Today, 12 children and young people will be diagnosed with cancer. We’ll stop at nothing to make sure they get the right care and support at the right time.  
     £46,762 FTE (outside of London); £49,852 FTE (London), pro-rata for part time hours
     28 hours 
     Permanent Home-based
     Closing date : 6th October 2024
     Interview date: 17th October 2024

Change lives in a life-changing career 
When a child or young person is diagnosed with cancer, their whole world can feel like it’s falling apart. Independence is taken and confidence is stolen. Stability no longer exists. The future suddenly feels uncertain. 



The impact of cancer on young lives is more than medical. That’s why we exist. Our specialist social workers help children and young people with cancer and their families navigate the emotional and practical impact of cancer. We remove barriers, solve problems and prioritise wellbeing. And we stop at nothing to make sure they get the right care and support at the right time.



We challenge the systems and policies that surround children and young people, we highlight gaps and campaign for change. Because we know what a better future could look like. And we know what we need to do to make that future a reality. We need to push harder, reach further and work smarter. And we need the right people on our team to help us get there. People like you.

About the role
We’re looking for a Reflective Practice Manager with social care experience to join our Services & Impact team.

We are looking to continue our commitment to the support offered to our experienced, social care workforce as they provide high quality support to children, young people and their families, in the most difficult of circumstances. This is a relatively new post and reflects our on-going commitment to psychological and trauma informed approaches, as well as staff well-being and development.

A key focus of the role will be to continue to provide reflective practice sessions to staff in a variety of formats, offering a safe space for listening and guided reflection so that they can develop their awareness, practice and self-care. You will ensure staff are supported in their day-to-day work to process the impact of working with children, young people and their families. In addition you will be at the forefront of promoting understanding across the service of trauma informed practice. 

If this sounds appealing you, you are excited by our cause and can see the positive impact you could have, then we want to hear from you!

This role is subject to a criminal record check. In the event of a successful application a basic / standard / enhanced criminal record check will be completed. This role is also subject to a Social Worker Registration. 

What will I be doing?

No two days are the same at Young Lives vs Cancer. So, summarising your ‘day to day’ isn’t easy. Here are some of the main things you’ll be doing, but you’ll find more details in the job description.

    •    To be accountable for summary reporting of activities to monthly regional performance management meetings and to the quarterly service review.
    •    Develop and grow strong relationships with local management teams.
    •    To work closely with team managers and senior practitioners and provide consultation with the aim to contribute to management development with a focus on reflective supervision and psychological safety in practice.
    •    To actively demonstrate a commitment to Young Lives vs Cancer values and promote DEIB in all work undertaken.
    •    To facilitate 6 weekly group reflective practice sessions for each of our 19 social work teams, creating a safe place for social workers to reflect how they use themselves in their work and to process the emotional impact of their interventions. 
    •    To be accountable for contracting, boundary setting and safe management of the reflective space so that it becomes seen as integral in helping staff and students to process the emotional and psychological impact of their roles.

What do I need? 
Diverse perspectives and unique skillsets are at the heart of Young Lives vs Cancer. If you're passionate about making a positive impact and eager to learn, we encourage you to apply, even if you don't meet the criteria and person specification fully. Your potential is what matters most to us, and we’re committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive work environment to help you develop.

If you have a BSC or equivalent social work qualification, are registered with either SWE, SSSC, SCW or NISSC  and have a minimum of 3 years management experience, please read on.

In delivering the role, you will have knowledge, experience and understanding of reflective practice supervision, theories of social care, trauma informed practice and proven experience in safeguarding children, young people and vulnerable adults. You will already be able to work effectively and professionally with social work teams. In addition, you will have strong organisational / time management skills with the ability to think systemically and work effectively across multiple teams.

You will be an experienced manager committed to supporting social care teams to deliver high quality social work support to promote the best outcomes for the children, young people and families. You will need to be resourceful and resilient. You will have a positive attitude and be willing to embrace difference. As part of the wider Young Lives vs Cancer team you will actively engage with the work of the charity and welcome opportunities to get involved.

What will I gain?
 For people to reach their full potential, they need the right environment. As a member of Team Young Lives, you’ll be made to feel supported, valued and appreciated. Here’s how we do it:
    •    Flexible working: we’re open to working hours outside of 9 - 5 and we can talk through your flexibility requirements at interview stage
    •    Wellbeing days: four days a year to do what works for you – from catching up on training to going for a walk
    •    Generous annual leave allowance
    •    Great family/caring leave entitlements
    •    Enhanced pension
    •    Access to our employee savings scheme

To find out more about our benefits package, have a look on our website: https://www.younglivesvscancer.org.uk/careers/our-benefits/  

Our commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging
At Young Lives vs Cancer, we recognise that opportunities for too many people remain a condition of their sex, ethnicity, class, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation – or a combination. This has never been acceptable to us as an organisation. We don’t just accept difference, we value it, celebrate it, nurture it and we thrive because of it.

We’re on a journey to be reflective of the diverse children, young people and families we support. We know we aren’t there yet, and we’re passionately committed to taking actions and making changes to be a truly diverse, inclusive and equitable organisation. This includes taking anti-oppressive action and removing barriers in our recruitment practices. We particularly welcome applications from members of minoritised communities. Our Diversity, Inclusion, Equity and Belonging strategy will tell you more.

We operate an anonymised shortlisting process in our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. CVs can be uploaded, but we won't be able to view them until we invite you for an interview. Instead, we ask you to fully complete the work history sections of the online application form for us to be able to assess you quickly, fairly and objectively.

Accessibility
We’re committed to providing reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and we’ll always aim to be as accommodating as possible.  Please let us know in your application form of any adjustments or access requirements we could make to help you with the application process and interview.