Fostering Assessment Team Manager

Surrey County Council; Horsell; Hybrid; GBP 32,000; Part time

Job summary

A local council authority in Horsell is seeking a part-time Team Manager for the Fostering Assessment Team. The successful candidate will lead a team of social workers, focusing on supporting vulnerable children and ensuring family connection. This permanent role offers a salary of £31,765 per annum, pro-rata for part-time hours, along with extensive benefits including holidays and an Employee Assistance Programme.

Benefits

26 days' holiday

Employee Assistance Programme

Local government pension

Lifestyle discounts

2 paid volunteering days

Learning and development resources

Refer a friend payment

Qualifications

• Experience in social work, preferably in fostering services.
• Extensive knowledge of health and social care legislation.
• Ability to demonstrate effective team management.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of Social Workers in Kinship Assessments.
• Support the duty system with viability assessments.
• Contribute to the team's performance and development.

Skills

Social Work qualified

HCPC registered

Knowledge of national and local policy

Understanding of children and young people's needs

Job description

• Category: Qualified Social Work - Children's
• Contract type: Permanent
• Working hours: 21.60 hours per week (3 days)
• Posted on: 23 July 2025
• Closing date: 16 August 2025
• Location: Victoria Gate, Chobham Road, Woking, GU21 6JD

Description

We are committed to the development of our workforce.This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council.We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.

This part-time, permanent role has a starting salary of £31,765 per annum, based on a 21.6 hour (3 days) working week, pro-rata to £52,942.

We are excited to be hiring a new Team Manager to join our fantastic Fostering Assessment Team based in Woking. When not working with our residents in the community, we support an agile approach with a combination of home and office working. We are keen to ensure the balance of providing flexibility but ensuring you feel connected to your team and the service.

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
• Refer a friend payment of £1,000 as a thank you for finding the right Social Worker

About the Role

In this role you will become a vital part of our creative and compassionate Fostering service. We are dedicated to supporting Surrey's most vulnerable children and young people, working with theories of trauma, attachment and loss, alongside restorative practices. Our goal is to ensure the best possible outcomes for every child in our care, ensuring no one is left behind.

As the Fostering Assessment Team Manager you will play an important role in upholding Surrey's commitment to supporting children to remain within their family when they can, as part of the "family first" model. You will lead a team of seven Social Workers, undertaking Kinship Assessments; both Connected Person Fostering and Special Guardianship Assessments. You will support the duty system undertaking viability and Regulation 24 Assessments, and contribute to the team's performance meetings.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following:

• Social Work qualified and HCPC registered
• Extensive, sophisticated and up to date knowledge of relevant national and local policy, statutory guidance and legislation in relation to the provision of Health and Social Care services
• Ability to demonstrate an understanding of the needs of children and young people in this specialist area

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. For an informal discussion please contact Clark Mcauley by email.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on the 16th August 2025 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.

Our values are as important as our abilities and shape who we are as an organisation. Discover more about our values.

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.