Building for Bridgend County Borough’s future

Welcome

Welcome to Bridgend County Borough Council. Thank you for your interest in what is one of the most important leadership roles within our organisation. We are seeking an exceptional individual to become our next Head of Children and Family Services, a role that offers a unique opportunity to make a lasting difference to the lives of children, young people and families across the county borough.

Bridgend County Borough covers around 100 square miles and is home to more than 145,000 residents. Located between Cardiff and Swansea, with excellent transport connections, a stunning coastline, vibrant communities and a proud industrial heritage, Bridgend is an ambitious place with significant opportunities ahead. Major regeneration programmes are transforming key locations across the county borough, helping to create a prosperous future for residents, businesses and visitors alike.

At the heart of our ambitions is a commitment to ensuring that every child has the best possible start in life, is safe from harm and is supported to achieve their full potential. Our approach is built on early intervention, prevention, strengths based practice and working alongside families to build resilience and achieve positive, lasting outcomes.

We are proud of the progress made within our Children’s Services. Our commitment to children, young people and families has been recognised by Care Inspectorate Wales, which noted that Bridgend’s leaders have consistently prioritised children’s services, supporting sustained and timely improvements and significantly strengthening the quality and delivery of social services functions. We are now looking for a leader who can build on these strong foundations and help shape the next chapter of our journey.

As our new Head of Children and Family Services, you will be a key member of the Council’s leadership team. Working closely with colleagues across the Council and with partners in education, health, policing, the third sector and regional and national organisations, you will provide strategic leadership across children’s social care and family support services. You will lead the delivery of our priorities, driving continuous improvement in safeguarding, prevention and early intervention, care planning, performance and outcomes for children and families.

This is a role for an experienced and values driven leader who can lead and inspire a diverse workforce and across multi-agency partnerships, sustain quality of practice and create the system conditions for high performing teams. You will be responsible for fostering a culture of continuous learning, improvement and innovation while ensuring that children and families remain at the centre of decision making. You will work across organisational boundaries, strengthening partnerships and supporting a whole system approach to improving outcomes for children, young people and families.

You will join an organisation with a talented and committed workforce, supportive elected members, strong partnerships and a clear determination to improve outcomes and life chances for children and young people. We are looking for a qualified social work professional with a thorough understanding of the legislative, policy and practice landscape affecting children’s services and a clear vision for how early help, prevention, family support, strength based practice and outcome focussed services can work together to deliver the best possible outcomes.

We want to hear from leaders who have successfully driven sustainable improvement in child and family services, strengthened family and community networks, reduced the need for statutory intervention wherever possible, improved the experiences of children in care and care leavers, and delivered measurable improvements in outcomes. Through your strategic leadership, passion and compassion you will play a pivotal role in ensuring that every child and young person in Bridgend has the opportunity to thrive.

Within this site, you will find further information about Bridgend County Borough Council and details about this important leadership opportunity, Head of Children and Family Services.

We have high ambitions for our children, young people, families and communities. If you share our values, have the leadership experience to inspire others and are passionate about improving lives, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Best wishes,