Head of Service - Integrated Children's Pathways & Support

Reading Borough Council; Reading; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Generous holiday entitlement

Flexible working opportunities

Modern Civic Offices

Life Assurance

On-site day nursery Kennet Day nursery

Season Ticket Loan

Lease car scheme

Job summary

Reading Borough Council is seeking an exceptional Head of Service for Integrated Children’s Pathways to lead transformation across CSPOA, Disabilities and Integrated Assessment, ensuring children and families receive the right support at the right time.

You will lead two Service Managers, shape strategy with partners across education, health, police and community sectors, and drive high-quality practice with a child-centered focus.

Qualifications

• Qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England.
• Senior leader with substantial knowledge of children's social care.
• Passionate about achieving the best outcomes for children, young people and families.
• Skilled in influencing, negotiating and building effective relationships across agencies.
• Committed to developing others and creating a positive, high-performing culture.
• Resilient, ambitious and focused on delivering meaningful and sustainable improvement.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership across the Children's Single Point of Access, Children with Disabilities and Integrated Assessment Services.
• Lead and support two Service Managers, fostering excellence, accountability and professional development.
• Ensure effective safeguarding arrangements and high-quality decision-making across the service.
• Drive performance, quality assurance and service improvement to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and families.
• Develop and strengthen partnerships across education, health, police, voluntary sector and wider community organisations.
• Influence and contribute to strategic planning across the children's partnership landscape.
• Promote innovation, learning and continuous improvement throughout your services.
• Ensure children, young people and families remain at the heart of all service design and delivery.
• Contribute as a key member of the Children's Services leadership team, helping shape future priorities and direction.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Partnership building

Influencing & negotiation

Staff development

Resilience & change management

Education

Qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England

Job description

Are you an ambitious and values-driven leader who believes every child deserves the best possible start in life?

Do you have the vision, influence and determination to drive improvement, inspire others and build strong partnerships that deliver lasting change for children and families?

If so, Reading is looking for an exceptional Head of Service for Integrated Children's Pathways to join our leadership team and help shape the future of children's services.

This is a unique opportunity to lead services at the very front door of children's social care, ensuring children and families receive the right support, at the right time, from the right professionals. You will be at the heart of our ambition to create a responsive, connected and child-centred system that improves outcomes and strengthens families.

As Head of Service, you will provide strategic leadership across our:

• Children's Single Point of Access (CSPOA)
• Children with Disabilities Service
• Integrated Assessment Service

Leading two Service Managers and their teams, you will bring people together around a shared vision, creating a culture where children are at the centre of everything we do and where staff feel empowered, valued and inspired to deliver their very best.

We welcome applications from all sections of the community.We particularly encourage applications from members of the Black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management within Children’s Services as these groups are currently under-represented in our workforce.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

The Opportunity

This role is about more than managing services. It is about leading transformation, influencing across organisational boundaries and creating meaningful partnerships that make a difference.

You will work closely with senior leaders, health partners, schools, police, voluntary sector organisations and community services to ensure children and families experience seamless support and positive outcomes.

We are seeking a leader who can:

• Inspire and motivate others through visible, compassionate leadership.
• Build trusted relationships and influence partners across the system.
• Champion innovation and continuous improvement.
• Create an environment where staff can thrive, develop and achieve their full potential.
• Drive high-quality practice and strong performance whilst maintaining a relentless focus on children's experiences and outcomes.

About You

You are an accomplished social care leader with a track record of delivering excellent services and leading through change.

You understand the complexity of partnership working and have the credibility, emotional intelligence and strategic thinking skills to bring people together behind a common purpose.

You will be:

• A qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England.
• An experienced senior leader with substantial knowledge of children's social care.
• Passionate about achieving the best outcomes for children, young people and families.
• Skilled in influencing, negotiating and building effective relationships across agencies.
• Committed to developing others and creating a positive, high-performing culture.
• Resilient, ambitious and focused on delivering meaningful and sustainable improvement.

What You'll Do

As Head of Service, you will:

• Provide strategic leadership across the Children's Single Point of Access, Children with Disabilities and Integrated Assessment Services.
• Lead and support two Service Managers, fostering excellence, accountability and professional development.
• Ensure effective safeguarding arrangements and high-quality decision-making across the service.
• Drive performance, quality assurance and service improvement to achieve the best possible outcomes for children and families.
• Develop and strengthen partnerships across education, health, police, voluntary sector and wider community organisations.
• Influence and contribute to strategic planning across the children's partnership landscape.
• Promote innovation, learning and continuous improvement throughout your services.
• Ensure children, young people and families remain at the heart of all service design and delivery.
• Contribute as a key member of the Children's Services leadership team, helping shape future priorities and direction.

You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.

Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

Work Together as one team - champion and inspire a culture which ensures that all employees across the organisation work together to provide excellent outcomes for Reading

Drive Efficiency - create an environment in which resources are used efficiently and employees’ skills are developed and used effectively

Be Ambitious - aspire to deliver excellence and inspire and support others to reach their potential

Make a Difference to Reading - inspire a culture in which the customer is the focus and where change is welcomed as an opportunity

Why Join Reading’s?

Based in the city centre’s Civic Offices, the Head of Service for Integrated Children’s Pathways, work closely and influences practice, performance and our relationships, guided by a shared ethos: getting it right first time and keeping children at the centre.

This is an exciting time to join Reading.Reading has Family Hubs, strengthening our local offer even further, we are embedding Family Safeguarding , investing in motivational interviewing and moving forward with our Family First Partnership reforms,recognised by Ofsted in 2024:

• “Children and their families are helped by a range of impressive and impactful early help services… reducing children’s need for statutory intervention.”
• “Children are supported to remain within their family and friends’ network when it is safe… enabling them to maintain connections with people who are familiar to them.”
• “Family help assessments are comprehensive and demonstrate curious and insightful work with families.”

We are a vibrant, motivated service with genuine energy and ambition. We value curiosity, creativity and relationship-based practice — and we make space for social workers to do their very best work.

About Reading

Reading is a vibrant town in Berkshire, England, known for its rich history and dynamic modern character. Once a medieval hub with its famous abbey founded by Henry I, it has grown into a thriving centre for business, culture, and education.

The River Thames and River Kennet weave through the town, offering scenic walks and a sense of calm amid urban life. Reading is celebrated for its annual music festival, one of the UK’s most iconic, which draws visitors from across the globe.

With a blend of historic landmarks, bustling shopping districts, and green spaces, Reading embodies both heritage and progress, making it a place where tradition meets innovation. With 24.2% of our residents aged 0–19, Reading is a community where children and young people are at the heart of local identity.

Our Offer to You

• A warm, inclusive team committed to doing what’s right for children
• Competitive pay and conditions, including hybrid working
• Access to training in the Family Safeguarding Model
• Reflective supervision prioritising wellbeing and professional resilience
• A comprehensive wellbeing and workforce offer supporting you emotionally, practically and professionally

We are building a culture where social workers feel valued, trusted and supported to reach their full potential. In Reading, children matter, and so do you.

Our offer

We offer a supportive environment to grow and develop your career with the opportunity to put your ideas across. Innovation and ambition is strongly encouraged, and you’ll get a great feel for that working in our friendly and collaborative environment.

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 30 days after 5 years’ service and 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities
• Modern working environment at the Civic Offices in the heart of Reading
• Life Assurance - three times your annual salary (for members of the LGPS)
• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted
• Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax

Closing Date: Sunday 1st November 2026

Interview Date: 12th & 13th November 2026