Job Introduction
A brilliant opportunity for someone with an in-depth knowledge and understanding of children and young people’s mental health systems and the ability to lead transformation across multiple organisations to join our Children’s Social Care Service.
As Partnership Lead for Children and Young People’s Mental Health Services, you’ll lead system change to improve access to children and young people’s emotional and mental wellbeing support in the city.
Children and Young People’s Mental Health (CYPMH) is one of five key priorities for health and care partners in Milton Keynes. We want to reduce fragmentation in the system and make it easier to access the right support at the right time, reduce unnecessary waiting times and prevent needs escalating. The CYPMH Steering Group has identified that a dedicated Partnership Lead is needed to achieve the ambitious transformation.
You’ll report to the Assistant Director of Children’s Social Care and will work closely with senior leaders through the CYPMH Steering Group, including City Council colleagues (Children’s Services, Public Health), the Bedfordshire Luton and Milton Keynes Integrated Care Board, Central North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL, mental health provider) and the Community and Voluntary Sector.
This is a full time (37 hours), fixed term role for 18 months. A Basic DBS check will be required. We are happy to consider applications for job share or reduced hours. Interviews will take place on 30 September.
Main Responsibility
- As the Partnership Lead for CYPMH, the post holder will be responsible for implementing system change, implementing the THRIVE Framework (Wolpert et al., 2019) using the i-THRIVE Approach. This will include ensuring that young people are able to access the right kind of support at the right time, addressing inequalities in access, and that partners know where to go for information and support.
- Responsible for working with partners to develop and implement a Single Point of Access for CYP emotional and mental health.
- Responsible for implementing robust and safe pathways into and from the Single Point of Access and establishing how this links with other multi-agency forums such as the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub. The system will need to be flexible to the needs of young people with complex conditions and provide more creative relational approaches that make sense to the family, rather than be based on set pathways and procedures.
- Ensure that resources are applied efficiently, achieving best value for money, and avoiding duplication or under-utilised capacity in services.
- The post holder will not have any direct line management responsibilities but will work with partners and resource across organisations to deliver this system change.
The Ideal Candidate
- The postholder will be a senior member of the CYPMH Steering Group, with extensive knowledge of Milton Keynes CYP Health and Care services, or other relevant health and care systems.
- Educated to degree level, the ideal candidate will have expert knowledge of mental health services and pathways.
- Demonstrate the ability to lead transformation, challenge the way we currently do things, and bring others along with the change process to achieve positive change for young people.
- A strategic thinker, with the ability to influence in areas experiencing significant challenge.
Should you be offered the role, as part of the pre-employment checks an Enhanced DBS will be actioned for you (unless you are on the DBS Update Service).
Package Description
In addition to your salary, we offer a range of benefits including:
- Great holiday benefits - most roles include 28 days annual leave every year on top of public (bank) holidays, increasing to 32 days after five years. In addition, there is a holiday purchase scheme allowing staff to purchase up to 5 additional days of leave each year.
- Excellent pension – everyone who works for us can join the national Local Government Pension Scheme, widely regarded as one of the best available.
- A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced maternity, adoption and paternity support and a childcare subsidy.
- Access to an award-winning employee benefits programme that includes a health cash plan, a low-cost bike purchase scheme as well as high street discounts and money off entertainment and travel.
- Blue Light Card - employees working within social care can qualify for an additional range of discounts from national retailers and local businesses.
Our roles are either designated ‘site based’ or ‘home based’. ‘Site based’ roles can include up to two days a week working from home whilst ‘home based’ roles are based at home four days a week. Of course, managers designate which category roles are in based on the needs of the service and the circumstances.
About The Organisation
Milton Keynes City Council is a large, modern and financially stable employer with around 2,500 people working across our eight areas. Together we provide local residents and businesses with a wide range of important round-the-clock services and aim to make our city a better place to live.
We work hard because of the demands placed on us, like protecting children from harm or preventing homelessness. However, working for the city is always rewarding and everyone has the opportunity to make a real difference.
We’re very proud of our diversity and are committed to having a workforce that reflects the community we serve. Whatever your background, you will be welcome here if you share our values of being dedicated, respectful and collaborative.
We offer great training and support and because of the size and scale of the organisation there are always new opportunities to explore when it’s time for a new role.
If you’d like to know more about how we do things and what matters to us, take a look at our short booklet What makes us Milton Keynes City Council.
