Managing Children's Homes: Developing Effective Leadership in Small Organisations (Costs & Effectiveness of Services Children in Need)

Managing Children's Homes focuses on leadership, effective management, the allocation of resources, and ensuring positive outcomes for young people in residential care. The book develops an interdisciplinary understanding of what needs to be taken into account when establishing and maintaining good practice on behalf of young people living in children's homes. The authors explain the considerable variation in quality achieved by children's homes and how this relates to management style, working environment and staff structures. The skills and qualities that make effective managers of homes are. Read more... Content: Introduction and background -- Who lives and works in children's homes? -- Creating, maintaining and influencing a staff team -- Shaping and maintaining the role of manager within the context of the wider organisation -- Shaping work with young people -- What does leadership look like in children's homes? -- What resources are used, how much do these cost, and how are costs linked to outcomes? -- What makes a difference to outcomes for young people? -- Conclusions and implications -- Appendix : research methdology -- Appendix : sample models. Abstract: Managing Children's Homes focuses on leadership, effective management, the allocation of resources, and ensuring positive outcomes for young people in residential care. The book develops an interdisciplinary understanding of what needs to be taken into account when establishing and maintaining good practice on behalf of young people living in children's homes. The authors explain the considerable variation in quality achieved by children's homes and how this relates to management style, working environment and staff structures. The skills and qualities that make effective managers of homes are Managing Children's Homes' focuses on leadership, the role of managers, how resources are used in children's homes, and how this impacts on outcomes for children in care. The authors document the variation in success across different children's homes achieve and assess the influence of leadership and management style, the environment in which they work, the impact of staff support, and role of a clear management philosophy. They explore the qualities and strategies that make effective home managers and how success relates to the provision of resources. Based on innovative, DfES-funded, interdisciplinary research, this book will be essential reading for staff, managers and working in children's care homes and directors of social services responsible for allocating resources. It will also be of interest to students, policy-makers and researchers of social policy and social work. Resources for social care for children are scarce, and it is essential that they are used efficiently and to best effect. This important series draws on an extensive government-funded initiative into the costs and effects of services for children in difficulty. Titles in the series are essential reading for practitioners, policy makers and academics working in social care for children. Managing Children's Homes focuses on leadership, effective management, the allocation of resources, and ensuring positive outcomes for young people in residential care. The book develops an interdisciplinary understanding of what needs to be taken into account when establishing and maintaining good practice on behalf of young people living in children's homes. The authors explain the considerable variation in quality achieved by children's homes and how this relates to management style, working environment and staff structures. The skills and qualities that make effective managers of homes are explored. These, along with factors such as the provision of resources, are investigated to demonstrate how to attain a successful children's home environment and longer-term achievement for looked-after children. Based on innovative, DfES-funded, interdisciplinary research, this book will be essential reading for staff and managers in children's care homes and will also be of interest to students, policy-makers and directors of social services. Managing children's homes : introduction and background Who lives and works in children's homes? Creating, maintaining, and influencing a staff team Shaping and maintaining the role of manager within the context of the wider organisation Shaping and maintaining work in relation to the needs of young people What does leadership look like in children's homes? What resources are used, how much do these cost, and how are costs linked to outcomes? What makes a difference to outcomes for young people? What influences the way children's homes are managed? Conclusions and implications Appendix: Some sample models. "This book provides an interdisciplinary explanation of how to establish and maintain good practice and ensure positive outcomes for young people living in children's homes. The authors explain the considerable variation in quality achieved by children's homes and how this relates to leadership and management style, working environment and staff structures."--BOOK JACKET