Southend City Council | Permanent | Full Time
Salary: £53,460 – £58,959 + retention incentives
🌟 About the Role
Southend City Council is looking for an experienced Team Manager to lead their Fostering, Kinship & Recruitment Team, a crucial service ensuring that children in care are matched with safe, nurturing placements.
This leadership role offers the opportunity to shape and deliver high-quality fostering services, supporting both children and carers while managing a dedicated team of social workers. Responsibilities include:
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Managing and developing a team of social workers, fostering officers, and kinship staff
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Overseeing recruitment, assessment, and approval of foster carers and connected persons
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Ensuring high standards of safeguarding, compliance, and quality in all fostering and kinship work
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Supporting carers and children through assessments, training, and ongoing guidance
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Providing leadership on permanency planning, placement stability, and court work as required
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Implementing best practice, promoting equality, diversity, and inclusive approaches across the service
This role is perfect for a social work leader looking to make a real difference in the lives of children in care, while working in a supportive and progressive environment.
👤 About You
The ideal candidate will have:
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Qualified Social Worker with registration with Social Work England
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Proven leadership experience managing fostering, kinship, or children’s services teams
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Strong knowledge of statutory social work practice, safeguarding, and family law
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Experience in recruitment, assessment, and approval of foster carers
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Excellent communication, negotiation, and report-writing skills
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Commitment to relationship-based practice and positive outcomes for children
🎁 Benefits
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Retention incentives (as per Southend City Council policies)
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Generous annual leave and hybrid working options
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Supportive professional development and supervision
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Access to Southend City Council’s full benefits package including pension, wellbeing, and flexible working initiatives
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Opportunity to lead and innovate within a high-profile service
📩 Apply Now
If you are a dedicated social work leader with a passion for fostering, kinship, and recruitment, we want to hear from you. Join Southend City Council and help shape a future where every child in care has the opportunity to thrive
