Family Group Conference Team Manager

Surrey County Council; Horsell; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in England is seeking a Family Group Conference Team Manager to empower families in decision-making. You will be responsible for the operational delivery and strategic development of the FGC service, ensuring children's voices are heard. Ideal candidates will have a professional social work qualification and experience with children during distressful times. This role allows for hybrid working with the opportunity to make a genuine social impact.

Benefits

26 days of holiday, rising with service

Employee Assistance Programme

Training and development opportunities

Carer's leave and various types of family leave

Qualifications

• Professional social work qualification recognized by Social Work England or equivalent.
• Experience of direct work with children and families during times of distress.
• Proven experience convening Family Group Conferences in various settings.

Responsibilities

• Empower families to be at the heart of decision-making.
• Lead operational delivery and development of the FGC service.
• Manage a robust team of FGC Coordinators.

Skills

Professional social work qualification

Experience with children and families

Knowledge of safeguarding and legislation

Skills in Motivational Interviewing

Track record of improving outcomes

Ability to travel extensively

Education

CQSW or Diploma in Social Work

NVQ Level 4 or above in relevant field

Job description

• Category: Care - Children and Young People
• Contract type: Permanent
• Working hours: 36 hours per week
• Posted on: 29 July 2025
• Closing date: 17 August 2025
• Location: Victoria Gate, Chobham Road, Woking, GU21 6JD

Description

The starting salary for this permanent, full-time position is £52,047 per annum based on a 36 hour working week.

We are excited to be hiring a new Family Group Conference (FGC) Team Manager to join our fantastic Quality Practice Relationships & Support service here at Surrey County Council. The role is based at Victoria Gate in Woking but is open to hybrid working, combining both office and home working. This is a county-wide role, and will require travel throughout Surrey.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 31 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources
• Ongoing training and development opportunities
• Professional support from supportive and experienced colleagues

About the Role

This pivotal role empowers families to be at the heart of decision-making about their children. You will work alongside practitioners in Early Help and Children's Social Care to ensure the views, wishes, and feelings of children, young people, and their families are fully considered and their voices heard.

This is a highly varied role, which has genuine social impact. As our Family Group Conference Team Manager, you will be responsible for the operational delivery, strategic development, and continuous improvement of the FGC service; embedding restorative practices and aligning with national standards and Surrey's Family Safeguarding Model.

In this role you will lead FGC practice development and embed strengths-based motivational practice principles and values across social work teams and social care services, including Early Help. This will be done through collaborative working and training to ensure that children and young people's needs are being met, and vulnerable children and young people are protected from harm.

You will manage a robust and experienced team of nine FGC Coordinators who facilitate Family Group decision making for families involved with Surrey Children's Services. In all that you do, you will ensure a culture where children and families are worked with respectfully, with a recognition of their diverse experiences and backgrounds, and in a spirit of partnership that encourages families to develop their own solutions and to receive the support they need to address their complex issues. You will also have opportunities to run training sessions and practice forums.

In this role, there is a high degree of flexibility in how family-led meetings are run and tailored to family needs, so we're looking for someone with a genuine passion for empowering families in decision-making.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting, your CV and personal statement will clearly evidence:

• Professional social work qualification, CQSW or Diploma in Social Work (DipSW), or other relevant qualification recognised by the Social Work England or equivalent alternative qualifications such as NVQ Level 4 or above in relevant field such a Social Work, Teaching, Mediation, Youth Work, etc
• Experience of direct work with children and families during times of distress and conflict
• Proven experience convening FGCs in various settings
• Broad knowledge of safeguarding, children in care, and relevant legislation
• Willingness to develop skills in Motivational Interviewing, partnership working, and high-quality supervision
• Track record of improving outcomes for children and young people
• Ability to work flexibly and travel extensively across Surrey

Contact Us

Please contact us for any questions relating to the role. This could be to discuss flexible working requests, transferable skills or any barriers to employment.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 19th August with interviews to follow.

We look forward to receiving your application, please click on the apply online button below to submit.

An enhanced DBS 'Disclosure and Barring Service' check for regulated activity (formerly known as CRB) and the Children's and Adults' Barred List checks will be required for this role.

Local Government Reorganisation

Surrey County Council is preparing for Local Government Reorganisation which will allow us to implement the Government led policy of devolution, which is all about giving more powers to local areas.

Currently, Surrey has a two-tier council system, with 11 district and borough councils and a county council, all responsible for different services. All these councils will be reorganised into a smaller number of new unitary councils which will come into effect in April 2027. At this point, this role will be transferred, with all existing terms and conditions intact into one of the new unitary councils.

The Surrey Way behaviours are a guide that supports our council to work together effectively and deliver our best for our customers and communities, and for each other. Discover more about our behaviours .

Before submitting your application, we recommend you read the job description. Our Life at Surrey handbook also provides insights of the culture at Surrey and how as a valued employee, you can help shape our Council.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applicants where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role.

We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.