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An experienced and motivated Team Manager is sought to lead a specialist fostering service supporting children and young people to achieve safe, stable and positive outcomes. This is an opportunity for a qualified social work professional to provide effective leadership within a committed team, ensuring that children’s needs remain at the centre of practice and decision-making.

You will manage, support and develop a team of fostering social workers, providing regular supervision, reflective practice, case consultation and performance management. You will oversee the quality and timeliness of assessments, reviews, care planning and statutory visits, ensuring that work is completed in line with legislation, national guidance, local procedures and regulatory standards. The role will also involve monitoring children’s progress, placement stability and safeguarding arrangements, taking prompt action where risks or concerns arise.

Working collaboratively with foster carers, children, families, schools, health professionals and partner agencies, you will promote effective communication and coordinated planning. You will contribute to the recruitment, assessment, approval, support and review of foster carers, helping to ensure that placements are well matched and that carers receive appropriate guidance and challenge. You may also represent the service at meetings, panels and formal proceedings, preparing clear reports and making evidence-based recommendations.

Applicants must hold a recognised social work qualification and current registration with Social Work England. You will have substantial post-qualifying experience in children’s social care, including fostering, permanence, safeguarding or looked-after children services, together with experience of supervising or managing social work staff. Strong knowledge of relevant legislation, fostering regulations, attachment, trauma-informed practice and safeguarding procedures is essential.

You will be an organised, confident and inclusive leader with excellent communication and decision-making skills. The ability to manage competing priorities, promote high standards of practice and build constructive professional relationships is vital. A commitment to equality, diversity, participation and improving outcomes for children and young people is expected, alongside the flexibility to work across service locations and attend meetings as required.