Service Manager – Fostering and Adoption

Isle of Wight Council; England; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in England seeks a Service Manager for Fostering and Adoption within Children’s Social Care. The role focuses on strategic and operational service delivery, ensuring compliance, and advocating for children's welfare. Ideal candidates are qualified social workers with a strong background in fostering legislation and demonstrated leadership skills. This is an exciting opportunity to shape service improvement and family support in a vibrant community. Join us in making a lasting impact on children's lives!

Benefits

Annual leave entitlement of 32 days p/a plus public holidays

Local Government pension scheme

Discounted Solent ferry travel

Island bus network discount

Cycle to work scheme

Staff parking permit scheme

Discounted island sports & leisure gym membership

National and local discounts & benefits schemes

Relocation scheme of up to £8,000 may be available

Travel allowance may be available if commuting from the mainland

Qualifications

• Strong background in children’s social care with a focus on fostering and adoption.
• Ability to lead recruitment and retention strategies.
• Expertise in compliance and safeguarding standards.

Responsibilities

• Drive the strategic and operational delivery of fostering and adoption services.
• Manage the Fostering and Adoption Team.
• Ensure highest standards of care and compliance.

Skills

Leadership in children's social care

Understanding of Fostering and Adoption legislation

Experience in managing regulated services

Education

Qualified and Experienced Social Worker registered with Social Work England

Job description

Join us in Making a Difference

Service Manager – Fostering and Adoption – Children’s Social Care

Are you passionate about driving excellence in children’s social care? Do you want to be part of a bold and ambitious journey to transform services for children and families? If so, we invite you to bring your expertise and leadership to the Isle of Wight.

About Us – A Service on the Rise

We are 2 years into building a new Children’s Services on the Isle of Wight, following the conclusion of our 10-year partnership with Hampshire County Council. Since then, we’ve made significant progress, recognised through:

• Ofsted focused visits (October 2024)
• Peer reviews
• Support and recognition from the Local Government Association
• We’ve introduced a new IOW MASH (Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub) and a Referral & Intervention Service, creating space for Social Workers to deliver timely interventions and achieve long‑lasting change for families.
• Support & Protection Teams have been redesigned

Our service has been restructured with a strong focus on:

• Reduced caseloads for better work‑life balance.
• High level of management support & oversight
• Reflective supervision to support your professional growth.
• Comprehensive training to help you thrive.
• Innovative Leadership: Our newly appointed Principal Social Worker is driving system improvements and implementing the Family First programme, ensuring families are at the heart of everything we do.
• Collaborative Culture: We believe in “Creating Change Together” – with regular all‑staff briefings and an ethos of teamwork and shared learning

Our new senior leadership team is committed to creating a connected, child‑centred directorate, where Children’s Social Care works hand‑in‑hand with Education, Inclusion, and Access services to improve outcomes for every child.

About the Role

We are seeking an experienced and dynamic leader to drive the strategic and operational delivery of our fostering and adoption services. This pivotal role ensures the highest standards of care, compliance, and safeguarding for children and families, while leading continuous improvement and transformation. It is an exciting time for fostering and adoption on the Island, with innovative marketing and recruitment campaigns in the pipeline to attract and retain the best carers for our children. You will provide professional leadership, manage regulated services, and work in partnership with Adopt South to achieve timely permanence outcomes. If you are passionate about making a real difference and have the vision to lead recruitment, retention, and quality assurance strategies, this is an opportunity to shape the future of fostering and adoption in our community.

You’ll manage:

• The Fostering and Adoption Team

This is a crucial role for someone with a strong background in children’s social care, expert knowledge of Fostering and Adoption legislation and a deep commitment to improving lives of families.

This is a two year contract.

Why Join Us?

• Our Vision:Creating Change Together
• Our Practice Model:Relational | Strengths‑Based | Solution‑Focused | Restorative
• Our Culture:Inclusive, supportive, and ambitious

We believe that our staff thrive when they are valued, supported, and empowered. That’s why we invest in the right tools, conditions, and professional development to help you be your best.

The Isle of Wight – A Great Place to Work and Live

Whether you’re relocating or already local, the Island offers a unique lifestyle—stunning natural beauty, a strong sense of community, and a real opportunity to make a difference in a place where your work truly matters.

Ready to Lead Change?

If you’re a Qualified and Experienced Social Worker registered with Social Work England, and ready to take the next step in your leadership journey, we’d love to hear from you.

Be part of something special. Join us in shaping the future of children’s services on the Isle of Wight.

We embody this model in all our relationships. We embrace an inclusive culture and will support you in your role and challenge you to be your best.

Join us in making a real difference in the lives of children on the Isle of Wight!

For further information or an informal discussion, please contact Kay Jones at [e-mail]

Join #TeamIWC and you'll receive our staff benefits package, including:

• Annual leave entitlement of 32 days p/a PLUS public holidays!
• Local Government pension scheme
• Discounted Solent ferry travel
• Island bus network discount
• Cycle to work scheme
• Staff parking permit scheme
• Discounted island sports & leisure gym membership
• National and local discounts & benefits schemes
• Relocation scheme of up to £8,000 may be available for some roles (subject to criteria)
• Travel allowance may be available if commuting from the mainland (subject to criteria)