Fostering Manager Focus and SGO

Salford Council; Swinton; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 65,000; Full time

Job summary

Salford Council is recruiting a Fostering Practice Manager to lead a portfolio of specialist fostering and SGO permanence services within Salford Children’s Services. You will provide strong operational leadership and develop Focus Project Specialist Fostering, Enhanced Carers and Therapeutic Care, and post-SGO pathways.

The role requires a qualified social worker with Social Work England registration, extensive children’s social care experience, team leadership and a track record of service

Qualifications

• Qualified social worker registered with Social Work England.
• Substantial experience in children's social care, fostering, kinship or permanence services.
• Ability to lead teams, drive service improvement and build partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Focus Project Specialist Fostering, supporting complex solo placements and carer development.
• Oversee Enhanced Carers and Therapeutic Care, embedding trauma-informed practice and staff development.
• Provide leadership for Special Guardianship (SGO) and permanence pathways post-order support.

Skills

People leadership

Strategic planning

Partnership working

Trauma-informed practice

Education

Social Work England registration

Job description

Fostering Practice Manager
Salford Children’s Services
Full time 36 hours per week (MondayFriday)

Make a difference. Lead innovation. Shape the future of fostering and permanence.

Are you an experienced social work leader with a passion for improving outcomes for children, developing foster carers and creating innovative models of care and support?

We are looking for an ambitious and forward-thinking Fostering Practice Manager to lead a portfolio of specialist fostering and SGO permanence services within Salford Children’s Services.

This is an exciting opportunity to shape and develop specialist models of care, ensuring foster carers, special guardians and the children they care for receive the right support at the right time.

About the role

You will provide strong operational leadership and drive forward the development of the following services:

Focus Project Specialist Fostering

• Lead the Focus model, supporting carers who provide specialist solo placements for children with more complex needs.
• Develop and recruit Focus carers, strengthening their training, supervision and support.
• Promote therapeutic care giving PACE, to improve placement stability and outcomes.

Enhanced Carers and Therapeutic Care

• Lead the development of the Enhanced Carer model and therapeutic approaches across fostering.
• Build carer skills and confidence through enhanced training, support and professional development.
• Embed trauma-informed, attachment-focused and therapeutic practice, ensuring support reflects children's needs.

Special Guardianship (SGO) and ASSGF

• Provide leadership and oversight of SGO assessments, statutory responsibilities and associated support services.
• Develop effective pathways into permanence through post SGO support arrangements.
• Strengthen post-order support, including advice, training, therapeutic and practical assistance for special guardians and children.
• Ensure practice reflects legislation, statutory guidance and emerging national developments.

What we are looking for

You will:

• Be a qualified social worker registered with Social Work England.
• Have substantial experience in children's social care, with knowledge of fostering, kinship or permanence services.
• Have experience of managing and developing teams and delivering service improvement.
• Understand fostering legislation, regulations, SGO requirements and safeguarding responsibilities.
• Be an effective leader who can motivate staff, manage change and develop innovative services.
• Demonstrate strong partnership-working skills and a commitment to relationship-based, child-centred and trauma-informed practice.

Why join Salford?

This is an opportunity to influence the future of fostering and permanence in Salford, lead innovative models of care and make a lasting difference to children and families.

You will join a service committed to learning, development, strong relationships and improving outcomes for children.

Our values of Pride, Passion, People and Personal Responsibility underpin everything we do.

If you are ready to lead, innovate and make a difference, we would love to hear from you.

Join us in creating a fairer, greener and healthier Salford, where every child has the opportunity to thrive.

For further information: [e-mail]

Closing date: Monday 23rd November 2026
Interview date: Monday 30 November 2026

Please be aware that this post is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and that you will be required to meet the cost of the DBS check currently £41. The payment for this will be deducted from your first four months’ salary payments at a rate of £10.25 per month. If you do not commence employment for any reason but the DBS has been processed, you will be sent an invoice for the payment of £41.

If you have lived or worked abroad for 3 months or more in the last 5 years or 12 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the last 10 years whilst aged 18 or over, please refer to the link below for details for how to obtain your Certificates of Good Character.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants

If you have completed the GM Elevate Leadership Development Programme within the last 2 years, please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application.

What we need from you if you are invited to interview:

• Passport/ID - You will be required to provide original documentation confirming your right to work in the UK. Successful candidates will also be required to provide proof of address.

• Qualifications/registrations if applicable for the role

Want to know more about Salford?

As an authority we are dedicated to improving the lives of our residents, and as an employer we are passionate about helping individuals to thrive in their work. We are committed to developing a diverse and inclusive culture and are proud of our professional accreditations which champion this.

Find out about our city as a place to live, work & grow, and learn more about the amazing work we are doing. You’ll also find out about the wealth of benefits we have to offer you on our Salford pages!

Privacy Statement and Data Protection

Our core data protection obligations and commitments are set out in the council’s primary Recruitment and Employment Privacy Notice which can be found at https://www.salford.gov.uk/gdpr

Supporting Documents

Role profile