Care and Transitions Lead
Type of employment: Fixed-term (the post is funded for 12 months, with expected indication of further funding), 35 hours/week.
Salary: £43414 - £53353
Closing Date: 19 March 2023
About you
Can you bring the passion and motivation to listen to those with experience of care, and build on what we know matters to children, young people, families, workforces, and carers, through our exciting partnership work with local and national agencies? Could you lead on developing ways of working that enables workforces and carers to build strong relationships, care deeply and prioritise the needs of young people transitioning into adulthood, as well as those cared for in Kinship and Foster Care? Could you work closely with Scottish Government and the sector to support improvement and realise the ambitions of The Promise supporting the development of partnership groups, and forums such as Communities of Practice, to share evidence, best practice, and grapple with and find solutions to complex problems to support the changes we all want to see? If so, this could be the role for you.
Our Care and Transition Lead will have a strong knowledge of current social work/social care, young people’s transitions into adulthood, kinship and foster care, child development and childcare practice, and understand and have experience of working with complexity and genuine co-production.
About the role
This is an innovative role where you will support local authorities and their partners to improve services for children in need of care and protection with a focus on those children and young people living in residential care, kinship care or foster care. You will part of a team who equip others to embed effective care experiences.
You will lead the CELCIS contribution to the development and implementation of policy and guidance in relation to national and local Continuing Care and Aftercare practice, Kinship Care, and Foster Care and act in a national advisory role, offering expert advice, guidance and support to key partners and stakeholders.
You will analyse and generate reports and briefings of findings for high level external and internal audiences (including Scottish Government, Scottish Parliament, and Community Planning Partners) which will be disseminated individually or in collaboration with others.
You will also be working pro-actively to help realise the shared commitment we have with The Promise Scotland to the voice of the care experienced community and collaborate closely with internal and external colleagues to drive forward policy implementation, practice improvement and change ideas across Continuing Care, Kinship Care and Foster Care.
About CELCIS
CELCIS, the Centre for Excellence for Children's Care and Protection is a leading improvement and innovation centre in Scotland. We improve children’s lives by supporting people and organisations to drive long lasting change in the services they need, and the practices used by people responsible for their care.
Qualifications and experience
You will have a relevant degree and/or appropriate professional qualification and relevant experience in the appropriate field and also a relevant post-graduate qualification. You will have significant knowledge and experience of providing support to children and young people in need of support, care and protection, their families, carers and relevant workforces to secure positive destinations/outcomes and an understanding of effective policy implementation with a focus on how to change practice on the ground to improve children and young people’s experiences and outcomes. You will have strong track record in defining, implementing, and evaluating successful interventions/ programmes, with experience of leading project teams, and demonstrable project management skills to meet strategic policy goals across a diverse and complex environment.
Formal interviews will be held on 31 March 2023.
Funding for the post
Like all the team, the post is funded for 12 months, with a further 2 years of funding indicated by Scottish Government. CELCIS has received funding in this way from Scottish Government since 2010 where we agree our funding level every year, as well as agreeing the indicative level for the next two years.
We are working across the country, at local and national level, to help realise The Promise of the Independent Care Review. Change is happening. Be part of it. Together we can make things better for children, young people and their families and carers. Apply now.
Got a burning question?
Contact: Joanne McMeeking, Head of Improving Care Experiences (joanne.mcmeeking@strath.ac.uk).