Overview

Children's Broker - Social and Healthcare Non-Qualified - Stoke on Trent City Council - ST4 1RN

3 - 6 Months Contract

37 Hours Per Week

Hybrid - 1 day in office

We are looking for Children's Broker based at : ST4 1RN

Key Accountabilities

• To provide an effective and efficient personalised commissioning (care brokerage) service for all users of the service (children looked after and vulnerable or elderly adults) in the sourcing and securing placements and care packages.
• Care brokers will be managed in small teams with a focus on either children or adults, although there is an expectation that postholders will be knowledgeable and flexible to work across both cohorts.
• To gather information from operational teams (children's and adults) in respect of the needs of children / adults who require a placement / care package.
• To speak to social care staff, residents, and families, as necessary, to understand fully care needs to be sourced and to help the professional or individual to articulate the need in terms that can be used to source an appropriate care package/placement.
• To maximise use of in-house provisions then to utilise frameworks, where these are available, to source placements and care packages from.
• To query the proposed care provision where the Care Broker believes there is an alternative source of care that can meet the individual's assessed needs.
• To thoroughly understand the local and national care market and options available to ensure sourcing of care has a focus on best value for money and the use of the public pound.
• To negotiate and challenge providers to achieve the best priced placement should the placement need to be made off framework that can meet the child/adult's assessed needs escalating to the Senior Care Broker should the provider not wish to negotiate.
• To understand the types of care provision that is available to meet the needs of individuals within Stoke-on-Trent and further afield ensuring, where this is possible and appropriate, that the individual is placed as close to their home, family, and friendship group as possible.
• To provide support and information to operational teams on possible alternative sources of care/service in line with council vision and priorities.
• To gather information from providers on the availability of residential/fostering/supported accommodation for children and domiciliary care/extra care / residential and nursing home for adults.
• To analyse and information gather coherently and efficiently to enable recommendations for placement options to be made as appropriate.
• To support the Senior Care Brokers (children and adults) to maintain databases of providers and Vacancies.
• To gather information for Senior Care Brokers, contract monitoring, and quality assurance staff to monitor performance of providers.
• To collate statistical information to assist in quality assurance of providers.
• To negotiate with providers where appropriate to secure efficiencies and ensure the council resources are used only to pay for services received.
• To accurately complete and maintain individual placement agreements outlining the service/outcomes to be purchased from service providers.
• To ensure care records of children and adults accurately reflect up to date placement / care package information.
• To ensure any other systems e.g. finance accurately reflect placement / care package details.
• To develop and maintain good working relationships with all users of the service e.g. providers, operational staff, and service users.
• To operate in an open manner and ensure that managers are kept informed of key issues.
• To assist in promoting a culture of equality of opportunity, achievement, responsibility and personal growth.
• To provide high quality customer service in line with service standards.
• To assist with the development of the personalised commissioning service.
• To ensure processes and policies are implemented and maintained in accordance with the needs of the service.
• To be able to work flexibly outside core hours as and when required.
• To attend meetings with professionals as and when required.
• Be able to quality assure referral paperwork, ensuring the best possible placements can be identified.

Requirements

• Excellent knowledge and awareness of social care services for children and / or adults.
• To be educated to level 3 qualification/equivalent.
• Understanding of commissioning and contracting approaches.
• To know what good value for money is for a placement for children and / or adults and to know when to challenge a price.
• To have a thorough knowledge of the care market for children and/or adults.
• Good level of awareness of Children\'s and Adult Social Care Services and legislation.
• Experience of using financial and performance systems and tools.
• Experience of using a PC and Microsoft suite including databases and case management systems. Understand LAS and LCS, as appropriate, or be prepared to train and become proficient in the use of Liquid Logic.
• Experience of successfully engaging with others and building positive relationships with others.
• Experience of working to deadlines in a high pressurised environment.
• Experience of analysing and summarising complex information.
• Ability to update individual placement agreements accurately.