I have been working as a senior manager in children’s services for several years and never see children any more. How can I change this to ensure my work is still driven by the needs of our service users?
This is always a dilemma for managers, especially those who have begun their career on the front line. Sometimes it can seem that the higher up the ladder you go, the more your focus is diverted to funding and internal processes rather than the children themselves.
However, this is where being a good manager comes into play. You are in a fantastic position to make sure those who are doing the direct work have the best quality supervision, support and resources.
Without that robust management structure and function, organisations can falter and become ineffective and vital issues such as safeguarding can be inadvertently marginalised. Your staff teams should be making sure all their work is needs-led and there are many ways of making this happen, from one-to-one feedback and evaluation, to group consultation activities.
Participating in consultation sessions may be a great way to hear first hand what children think of the service you provide.
Answered by Jeanie Lynch, who works for Barnardo’s and has 25 years’ experience of working with vulnerable children and families
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