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Management tasks and skills

Among the things that managers do are:

building and developing their team
developing a network of contacts
consulting with other decision-makers
listening to people’s complaints and issues
sorting out problems
making decisions
writing letters and reports
representing their team/organisation
ensuring that objectives are met
contributing to the organisation’s planning processes

Supervision, Mentoring and Coaching
Even though you may be an experienced worker, you may receive induction when you first start a job at manager level especially if you are part of a large organisation with several managers, managed by a more senior management team. This will enable you to learn about:

your workplace and organisation
the tasks and skills of your job
specific knowledge and skills about the service you are employed in

You should also have supervision, mentoring and / or coaching from someone more experienced than you are and opportunities for on-going development. There should be opportunities to gain the qualifications for registration with SSSC (Scottish Social Services Council) if registration is required for your post. You should take some responsibility for your own learning and development.

Click here to view SSSC’s Induction Guidance

Click here to find out more about SSSC’s registration requirements

Click here for information about supervision, mentoring and coaching

Guy Brewer
(Assistant Head of Service, Sycamore Services, Aberlour Child Care Trust)

I manage 2 residential units within the Sycamore Services for young people aged 11 – 18.

What is your current job role?

A typical day for me might start with phone calls to the services I manage to see how things are. Working with young people can be unpredictable – we do a very difficult and complex job looking after young people, many of whom have failed in other settings. I also liaise closely with the other Assistant Head of Service and Head of Service to make sure we are all up to date with developments across all of the services.

An increasingly important part of my work concerns quality: I may visit a service and do some informal checking of paperwork or observe what is going on in the unit.

Effective staff support is crucial to achieving good outcomes for young people, so I also make a point of being in the units regularly to provide support to workers who may have a difficult shift. It’s easy to get swamped by the behaviours and emotions, and they need to know that they are doing a good job and that they are supported.

What qualifications did you have when you applied for your post?

When I took up this post I had an HNC in Social Care, an SVQ 3 Promoting Independence, and the Diploma in Social Work. I was supported by my employer to do these qualifications through a mixture of day release, distance learning and work based learning.

Have you done any qualifications or since taking up your current post?

Since taking up this post I have completed the Registered Managers Award and the Dundee University Graduate Certificate in Child Protection.

How did you get to where you are now?

My career in residential child care came about through a social contact. Somebody recognised that I had qualities suited to working with young people, and suggested I think about it. I was fortunate enough to be given the opportunity to try it out. I wasn’t looking for this type of work, but after experiencing it I decided to make a commitment to residential child care. In the 20 years I have been with Sycamore Services, I have been able to progress from residential child care worker through senior posts to my current position as Assistant Head of Service.

What are your future plans and goals, and what is involved in attaining them?

I’m happy with my job and I don’t have any plans to move into other areas. I would like to continue with Sycamore Services; it is an innovative and dynamic place to work, with an enthusiastic staff team who are all committed to continuing to raise the standards of provision for residential child care. There are also many exciting developments in residential child care practice that interest me.

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Where next?

Once you have reached a position as manager you may wish to remain at this level or pursue your career in the direction of gaining further management qualifications (e.g. Masters or Post-graduate Diploma courses in Social Services Management and/or Leadership), gaining promotion to a senior management position, gaining a project management qualification or gaining professional qualifications. Although this website does not provide detailed information beyond the level of Manager you may find it useful to consult the following websites:

Click here for the Learning Networks website which provides information and support in relation to development and qualifications.

Click here for more information about project management.

Click here for information about becoming a social worker, occupational therapist or other professional.

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