service -Safeguarding Children with Disabilities

• 28th Oct 2025
• Havering, London

Client: Local Authority in Havering

Hours: 36 hours a week (Mon-Fri) 9 AM-5 PM

Duration: Initial 6 Month Contract

Location: HYBRID WORKING-Minimum 3 days in the office (Romford Town Hall). Some flexibility around this.

Description

Purpose of Role: The post holder will be the operational lead for the delivery of statutory social work services that includes but is not limited to children in need of statutory assessments and children in need of protection.

They will be responsible for effective, inclusive leadership and management of the borough's children's Safeguarding Service. Ensuring delivery of high-quality services against local and national indicators and targets in keeping with professional standards of good practice, legislation, regulations and guidance so that high quality assessments and interventions are delivered in time, to meet children and family's assessed needs and improve outcomes.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Responsible for delivering effective, inclusive leadership and management of the teams, ensuring high quality services against local and national indicators and targets.
• Ensure practice is in line with current legislation and relevant guidance so that high quality, effective assessments, plans and interventions are delivered to timescales, to meet children and family's assessed needs and improve outcomes.
• Has responsibility for budgets within the relevant services.
• Has responsibility for ensuring high quality, value for money services including in-house and commissioned providers, and contributes to budget setting, budget monitoring and delivery of services within budget targets, including the Section 17 budget.
• Take lead responsibility for specific areas of practice and strategic development relevant to the service, including but not limited to Children's legal planning, Havering Safeguarding Children's Partnership as required.
• Advise and contribute to regular reports to the DCS, the Lead Member, the Assistant Directors, other senior leaders, panels, committees and/or relevant boards on performance and practice matters as required.
• Line manage the Safeguarding Service Managers and hold overall management responsibility for the teams, ensuring delivery of good quality practice and continuous improvement through the relevant service plans.

Experience

• Experience at a senior level in Children's Services, evidenced by a clear understanding and practical experience of working to improve safeguarding and quality of practice.
• Demonstrable work experience in an organisation of similar complexity and political environment managing direct reports to provide professional expertise and advice, establishing and sustaining positive relationships that generate confidence, ability and trust.
• Detailed knowledge of the legislation, guidance and procedures for safeguarding within Children Services, Assessment and Children with Disabilities, and the statutory framework in which social workers operate.
• Ability to present at meetings and forums including senior managers, stakeholders and elected officials.
• Experience of managing a range of resources.

Key Skills

• Considerable experience of statutory children's social work.
• Experience of leading services through improvement journey and Ofsted monitoring.
• Collaborative reflective leadership style with ability to drive and deliver results.

Qualifications

Social Work Qualification

Equal Opportunities

Adecco Group UK & Ireland is an Equal Opportunities Employer.