Secondment Opportunity at the Scottish Government
The Scottish Government is offering a 2-year secondment from January 2017 in the Looked After Children Unit within Children and Families Directorate. Notes of interest/applications should be submitted by 30 November 2016 from any individual who is well versed in both policy for looked after children and front line service delivery; with recent practical experience of working in the sector.
As an indication, the salary range is up to £42,220 and the Scottish Government will reimburse the host organisation for costs in line with current salary for the duration of the secondment. The post holder must be able to see policy connections and contribute to the Scottish Government’s ambitions to change culture and practice, both internally and with partner organisations. These include the voluntary sector and local authorities. There are high expectations to deliver improvements through the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act with scrutiny from all political parties and across the sector.
The secondee will be based in Victoria Quay in Edinburgh within the Looked After Children Unit headed by David Blair. The LAC Unit is responsible for improving outcomes for all looked after children and care leavers. Our policies aim to ensure that all children and young people have a safe, secure, stable and nurturing home and that children who are looked after receive the kind of support and opportunities that any parent would want for their own children. Within LAC Unit, the Corporate Parenting and Formal Care Team is responsible for improving outcomes for looked after children and young people looked after by local authorities. It leads on policies relating to corporate parenting, residential and foster care, unaccompanied asylum seeking children and care leavers (throughcare and aftercare). The secondee will be part of this team of 6 people.
The post holder will need to skilfully manage the wide and varied range of views and priorities that exist across internal and external stakeholders, be aware of and sensitive to the tensions and challenges that exist. They will need to make policy connections within government and the wider sector. Strong negotiating skills and sensitivity will be required, coupled with the ability to develop a clear view of the way forward and commitment to outcomes.
This opportunity supports the Scottish Government’s overarching plans for taking forward an independent review of care, implementation of the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 and our Getting It Right For Looked After Child and Young People Strategy. The main priorities for this post specifically cover Corporate Parenting, Aftercare and Continuing Care working in cooperation with relevant stakeholders to offer advice and ensure that implementing these elements of the Act is being taken forward effectively. The post is outwards-facing so largely involves developing relationships and engaging with external (to the Scottish Government) stakeholders in order to drive evidence–based policy and improvements.
High level priorities:
• Supporting the Unit, Division and Directorate efforts to drive improvement in service provision for looked after children and care leavers including the recently announced review of care, those set out in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014 and other key frameworks.
• Ensuring improved outcomes for looked after children through existing and future policies on corporate parenting, aftercare and continuing care.
Deliverables:
• Support evidence based policy development through a rolling programme of engagement with local authorities and other key stakeholders on specific elements of the review of care as it develops and implementation of the 2014 Act.
• Share learning from previous experience of front line service delivery towards improving outcomes for looked after children and care leavers, working closely with a wide range of partner organisations and stakeholders.
• Develop and maintain close links with colleagues across Scottish Government, and utilise networks across the sector to raise the profile of looked after children and ensure that their needs are embedded in policy and practice development.
• Work closely with CELCIS on all aspects of policy development relating to looked after children and young people.
For further information or to submit notes of interest by 30 November please contact Carolyn Younie at carolyn.younie@gov.scot.