Head Of Service, Front Door

Overview

Head of Service - Front Door (Children's Services) - 6 Month Contract. Location: Swindon. Rate: £600.00 per day (Umbrella). Hours: 37 per Week. Contract: Temporary (6 Months). Pay: Bi-weekly.

Summary

This role is a 6-month contract position responsible for leading the Front Door Service within Children's Services. The Head of Service will ensure the delivery of high-quality safeguarding services for children, young people, and families. The role involves providing strategic and operational leadership across various functions, including Children in Need, Child Protection, Pre-Proceedings, and Court Work. The postholder will play a crucial role in driving service improvement, enhancing safeguarding practices, and embedding a culture of restorative, relationship-based social work.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership
  • Lead and manage the Front Door Service.
  • Provide strategic and operational leadership across safeguarding functions.
  • Ensure effective and timely interventions for children and families.
  • Contribute to the Children's Services improvement programme.
  • Drive sustainable service improvement and practice excellence.
• Safeguarding & Child Protection
  • Lead Children in Need, Child Protection, Pre-Proceedings, Court Work, and Safeguarding Services.
  • Ensure child-focused, effective safeguarding practices compliant with statutory requirements.
  • Promote strong decision-making and effective risk management.
  • Maintain high standards of practice and professional accountability.
• Service Improvement
  • Lead service improvement initiatives and transformation programmes.
  • Use performance data and quality assurance findings to drive change.
  • Identify development areas and implement improvement plans.
  • Ensure continuous improvement in service delivery and outcomes.
• Practice Leadership
  • Champion restorative and relationship-based social work practice.
  • Promote excellent social work standards across teams.
  • Support managers and practitioners in delivering high-quality interventions.
  • Embed Family Safeguarding principles and systemic practice approaches.
• Performance Management
  • Monitor service performance and statutory compliance.
  • Ensure performance targets and service objectives are achieved.
  • Use management information to assess effectiveness and inform decision-making.
  • Address areas of underperformance and implement corrective actions.
• Court & Legal Services
  • Oversee court proceedings and pre-proceedings work.
  • Collaborate effectively with legal services and court representatives.
  • Ensure robust evidence-based decision-making.
  • Support managers and staff involved in legal processes.
• Partnership & Multi-Agency Working
  • Build effective relationships with Police, Health Services, Education Providers, Legal Services, and Safeguarding Partnerships.
  • Promote effective partnership working across agencies.
  • Strengthen safeguarding arrangements through collaborative working.
• Workforce Development
  • Lead, support, and develop managers and practitioners.
  • Promote a positive, supportive, and accountable culture.
  • Support workforce planning, learning, and development activities.
  • Encourage reflective supervision and continuous professional development.

Requirements

• Qualifications
  • Essential: Degree in Social Work or equivalent recognised qualification; Current Social Work England registration.
  • Desirable: Leadership or management qualification; Post-qualifying social work awards; Management development or safeguarding leadership training.
• Knowledge
  • Extensive knowledge of Children Act 1989 and 2004, Working Together to Safeguard Children, Child Protection Procedures, Public Law Outline (PLO), Care Proceedings, Family Court Processes, and safeguarding legislation and guidance.
  • Understanding of Family Safeguarding and restorative practice models.
  • Knowledge of performance management and quality assurance frameworks.
• Experience
  • Essential: Significant senior management experience within Children's Social Care; Experience leading Front Door or Safeguarding Services; Experience overseeing Child Protection, Children in Need, Pre-Proceedings, and Court Work; Experience delivering service improvement and transformation programmes; Experience managing large multidisciplinary teams; Experience working with inspection frameworks and improvement plans; Experience working with courts, legal services, and safeguarding partners.
  • Desirable: Experience within a local authority improvement journey; Experience implementing Family Safeguarding models; Experience developing leadership and management capability across services.
• Skills & Competencies
  • Strong strategic leadership skills.
  • Excellent safeguarding knowledge and decision-making capability.
  • Outstanding communication and influencing skills.
  • Ability to lead change and drive improvement.
  • Strong analytical and performance management skills.
  • Ability to build effective partnerships.
  • Excellent people management and coaching skills.
  • Strong understanding of quality assurance and audit processes.
  • Ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities.

Additional Information

• This is a 6-month temporary contract.
• Rate: £600.00 per day (Umbrella).
• Location: Swindon.
• Pay is provided on a bi-weekly basis.
• Social Work England registration is essential.
• Previous senior leadership experience within Children's Safeguarding Services is essential.
• Experience leading Front Door Services, Child Protection, Court Work, and Children in Need services is essential.
• Local authority experience is essential.
• Opportunity to lead a critical service area at the centre of Children's Services improvement and transformation.