Case Study #1

Brian Emmerson Age: 45 Current Job Title & Workplace: Children’s Service Manager – Barnardo’s Shield Fostering Service

Brief description of duties:
I manage a fostering service for Barnardo’s which covers the West of Scotland. I am responsible for seven members of staff and 18 foster caring families providing placements for 34 young people.

Have you always worked in Social Services?
No, previously I was a chef. I decided I wanted to work with young people and had always seen this as my ideal career but had not followed this career path till I had ‘grown up a bit’

Career Route:
1985 – I started as a residential worker in a girls’ assessment unit in the London Borough of Hillingdon and remained there till 1988 when my family and I moved back to Scotland. I joined Barnardo’s on my return in 1988 as a senior residential worker in a residential List D school. The school closed in 1990 and I was seconded by Barnardo’s on to the social work course at Jordanhill College. I successfully achieved my Certificate of Qualification in Social Work in 1992 and returned to work at Barnardo’s as a project worker in the Faith and Community project, this lasted for four months following which I became the Deputy Project Manager at Barnardo’s Glasgow 16+ a leaving care service. During my time in this service I achieved a counselling qualification, became a workplace assessor (D32/33) for SVQs and a Masters degree in Management at Stirling University. In 2000 I applied for and was successful in getting the post of Children's Service Manager - my current post.

The job is never the same from day to day. I can never guess what I am going to walk into and have to be ready to face whatever comes through the door. As a manager of a fostering service there are a number of external challenges that include the service being inspected and the relationships we build and maintain with the Local Authorities that place children with us. The issue of managing staff is also a challenge, in how I ensure the foster carers receive the support they need and therefore provide high quality placements to the young people, and the staff teams’ needs are also met. The learning that is available is first class and coupled with the requirement for people to have recognised qualifications who are working with young people is a really good opportunity for people to further develop their skills and experience.

How do you see your career progressing?
I am currently happy with the level that I am operating at and do not see me progressing any further up the management ladder.

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