Head of Service - Children's Community Health (Part time)

Ipswich, United Kingdom | Posted on 16/10/2026

Job Description

Head of Service - Children's Community Health (Part-Time) - 12 Month Contract

Local Authority | 12 Month Contract

Location: Endeavour House, Suffolk County

Contract: 12 Month Contract

Working Pattern: 3 Days Office-Based | Travel Required

Driving Licence: Required (DVLA Check Required)

DBS: Enhanced DBS Required

Interview Process: Face-to-Face Interview Preferred

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Summary

We are looking for an experienced leader to fill the role of Head of Service - Children's Community Health . This position is crucial for providing both strategic and operational direction within Suffolk County's Children's Community Health Services. The role is responsible for the safe, effective, and high-quality delivery of services such as Health Visiting, School Nursing, Family Nurse Partnership (FNP), and the Healthy Child Programme (0-19). Key responsibilities include leading initiatives in safeguarding, quality assurance, governance, workforce development, and service performance to achieve outstanding outcomes for children, young people, and families. As the CQC Registered Manager , you will play a vital role in driving service improvements and ensuring excellence in children's community health services.

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Responsibilities

- Provide strategic and operational leadership for Children's Community Health Services.

- Manage the Healthy Child Programme (0-19) to fulfill commissioned and statutory objectives.

- Take full responsibility for safeguarding, statutory compliance, and organizational assurance.

- Act as the senior safeguarding lead, offering expert guidance and oversight.

- Oversee safeguarding governance, supervision, policy development, audit programs, and quality assurance frameworks.

- Incorporate learning from inspections, safeguarding reviews, complaints, and serious incidents into practice.

- Supervise clinical quality, patient safety, risk management, and governance.





- Ensure inspection readiness as the CQC Registered Manager.

- Lead service transformation, redesign, and innovation initiatives.

- Improve performance against safeguarding, operational, and public health metrics.

- Lead, supervise, and develop multidisciplinary teams.

- Oversee services for vulnerable children and young people, including those in care or under child protection plans.

- Manage complex budgets, resources, and financial performance.

- Build effective partnerships across health, education, local authority, safeguarding, and voluntary sectors.

- Represent the organization at safeguarding partnerships, commissioning boards, strategic forums, and inspections.

- Prepare and present reports, assurance papers, and recommendations to senior leaders, commissioners, and stakeholders.

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As the senior safeguarding lead, you will:

- Direct safeguarding policy, practice, and service development.

- Ensure robust safeguarding supervision arrangements.

- Lead organizational responses to serious incidents and safeguarding reviews.

- Foster a strong culture of safeguarding and professional accountability.

- Deliver and manage safeguarding training and workforce development programs.

- Maintain strong relationships with safeguarding partnerships and multi-agency networks.

- Ensure compliance with all relevant safeguarding legislation, guidance, and regulatory requirements.

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Requirements

Requirements:

- Registered Health Professional (e.g., Nurse or SCPHN) with current professional registration.

- Extensive senior leadership experience in Children's Services, Community Health, Public Health, or Integrated Care Services.





- Comprehensive safeguarding leadership experience, including multi-agency safeguarding arrangements.

- Strong understanding of the Healthy Child Programme and 0-19 service delivery.

- Experience in leading quality, governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance functions.

- Proven track record in managing large multidisciplinary teams.

- Successful history of leading service transformation and continuous improvement programs.

- Experience in managing complex budgets and achieving financial targets.

- Excellent communication, influencing, and stakeholder management skills.

- Ability to translate strategic priorities into effective operational delivery.

- Full UK Driving Licence and ability to travel across the county.

- Ability to meet Enhanced DBS requirements.

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- Postgraduate qualification in Leadership, Public Health, Health Management, or a related field.

- Previous experience as a CQC Registered Manager.

- Experience working across Integrated Care Systems, Local Authorities, and Safeguarding Partnerships.

- Experience leading services through CQC inspections.

- Advanced safeguarding qualification or safeguarding leadership training.

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What's on Offer?

- 12 Month Contract

- Bi-Weekly Pay

- 3 Days Per Week Office-Based at Endeavour House

- Senior Strategic Leadership Position

- CQC Registered Manager Opportunity

- Enhanced DBS Required

- Opportunity to lead Health Visiting, School Nursing, Family Nurse Partnership, and 0-19 Services

- Significant Service Transformation and Improvement Portfolio

- Potential Contract Extension

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This role is ideal for candidates with experience as a Head of Service, Head of Children's Services, Children's Community Health Manager, Public Health Manager, 0-19 Service Manager, Health Visiting Manager, School Nursing Manager, Safeguarding Lead, Children's Services Operational Manager, or Community Health Services Manager.

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📌 Head of Service - Children's Community Health (Part-Time) (City of Ipswich)
🏢 Civic Recruitment
📍 City of Ipswich