R2R105126 - Team Manager Leaving Care Team - Permanent

South End City Council; Southend-on-Sea; Hybrid; GBP 46,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days annual leave

Flexible working

Training and development opportunities

Job summary

Southend City Council is seeking a full-time Leaving Care Team Manager to lead a team of social workers and practitioners. You will supervise practice, guide assessments, and ensure high standards for looked-after children and care leavers.

Working in a hybrid model with required on-site presence, you will coordinate with partners, drive service improvement, and ensure safeguarding and timely provision of services for children and families in Southend.

Qualifications

• Recognised Social Work qualification.
• Registered with Social Work England.
• ASYE completed or in progress.

Responsibilities

• Supervise and develop a team of Senior Practitioners and Social Workers.
• Oversee leaving care services, risk assessment and eligibility interpretation.
• Coordinate safeguarding, court representations, and multi-agency collaboration.

Skills

People management

Supervision

Child protection

Communication

Education

Social work degree

Job description

Your New Organisation

Children Services - OFSTED RATING - GOOD

"Many workers have chosen to both live and work in Southend. They have seen positive cultural changes in the organisation and describe Southend as not just being a good place to live but now also a good place to work."

"Social workers speak with warmth and knowledge about the children and families they support"

CPD

"The training and development offered in Southend is comprehensive and equips staff effectively to deliver their work with children and families."

LEADERS INPUT

"Leaders understand their local communities and have used this knowledge strategically and effectively to meet children's needs"

Our vision isA Southend Where All Children Achieve Success. By joining Southend City Council as a Team Manager you will be key in making our vision a reality for all children. You will be joining a service where we demonstrate with pride that:

• All paths lead back to the child.
• We spend time getting to know each child and their story.
• We do what we say we're going to do.
• We work with the whole family.
• No matter what, we aim to make things better.

Your new role

Southend City Council are looking to appoint a full-time, permanent Leaving Care experienced Team Manager.

The successful candidate will manage and support a team of Senior Practitioners, Social Workers, Children & Families Workers. They will help with the provision of services to children and young people that are predominately leaving care. Ensuring that child protection enquiries, assessments and support services are consistently completed to a high standard. Ensuring consistent interpretation of eligibility criteria and risk thresholds within the service, implementing service strategy and performance management processes & ensuring the team’s contribution to the overall departmental and council objectives.

Provide formal, professional supervision to staff, ensuring that appraisals are undertaken, identifying skills gaps or training needs. Constantly review the performance of the team to ensure that the team embeds a culture of continuous improvement.

Ensure that the Council provides a first-class professional service within the social work team, by being responsible for the efficient and cost-effective provision of needs-led services to children, young people and their families.

Other responsibilities

• Keep apprised of the changing contexts, research, practice theories and statutory procedures that govern work with children looked after and young people leaving care, at the local and national level, and to implement these within the team.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of local policies and service improvement strategies and support their implementation within the team and service.
• Liaise, network, influence, and coordinate with other multi-agency partners to provide the best level of multidisciplinary support for children looked after.
• Represent the local authority in a professional and competent manner, especially when making representations in court, with families, or with other agencies.
• Ensure the practice and management oversight of all work and performance in the team is compliant with relevant laws, statutory guidance, and local procedures that govern children’s safeguarding, adult safeguarding, the social work profession, health and safety employment law, human rights, and data protection
• Chair strategy, review, planning, professional, and network meetings as required.
• To be available after hours as necessary to support workers who may be dealing with crises and casework responsibilities to safeguard young adults.
• Other duties as required are necessary to carry out the smooth functioning of the service and to meet our corporate parenting and safeguarding responsibilities to children.

Within this position, hybrid working opportunities are available. However, you are required to be on-site at the Civic Centre a minimum of 3 days a week.

What you'll need to succeed

To be shortlisted for this position, you must have a recognised Social Work qualification and be registered with Social Work England and have completed your ASYE.

You are required to have extensive knowledge of social work intervention, child protection and looked after children, along with previous management or supervisory responsibilities of other practitioners working within children's front line services, mainly Leaving Care.

You will have knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation, regulations & key government initiatives and framework for the assessment of children in need and their families.

Knowledge of the principles of performance management and knowledge of equal opportunities issues in relation to staff and client management

What you'll get in return

When joining the council, you can enjoy a range of benefits including: 25 days annual leave, flexible working and excellent training and development opportunities. They are committed to ensuring that you are supported in this varied and challenging role with the appropriate level of training. A full list of benefits provided by Southend Council can be viewed on the "Why Work For Us?" tab.

All applicants for this role will require an enhanced DBS check.

The Council is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications, regardless of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, age or religion or belief.