INTEGRATED SERVICE MANAGER 32,200 PER ANNUM 37 HOURS PER WEEK BASED AT DOMESTIC VIOLENCE ABUSE SERVICES, HALTON, CHESHIRE Changing Lives Mission Changing Lives is a national, registered charity which provides specialist support for thousands of vulnerable people and their families, every month. Through our pioneering and innovative work we support people to make positive, lasting changes in their lives. The role will contribute to the development of Changing Lives to help more people to change their lives together. Job Role To manage the Halton Refuge Service and IDVA/Sanctuary Service at Changing Lives. The post Holder will provide line management and support to staff. This will include providing supervision on complex casework issues such as child protection, overseeing operational emergencies and ensuring high standards of housing management. To ensure the effective delivery of services to our service users, ensuring that the required outcomes for service users and our funders are achieved. To work with staff, other projects, external providers and other stakeholders to improve the services available. Responsible to the Halton Domestic Abuse Service Manager. Responsible for Senior IDVA, Senior Project Worker and Weekend Project Workers. Job Responsibilities To oversee and manage the day to day operations at the Domestic Abuse Refuge and resettlement support service, the IDVA service and the Sanctuary Scheme. To support and input into the Domestic Abuse agenda within Changing Lives. To ensure the delivery of a high quality service meeting the physical and emotional wellbeing of victims of Domestic Abuse and their children. To manage and develop staff in accordance with Refuge s performance management scheme, ensuring their involvement in the continuous improvement of services. To ensure all staff within area of responsibility are engaged in regular service review to promote best practice and continuous improvement of service. To implement and manage the sharing of knowledge and good practice towards improving service delivery. To contribute to workforce planning in line with contract requirements, ensuring there is always sufficient cover for services across sites including over holiday periods and in exceptional circumstances to provide management cover temporarily of a project. To oversee the management of budgets, including effective collection of rent and taking corrective management action when required in line with Refuge s financial regulations. To monitor voids and bad debts ensuring compliance with Refuge s procedures.
To oversee the management of evictions ensuring the eviction policy is followed and all risks are effectively managed. To be an ambassador for Refuge, working in partnership with local agencies to tackle domestic violence. This will include extensive travel including to rural locations and building effective local multi-agency partnerships. To ensure that all services are sensitive and responsive to the needs of service users and their children. Ensure that service user feedback is gathered systematically and recorded on the Changing Lives Datix System and acted upon. To ensure that Changing Lives policies, procedures and ethos are fully understood and implemented by staff. To attend any national and regional meetings as directed by Changing Lives Co-ordinate and manage referrals and assessments, including the allocation of key workers and support the delivery of a person centered approach where needs are complex and behaviors challenging. Ensure all clients have active person-centered support plans and progress assessments using the Client Progress Measure and ensure the quality of support planning and provision by staff which is focused on sustainable change and preparing for positive move on and resettlement where relevant. Ensure relevant residency requirements are being met at all times including issue of any warnings, managing and reducing evictions and abandonments. Ensure that service user benefits are being maximised, housing benefit payments secured, rents due collected, and action taken to address any arrears. Recognise, respect and address the needs of service users who face particular barriers when seeking help to access the service, including those from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds, LGB&T communities, those with disabilities and complex needs, and other hard to engage groups. To manage the operation of the refuge, including taking responsibility for refuge security To submit regular service management and performance reports to the director of operations. To work with the Strategic Manager and the Regional Lead in contributing to and implementing new service provision. Line manage project workers and IDVAs to deliver excellent support and outcomes for clients and their families. Establish effective working relationships with stakeholders to ensure appropriate referrals are made, regular reviews held with care managers and related professionals and service users supported to move-on.
Lead on Changing Lives input into the local Domestic Abuse forum, MARAC proceedings, CAF assessments and LSCB processes. Ensure all requirements are met for the safeguarding of adults and children including appropriate records are kept for children residing in the service which reflects best practice in children's services, reporting incidents to the local Safeguarding Unit and liaise with the Safeguarding Unit regarding risks to clients and their families. Ensure that Supporting People requirements are being met and inspections are passed to a high standard and all monitoring reports are submitted on time to Halton Borough Council. To ensure that the Regional Manager is kept informed of action taken to manage any heightened risks that may affect the effective running of the services. Ensure that staff are competent in working with victims of Domestic Abuse and their families. Ensure appropriate recording of information on MODUS(Client Information Management system), and that all case files are complete and kept up to date including auditing of case files To ensure all incidents are reported appropriately using the Datix reporting system To manage staff rotas and on-call rotas To provide on call management support for our of hours referrals and admissions and incidents out of hours Facilitate effective IDVA provision including assertive outreach into the community and effective engagement with courts and legal processes. Present a professional image of Changing Lives at all times and ensure professionalism of staff team practices and working environment Ensure timely responses to referrals and timely referral of cases to the Sanctuary Scheme contracts Manage the budget for the service. Maintain in depth and up-to-date knowledge of all Changing Lives practices and policies. To be an ambassador for Changing Lives, working in partnership with other agencies to tackle domestic abuse Comply with all legal and health and safety requirements, including ensuring lone working protocols are adhered to. To work to the performance standards provided and requested by Changing Lives. To manage and develop staff in line with Changing Lives procedures, ensuring their involvement in the continuous improvement of services To engage the staff team in regular service review to promote best practice and continuous improvement of service. To implement and manage the sharing of knowledge and good practice towards improving service delivery
To be an ambassador for Changing Lives Halton Domestic Violence Refuge, working in partnership with local agencies to tackle domestic violence. This will include extensive travel including to rural locations and building effective local multi-agency partnerships To carry out any other reasonable requests. Ensure that risk assessment and risk management procedures are followed at all times, prioritising those most at risk. Be the lead professional for child protection and information sharing ensuring that staff understand and comply with the service s safeguarding framework. Manage a case load focusing on high risk victims to provide a proactive, short to medium term service, based on thorough individual safety planning and personal support incorporating risk assessment Ensure that case files and records are accurate and complete, and that both are kept and in compliance with DPA requirements. Remain up-to-date and compliant with all relevant legislation connected to your work, including organisational procedures, policies and professional codes of conduct and the IDVA Charter, in order to uphold standards of best practice. Contribute to annual service reviews which include monitoring data, evaluations, intake and output policy, and practice and work load reviews for the whole service. Respect and value the diversity of the community in which the service works in, providing a service that recognizes the diverse needs of survivors, ensuring the service is accessible to all. Staff Responsible for the day-to-day supervision of staff which aims to deliver a high quality frontline service keeping the safety of victims of domestic abuse central to all processes. Be involved in the recruitment, selection, induction and retention processes for all staff reporting directly to you. Deliver and provide effective support and supervision for all members of staff by delivering / implementing: i. Routine case and work load reviews based on reviewing risks and abuse; ii. Line management Identify learning and development opportunities and performance management issues. Contribute to employee evaluations, salary and training reviews. Monitoring and evaluation Maintain effective monitoring and evaluation systems and databases(modus) which assess intake, output, performance and effectiveness of the service and carry out weekly case file reviews.
Person Specification Integrated Services Manager (To be used for recruitment purposes only) Criteria Essential Requirements necessary for safe and effective performance in the job Qualifications Professional S.W. Qualification: CQSW/Dip.SW Post Qualifying Award Or Equivalent in similar role Experience Direct work with victims of domestic abuse and their families Direct experience of assessing children and their families including use of the Common Assessment Framework and the DASH assessment tool for victims of Domestic Abuse Report writing and presentations for meetings, conferences and court settings Experience of service development Experience of multi-agency working in line with best practice including MARAC, multi agency safeguarding procedures Experience of supporting and supervising staff Experience of implementing performance management frameworks Ability to comply with necessary commissioning requirement including supporting people reviews Experience of stakeholder engagement Desirable Where available, elements that contribute to improved / immediate performance in the job Relevant management qualification Experience of working in a residential setting Skills, Knowledge and Abilities Knowledge of the causes and effects of Domestic Abuse Knowledge and experience of the Freedom Programme In depth knowledge of Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy and Practice Knowledge of asset/strength based approaches to families at risk Experience of developing and maintaining appropriate relationships with adult and children s services
Ability to use basic Microsoft Office packages Ability to work at a strategic level with commissioners and stakeholders Ability to support the development of staff to work effectively with children and their families Ability to manage conflict within teams Ability to work to tight deadlines and achieve targets Ability to prioritise workload Personal Attributes Commitment to the values of Changing Lives Full driving licence Commitment to detail, ensuring all work is accurate, concise and understandable Commitment to equality and diversity Understanding of how to work within professional boundaries Willing to work in cooperation with team members Willing to work flexibly, some weekend and unsociable hours and occasional overnight stays Willing to travel nationally