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#3 Leading, managing and developing people
Middle managers in social services are responsible for leading, managing and developing workers as well as role-modelling participatory leadership across the organisation. In addition to their direct supervisory responsibilities, they indirectly influence how other staff are managed and supervised. This in turn impacts on how practitioners and support staff interact with people using services, families and carers.
To earn this Open Badge, you should use the resources on our Step into Leadership website to help you meet the criteria below. You may also wish to reflect on other leadership learning you have undertaken that contributes to you meeting the criteria e.g. a formal leadership programme you have undertaken or leadership learning that has been delivered by your organisation.
Provide evidence that you are able to:
- demonstrate an inclusive, enabling and participatory leadership approach with individuals and teams working within your organisation
- take lead responsibility for reviewing, overseeing and participating in the safe selection and recruitment of workers
- initiate, develop and implement systems, procedures and practices to support staff engagement, development and retention
- initiate, develop and implement systems, procedures and practices that ensure health and safety at work
- role-model and promote a culture which values staff health and wellbeing and supports work-life balance
- provide reflective supervision which includes both challenge and support and is responsive to workers’ diverse learning needs and professional experience
- actively support and encourage learning and development for individual staff and teams including the provision of coaching and mentoring support
- identify and address any concerns with the quality of staff performance at individual, team or service level
- be prepared to challenge and address any breach of professional values, ethics and/or codes of practice including seeking support or specialist advice when required
- monitor, oversee and support workforce development in order to continuously improve the quality of support for people who use services, families and carers
- promote and contribute to a learning culture across the organisation.
You should already hold the Leadership Capability Feedback badge.
Please provide a written statement or link to an audio or video recording showing how what you’ve learned from the resources has contributed to your professional development and informed your practice. There’s no limit to the number of words you can use in your statement although we would suggest 500-1000 words will allow you to reflect your learning effectively. Keep the criteria above in mind when preparing your statement. You can provide your statement on the badge application form or provide a link to your own blog or e-portfolio.
If you want to use a blog or ePortfolio entry as evidence, you might find our guide to preparing and publishing your evidence useful.
Remember, the evidence you provide will be viewable by anyone you show your badge to. Please don’t include confidential or private information within your statement.
Badge issuer
Scottish Social Services Council
Promoting high standards, raising public confidence and developing a trained and trusted social service workforce in Scotland.
Submit your application
The SSSC Open Badge system relies on trust. We trust that the evidence you provide will be of your own work and based on your own skills and knowledge. By submitting an application you agree to the following statement: "In studying and completing the activities for this badge, I confirm that all the work provided as evidence will be my own." The SSSC will revoke a badge if the evidence provided is discovered to have been the work of someone else.Your evidence, name, and email address will be sent to the organisation who issue this badge