Registered Fostering Manager

WMJobs; Oldbury; Hybrid; GBP 62,000 - 66,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation allowance up to £6,500

Market supplement £6,500 p.a.

Generous annual leave up to 31 days +

Job summary

Sandwell Children's Trust in Oldbury is seeking a Registered Fostering Manager to lead our independent fostering agency and family time centre, ensuring statutory compliance and service excellence. You will oversee the Connected Team (Kinship Carers & Special Guardianship) and drive quality outcomes for children, carers and families.

This role shapes the sufficiency strategy, improves foster carer support, and partners with agencies to provide stable, local, reunified outcomes wherever possible.

Qualifications

• Social worker with significant fostering experience and IFA operation knowledge.
• Level 5 leadership qualification or willingness to start within 6 months.
• Strong leadership, communication and stakeholder engagement abilities.
• Ability to produce reports for diverse audiences and present them confidently.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the service including the family time centre and statutory requirements.
• Liaise with Ofsted and lead on fostering inspections and regulatory reporting.
• Provide strategic development and supervise team managers and the panel advisor.
• Ensure carer support and training with partners to deliver high‑quality services.
• Develop policies in response to statutory guidance and ensure local needs are met.

Skills

Social work experience

Leadership & management

Communication skills

Stakeholder engagement

Report writing

Performance management

Education

Level 5 leadership and management qualification

Job description

Sandwell Children's Trust, At Sandwell Children's Trust, we firmly believe that the voice of the child should be at the centre of everything we do. We are on an ambitious journey to ensure that children and families in Sandwell are safe and empowered to thrive. Our 'Sandwell Deal', brings together our offering that make Sandwell Children's Trust a great place to work.

What we can offer you:

• Generous annual leave of up to 31 days, plus 5 additional days for long service recognition.
• Your birthday off paid in addition to annual leave entitlement and 8 Bank Holidays, plus a concessionary day at Christmas.
• We recognise individual loyalty with service awards from 2, 5, 10 and every 5 years onwards.

To find out more please visit The Sandwell Deal via this hyperlink https://sandwelldeal.co.uk

Job title: Registered Fostering Manager

Grade/Salary: Grade J (£62,179 - £65,938 per annum)

Market Supplement: £6,500 per annum

Relocation Allowance: Up to £6,500*

Contract Type: Permanent

Working pattern: 37 hours per week

Location: Oldbury/Hybrid

Closing date: midnight on Monday 16 November 2026

Sandwell Children's Trust are seeking a passionate and committed leader to join us in shaping brighter futures for children and families. As the Registered Fostering Manager (RFM), you will play a vital role in overseeing Sandwell Children's Trust's Ofsted-rated Good Independent Fostering Agency and family time centre. You will ensure our fostering services excel in meeting statutory requirements while continuing to innovate and support the needs of children, carers, and families.

Furthermore, as well as overseeing the main statutory fostering functions you will also have oversight of the Connected Team (Kinship Carers & Special Guardianship). Our ambition is to provide robust wrap around support to all our carers within Sandwell, keeping children local in their communities and where possible reunification with their families.

You will play a key role in the success of the sufficiency strategy, bringing innovation and quality to both provide stable long-term homes for children & young people but also increase internal provision of our highly valued Sandwell Foster Carers.

Your Key Responsibilities As The Registered Fostering Manager

• Be responsible for the overall management of the service, including the Trust's family time centre, ensuring that statutory requirements are met and exceeded.
• You will liaise directly with Ofsted in relation to regulatory reporting.
• Take the lead on fostering inspections.
• Provide a strategic approach to service development including the sufficiency strategy
• Provide supervision to the Team Managers and Panel Advisor.
• Ensure that support and training is in place for all our carers, working collaboratively with resources from our partner agencies
• Develop and implement policies and procedures based on statutory guidance to ensure that the service is responsive to the needs of children and carers in Sandwell.

Your Skills & Attributes As The Registered Fostering Manager

• An experienced Social Worker with significant experience of fostering and how IFA's operate.
• Have a Level 5 qualification in leadership and management or, be prepared to commence the qualification within 6 months of starting in the role.
• An inspirational leader with excellent management skills and the ability to encourage team working.
• Excellent communication skills with an ability to engage with children, carers and relevant stakeholders.
• Ability to write reports for a range of audiences and be able to verbally present these with confidence.
• Good understanding of performance management and a commitment to providing a high-quality service to children and carers.

We are committed to creating an inclusive environment. Reasonable adjustments are available at every stage of the recruitment process and throughout employment, helping everyone to thrive, perform to the best of their ability, and achieve success in their role.

Sandwell Children's Trust is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable groups including children and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Completion of an enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check is a requirement for working with children and young people.

• Terms & Conditions apply for relocation allowance