Team Leader – Job Description

The Team leader responsibility is to ensure the day-to-day running of the home is safe and fulfilling for the young people and the staff team are all aware of the expectations on them on behalf of the Registered Manager and ultimately the organisation. The Team Leader must ensure that the needs of the young people are always met. Which means ensuring that the children and young people are in safe and comfortable environment.

The Team Leader is contracted to 40 hours per week, over a 24/7 shift pattern. Whilst we will endeavour to maintain a regular shift pattern, there will be requirement to deviate from this when the needs of the home dictate so.

There will also be a requirement for the Team Leader to provide support with any management responsibilities when the Registered Manager is not available at times and days to suit the needs of the home.

As Team Leader they will deliver services which are fully compliant with legislative and regulatory requirements particularly The Children’s Homes Regulations and Quality Standards 2015.

They are responsible for the effective development and delivery of high-quality residential services to children young people and their families which improve outcomes.

They will assist in leading and managing the staff team, ensuring that team members work effectively with children, young people, families and all internal and partner agency staff. The Team Leader will carry out their statutory duties as determined, principally in relevant childcare legislation, children’s homes regulations and standards.

They will also ensure that all services are planned and delivered in a way that maximises participation and reflects children’s rights in relation to services being provided.

This will all be undertaken within the overall context of:

• The Children’s Homes Regulations and Quality Standards 2015
• Children Act 2004, Care Act 2014 and other relevant legislation
• Working Together to Safeguard Children
• The Homes Statement of Purpose
• The Code of Conduct and Behaviour and relevant policies.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Communicating goals and deadlines to colleagues, this involves providing a high level of communication to your colleagues around the young people and children’s needs, risk and relevant information.
• Planning workloads and delegating tasks to your colleagues, this via communication platform and direct.
• Creating a productive work environment for the team, this providing a high level of support, trust and other appropriate strategies to provide positive outcomes and development.
• Assessing team performance and providing feedback to employees around performance and learning.
• Assisting with the daily operation of the home, this ensuring the needs of the children are priority.
• Providing a high level of professionalism to your colleagues, young people and professionals.
• Providing colleagues with information about recent developments, programmes and policy changes of management.

• Take responsibility for all new staff members, delegating effectively and appropriately on behalf of the home. This includes considering and managing their individual induction period, ensuring they meet the requirements of the children’s needs.
• Completing a minimum of 1 to 2 supervisions of your working colleagues, this being in line with the registered managers request.
• Have a high level of knowledge of all compliance documents and file systems within the home.
• To develop and maintain collaborative working relationships with partner agencies and clinical teams to ensure individual assessment plans and support packages are achievable and adhered to.
• Ensure maintenance of administrative systems for children’s casework records, referrals and assessments, including risk assessments, and that confidentiality, standards and boundaries are adhered to.
• To ensure a robust and dynamic induction procedure is adhered to by all colleagues and new starters, this providing a high level of professionalism.
• Work in partnership with other professionals and agencies and develop and maintain a positive public relations image for the whole trust.
• Ensure the home is Ofsted ready at all times and prepare to respond to all requirements. This includes supporting the registered manager during inspections.
• Ensure clear, consistent and professional record keeping for the children and young people.
• Ensure that all safeguarding legislation, policies and procedures are adhered to.
• Ensure that the provisions function in such a manner that staff, and children understand, recognise and celebrate the diversity of cultures and beliefs within the local and wider community.
• Ensure that all children’s and young people’s plans are adhered too, this involving delegating and leading Senior colleagues to complete in a timely manner.
• Ensuring you have good knowledge of the home’s systems, compliance and young people’s needs and being capable to lead Ofsted inspections in the registered managers absence.
• Being competent to lead regulation 44 visits.
• To manage and have oversight of the children’s individual support packages to ensure that they continue to be relevant and responsive to the individuals’ needs and wishes.
• To develop a shared planning approach in partnership with children, their relatives and other professionals involved in their care.
• To encourage an open culture, one in which young people and families feel that they can make representation and that they are listened to.
• To ensure that the Health needs of young people are assessed and provided for, developing and maintaining effective working partnerships with health professionals.
• Ensure that participation in a range of therapeutic, social and recreational activities/opportunities for individual or groups of young people is encouraged.
• To ensure that all children have a full and appropriate education timetable. To be able to form positive relationships within education institutions; leading promoting and advocating for the educational needs and rights of the child.

Personal Management and Employee Development:

• To support appropriate staff supervision, welfare and support mechanisms, in accordance with the supervision policy, and ensuring that staff are motivated to achieve the objectives of the service.

Other Requirements:

• The Team Leader will be expected to report to the Registered Manager, directors and Responsible Individual and undertake further duties in the capacity to support the home and organisation.

Flexibility:

This is a senior role within the organisation, as such, the nature of this position will require flexibility to meet urgent work needs as they arise. The job description is therefore not meant to be exhaustive. The team Leader will be expected to adopt a flexible attitude to the duties, which may have to be varied after discussion, subject to the needs of the service and in keeping with the general profile of the post. From time to time the Team leader will be required to provide support to other elements of the company and must understand the importance of operating overall as one organisation to improve the lives of children and young people.

General:

Ensure the highest standards of record keeping including electronic data entry and recording, report writing and responsible exercise of professional self-governance in accordance with professional codes of practice;

• To encourage, report and act on all whistle blowing, if necessary.
• To promote people’s equality, diversity, rights and responsibilities.
• To promote anti-oppressive and anti-discriminatory practice.
• To be a role model to your colleagues, professionals and young people.
• To undertake any other duties appropriate to this post.
• The Team Leader is expected to comply with all relevant policies, procedures and guidelines, including those relating to Equal Opportunities, Health and Safety and Confidentiality of Information.
• The ability to travel independently to a variety of premises, sometimes at short notice, and have a clean full UK driving licence.