CURRICULUM VITAE.

Name: Robert Newlands

Address 37 Vicarage Road , Ware, SG12 7BG

Email rnewlands@me.com

Telephone 07576 050350

HCPC registered no ; SW37210

EDUCATION.

Middlesex University 1990-1994 BA (hons) 2:1 Criminology and the sociology of deviance

University of East London 1992-1994 Diploma in social work

Since qualifying attended numerous short courses and conferences covering both social care and management knowledge and skills

MEMBERSHIPS:

BASWBAPSCAN

PROFILE.

Qualified social worker, HCPC registered. Highly experienced senior / service manager with over 30 years experience in a wide range of social work settings. Extensive knowledge and experience of social work with a particular emphasis on safeguarding and referral process’s. Highly motivate and committed to ongoing improvements and supporting organisations to become learning environments. Skilled change agent with an excellent understanding of the legislative framework social work operates under, the changing political climate and the challenges presently facing the profession, latest reforms within family law , adoption and children with special needs and the new OFSTED inspection framework. Committed to performance management , with a focus on staff achieving high standards and working together, experienced and a belief in

multi agency solutions to social work challenges. Experienced in recruitment and retention and the recognition that high performing organisations need high performing staff.

SKILLS and AREAS of INTEREST

• Referral and access to services, improved practice, consistent use of thresholds, effective decision making , multi agency and disciplinary systems.

• Extensive experience in managing referral and assessment services, with a particular interest in timely and effective assessments resulting in clear outcomes and decisions

• Working directly with social workers and team managers to improve practice, direct work skills, analysis, communicating with children and decision making,

• Developing multi agency front doors similar to a MASH, project management, procedures and process’s, engaging with partner agencies, and IT solutions.

• Recruitment and retention of social work staff, developing strategic action plans to increase recruitment of high quality staff and to focus on activities that keep staff

• Development of high quality staff, through effective training, reflective supervision appraisals and consistent management. Working directly with managers on a range of staff related matters , including performance.

• Excellent knowledge of ICS and other IT systems, including the integration and support of significant updates and changes.

• Working through managers and staff to develop a performance management framework that has a shared focus on both quality and quantity. Assisting staff and managers in more effective and organised interventions.

• Developing and improving court based services in response to the family proceedings review and recent legislative changes, focus on alternatives to expert assessments and effective interventions.

• Working across services and developing effective working relationships with partners, through effective shared and joint working and developing of protocols.

• Developing services for 16/17 year olds at the cusp of care and or requiring alternative accommodation.

• Working with missing children , through developing effective protocols and joint working relationships with partner agencies.

• Managing budgets and working towards reducing overspends, with particular focus on high expenditures due to locum staff, out of borough/ council placements, and expert assessments

• Managing services responsible for investigating and assessing allegations against professionals . With a particular emphasis on working wit partner agencies.

• Very experienced in managing child protection services, ensuring effective use of thresholds, effective relationships with partners, clear decision making , skilled investigations within timescales and appropriate procedures.

• Joint work with adult services with a particular interest in parents with a learning disability.

• Improved outcomes for looked after children with particular focus on the journey of the child, ensuring effective and immediate responses when first accommodated and transitions to other services

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY.

Staffordshire County CouncilNovember 2015 to July 2015 ; County manager, Specialist Safeguarding Units and CAMHS social work team: East and Mid Staffordshire.

Interim cover from November initially for East Staffordshire and then on resignation of further county manager , Mid Staffordshire. Responsible for the management of a number of social work teams providing a range of services including but not exclusively single assessments, CIN, child protection , court work, direct work with children and families, looked after children. With a particularly emphasis on performance management, ensuring services are provided in both a timely manner and to a high standard with a focus on outcomes for children.

Focus on maintaining high quality service through regular audits and embedded performance management system

Regular supervision of managers Management of CAMHS social work team and development of responses to sec

117 assessments Development of action plan for children’s services concerning issues of mental

health responsibilities such as sec 85 responsibilities, joint working with adults and camhs, joint training , DOL’s

Having identified concerns cooperated with a joint enquiry with LADO and CQC concerning standards at local tier four private mental health resource for young people with significant mental health concerns. Attended various meeting and met with partners to develop future support for service

Chairing of CSE panels, occurred monthly dealing with mid to high risk cases, multi agency membership, responsible for identifying links around CSE possibly common perpetrators and or locations, ensuring all agencies aware and involved in preventing further abuse.

Member of LSCB policies and procedures group. Prepared weekly performance management reports on key indicators and

timescales for AD and quarterly review of service for DCS Undertaking of regular and targeted audits Completion of stage 2 complaints and MPs enquiries Assisted in the updating of the business continuity plan Management of recruitment and retention of social workers, during a particularly

challenging time for mid Staffordshire who were experiencing a significant level of staff movement

Chaired monthly legal gateway meetings for service area

London Borough of Southwark.November 2014 to November 2015 , Interim Practice Group Lead, Quality assurance / LADO

Senior manager within quality assurance unit with specific responsibility for managing allegations against those who work with children

Provision of support guidance and supervision to a number of chairs of conference and IRO.s

To take the lead on complex cases involving allegations of professionals or volunteers working with children

To undertake audits and reviews on specific areas of practice ie CSE, To report to LSCB on matters relating to role of LADO with specific responsibility

of preparing and presenting an annual report on allegations against those working with children to the board

To provide support and guidance to social work teams on matters of practice and standards

To take the lead on various performance management issues, ensuring standards are maintained and challenges identified, ie CP plans

Support practice improvement across the service ie conference reports Updating procedures concerned with allegations management

South Gloucestershire July 2014 – October 14 Interim Improvement Manager.

Directly responsible to the AD, to assist and prepare services for inspection and review of services to identify areas of strength and areas requiring improvement.

Achievements in post

• to help change the culture of the organisation to one focused on practice, interventions and continuous improvement

• Undertake review of inspection reports, recent audits and focus groups with staff to identify area requiring improvement.

• Complete further targeted audits on case files to review quality of interventions, assessments and decision making

• To develop and present workshops to asocial care staff on key areas requiring improvement such as care planning , assessments and interventions

• Observe and provide feedback to managers on supervision practice.• To help develop and introduce group supervision to the social work teams• To support and mentor practice managers• Provide regular reports and analysis of service to AD and DCS• To provide and analysis and support to change programme.• To review and analysis the effectiveness of the local authorities front door and

provide recommendations for any required improvements

• To work alongside service manager to help develop action plan around required improvements

• To assist in developing an effective performance management culture• To work alongside other improvement managers and senior management team to

develop and change programme.

London Borough of HillingdonNovember 2013- April 2014. Interim Service Manager, Children ’ s Social Work and Family Support

Responsible for the management and development front line services: Referral/ MASH team, 2 X Social work teams comprising 6 pods/ units each, parenting assessment team, emergency duty team, and asylum intake team.

Direct line management and supervision of 6 team managers and MASH project manager, and up to 60 social workers.

Service area responsible for managing childrens services front door and all new contacts and referrals, undertaking of child protection enquiries, completion of single assessment and direct work with children and families, working with children and families subject to CP plans, undertaking work under the PLO, including pre proceedings and initiating public law applications. Also managed asylum intake team who worked closely with Heathrow airport and UK border force in not just managing UASC but children and young people suspected of being trafficked.

Achievements in post.

• Took over post , day one of OFSTED inspection, supported service and staff through process. Provided inspectors with information as required and prepared responses to questions and issues.

• With senior management team developed improvement plan for service , following outcome of inspection.

• As part of improvement plan , introduced audit programme, resulting in significant increase in audits completed , included targeted audits with service presenting outcomes of audits to AD.

• Introduced a more robust performance management approach to service, with managers and teams having access to more effective information and meeting with AD ands DCS on a monthly basis to report on progress , challenges and improvements.

• Focus on recruitment, saw a significant increase in new appointments of permanent staff

• With project manager made progress towards development of a M.A.S.H in Hillingdon, agreement for agencies to provide resources, process’s agreed, focus on ensuring consistent interpretation of thresholds

• Work with teams in improving direct work with families, including implementation of single assessment process and use of signs of safety

• Improvements in assessments completed on time, reduction in assessments incomplete, work on reducing caseloads

• Introduction of changes and developments to work with courts following family justice review and changes in legislation with a particular focus on reducing timescales

• Work with parenting assessment team to develop earlier intervention to families at the cusp of care.

London Borough of Waltham ForestMarch 2013 to Nov 2013. Head of Safeguarding and Family Support.

Responsible for the management and development of front line safeguarding services including, referral and advice team, 8 safeguarding teams, CWD team, Adolescent support team, parenting assessment team, emergency duty team, and direct support to 16/17 homeless team, service comprising 2 deputy heads of service, 12 team managers and approx. 70 social workers and senior practitioners.

Responsible for a broad service area including the management of services front door and its links with early intervention, social work teams providing a range of services and interventions for children and young people and their families whether children in need or in need of protection, applications within the public law arena. Managing children with disabilities team, with a emphasis on reviewing eligibility, links with early intervention and short breaks. Undertaking a review of EDT services with consideration of cross borough developments. Over financial responsibility for service, regular forecasting and reporting on a budget of approximately £3m

Achievements in Post

• Lead in developing services and response to children subject to child sexual exploitation, chaired LSCB sub committee and social services lead in specific joint investigation with police.

• Development of MASH within Waltham Forest, appointed project manager, agreed and planned for police to co-locate with referral team, implanted improved links with early intervention services, chaired implementation project group , in discussion with IT regarding new it systems, representative at London stakeholder group responsible for overseeing developments across London.

• Work with 3 other London boroughs to develop four borough EDT service, represented local authority on strategic board , provided reports and updates to AD and others,

• Lead in developing a response to increased in numbers of intentional homeless and those NRPF requiring housing. Close working relationship with housing to develop agreed protocols and shared assessment process , links with London wide group with links to home office. Update reports to scrutiny board and agreed strategy with members.

• Introduction of single assessment process and increased focus on performance management , with focus not just on timescales but improved outcomes and effective interventions. Improved performance across teams as to workflow from contact through to closure or transfer.

• Lead senior manager in supporting the implementation of significant upgrade on ICS system, worked with software developer to agree templates and process, setting up training and updates and agreeing implementation process.

• Assisting in developing a recruitment and retention strategy with emphasis in reducing reliance on locums. Improved recruitment and reduction in number of locums achieved , through a rolling programme of advertising , use of website and regular interview slots , saw an increase in successful recruitment, including developing micro web site

• Financial responsibility for budget of approx. £3 million• Leading change and development of safeguarding teams, consulting through a

restructuring and initiating a single assessment process.• Senior management lead in ICS and frameworki, overseeing on-going

developments and upgrades• Managed significant backlog of assessments with children with disability team,

review of thresholds and improved links with partners and early intervention services.

• Ensured improved responses to looked after children, with a focus on the voice of the child and their journey within the care system, Improving early decision making and receiving children into care, with better transitions to looked after teams.

Welcome Foster Care: Independent Fostering Agency.

Independent chair of fostering panel 2010 to Jan 2016

Chair since opening of agency, developed panel and regular appraisal of other panel members. Assisted organisation at start of business to develop effective assessments of foster carers, appropriate and effective relationship with panel, supported OFSTED inspection resulting in good outcome.

Buckinghamshire county Council, Children Services, Safeguarding.

Sept 2007 to February 2013 : Operations Manager/Head of Referral ,Assessment and Protection (North) :

Responsible for managing 5 front line teams comprising over 50 social workers and social work assistants. Teams provide a range of services including referral and assessment, child in need, child protection and court work. Also responsible for a family centre providing services to families in need. Responsible for budget of £2m

Achievements in post.

• Managed the reorganisation into referral and assessment teams and Children in care teams. Including managing staff changes and preferences, identifying and managing case transfers, setting up new protocols and arrangements. Informing partners of changes.

• Later further redesign of service following Monroe review, specifically referral and assessment into ‘First Response Team’, this including developing new protocols and workflows, communications strategy and team development. Also developing single assessment teams, responsible for competing assessments and working with children and families unless becoming looked after.

• Through developing a more performance management culture , improved performance on timescales for initial and core assessments. Improved performance on repeat referrals and child protection plans

• Chaired recruitment and retention working group, helped develop more consistent approach to advertising , setting up and running of recruitment open days, saw a reduction from over 50% locums to only 6 locums when resigned.

• Help develop service for adolescents at the cusp of care, • Responsible for managing a budget of nearly £2m, inherited an overspend of

several hundred thousands which became an underspend in last two years of employment.

• Managed the service through 3 OFSTED inspections, including 2 unannounced focused on my service area. Saw Buckinghamshire move from adequate to good during this period and also becoming a 3 star authority. This was achieved by developing a culture of continuous improvement, embedding good practice with a focus on outcomes, and ensuring all staff were committed to a performance management culture

• Assisted in the design of a county wide court assessment service, with the objective of reducing reliance on the use of external experts

• Developed an effective inter agency approach to managing and monitoring missing children, thorough setting up monthly multi agency panel responsible for reviewing high profile cases, and ensuring protocols and procedures adhered to. Responsible to local safeguarding board , through regular reports.

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Responsibilities:

• Managed up to 7 direct reports and over 50 social work staff• Managed the LADO and oversight of investigations into other professionals• Chaired LPM.s and responsible for decisions on whether to initiate proceedings

and to accommodate children.• Responsible for managing , forecasting and reporting of budget.• Involved and managed several restructures of services within Buckinghamshire• Member of several sub groups and working parties for LSCB• Part of the senior management team responsible for overall development and

oversight of children services• Domestic violence lead , member of working party to review strategy.• Helped develop inter agency protocol for working with parents with mental health

problems• Assisted in annual review and conversation of children’s centres• Ensure complaints were dealt with appropriately and in a timely manner.

London Borough of Redbridge, Childrens Trust

April 2003 to Sept 2007; Manager Child Protection Enquiry Team

Main duties and responsibilities: management of a multi disciplinary team comprising health, education and social work staff responsible for child protection enquiries, working with children subject to CP plans , initiating public law applications. Also supervision and performance management and reviews of staff. Staff recruitment, financial and budgetary responsibilities, business planning, service development,

Achievements and responsibilities;• Helped develop, implement and run multi disciplinary child protection enquiry

team, with responsibility for overseeing all child protection investigations• Services LADO responsible for overseeing all enquiries on professionals ,

including chairing all meetings and working across agencies.• Responsible for providing reports and analysis of new CP teams progress and

outcomes• Member of LSCB, chair of LSCB training executive; responsible for developing ,

implementing and monitoring multi disciplinary training plan service development, collection and reviewing performance indicators, member of local MAPPA ,liaison with partner agencies.

March 1999 to April 2003 Manager Child Care Team Manager

Management of a team of social workers responsible for the provision of services to children under 11 and their families, including children in need , children looked after and child protection. With other managers and service manager development of the service. Annual business plan , performance management, and financial management of team budget

London Borough of Barking and Dagenham:

November 1997 to March 1999 senior practitioner.

Responsible for caseload of children and families, comprising children in need, children looked after and children on the child protection register. Undertaking assessments and child protection enquiries, developing plans including direct work with children, preparation for adoption through life story work and ensuring voice of the child present. Preparation of reports including for court and child protection conferences , to represent local authority and give evidence in court proceedings. Member fostering and adoption panel.

Children Board, States of Guernsey

Manager adolescent support services September 1994 to November 1997.

Management of a team responsible for providing support services to adolescents and their families including young offenders, Development of a youth offending policy and service and overseeing its implementation. Management of two bedded secure unit. Member of management development group. Liaison with key agencies. Out of hours manager.

London Borough of Enfield.

September 1988 to September 1994; intermediate treatment Officer.

Caseload of young offenders, preparation of court reports, alternative to custody programmes, bail support and cautioning. Significant role in the development of bails support programme, cautioning policy , set up and managed motor project.

Miskin Project ( South Wales welsh office funded project).

September 1985 to July 1988 project worker

Help set up and develop project focussed on young offenders, specifically alternative to custody programmes and bail support programme. Responsible for the projects monitoring and research, presented work of project at variety of conferences, workshops and presentations

Cambridgeshire County Council

April 1984 to September 1985 Intermediate treatment officer , Peterborough

Preparation of court reports, implementation of alternative to custody programmes, direct work with offenders nad their families. Development of motor project with the involvement of the voluntary and private sector.

Hertfordshire County Council

April 1980 to June 1983 residential social worker (Crouchfield CHE , Secure Unit)

As part of a team of team provide day to day care and support to a group of young people, key worker to individual young people, group work and working alongside art and drama therapist.