Team Manager - Connected Carers Team

Durham County Council; Seaham; Hybrid; GBP 40,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Recruitment allowance

Training & development

Flexible working (hybrid)

Pension scheme

27 days annual leave rising to 32

Job summary

Durham County Council is seeking a Team Manager to lead the Connected Carers team within Fostering Services. You will supervise staff, QA reports, and represent the team in meetings, while guiding decision-making to keep children safe and supported by connected carers.

You will need a social work degree and current Social Work England registration, with understanding of post-approval processes and timescales. Hybrid working is available.

Qualifications

• Experience supervising teams of social workers and support staff.
• Ability to QA a variety of reports and ensure compliance with standards.
• Skilled in analyzing observations to support decisions for children.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality, reflective supervision to staff.
• Support Social Workers in decision making to meet child safety needs.
• Oversee performance management and team representation at meetings.
• Ensure timeliness and compliance with regulations governing foster carers.

Skills

Staff supervision

Quality assurance

Performance management

Analytical decision making

Education

Social work degree

Social Work England Registration

Job description

We are looking for a Team Manager to join our Fostering service.

In Durham we strive to keep our children within their family, if at all possible and the Connected Carers team is pivotal to this.

WHAT IS INVOLVED?

The Connected Carers Team is a busy team and supports our Connected Carers from initial viability through to post panel support, for as long as they are connected foster carers. The team completes viability assessments, Full Fostering Assessments (Form C), SGO assessments, foster carers supervision, unannounced visits and Foster Carer Reviews.

As one of four team managers in that team you will be responsible for the support and supervision of staff, quality assurance of a variety of reports, performance management and representation of the team and the Fostering Service in a variety of meetings and settings.

You will be expected to provide high quality, reflective supervision. You will also help Social Workers to make decisions based on observations and analysis, always ensuring the safety of the child and that their needs will be met.

You will need to have a good knowledge of the regulations and standards that govern foster carers and understand the challenges often faced by Connected Carers. You will also need to understand the implications to both the child and the carers if timescales aren't met.

You will need a Degree in social work or equivalent social work qualification, e.g. Post Graduate Diploma in Social Work (PDDipSW); Certificate of Qualification in Social Work (CQSW); Diploma in Social Work (DipSW); Certificate in Social Services (CSS) and current Social Work England Registration

We are passionate about social work in County Durham. We are committed to providing a culture where good practice can flourish. We ensure our social workers are highly supported and encourage flexible working to achieve a good work-life balance.

• You will benefit from a range of training opportunities and professional development through personalised induction, professional supervision, and mentoring.
• This post is eligible for a recruitment/retention allowance of £2,500 over 12 months (pro-rata for part time workers). Payments are made in equal instalments across a 12-month period alongside your pay. The allowances are subject to tax, National Insurance and pension contributions.
• We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years' continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable.
• Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions.

Take a closer look: https://www.durham.gov.uk/childrenssocialwork