Team Manager - Fostering

Northamptonshire Children's Trust; England; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Recruitment Welcome Bonus of £2,200

Relocation costs of up to £8,000

28 days annual leave plus 8 Bank Holidays

Local Government Pension Scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Flexible working arrangements

Subsidised car parking scheme

Job summary

A regional children's service organization in the UK is seeking a Fostering Team Manager to lead the recruitment and training of foster carers. This leadership role involves overseeing the fostering recruitment team and ensuring effective training and ongoing support for foster carers. Candidates must be passionate about improving services for children and families and possess a strong working knowledge of fostering regulations. The role offers a generous benefits package including relocation support, a recruitment bonus, and extensive leave.

Qualifications

• Experience managing within a social care setting.
• Previous work within fostering services is preferred.
• Working knowledge of Fostering Regulations and NMS.

Responsibilities

• Oversee fostering recruitment team and training for foster carers.
• Provide supervision to practice managers and related staff.
• Ensure compliance with practice standards and KPI monitoring.

Skills

Passion for child and family services

Leadership skills

Strong communication

Knowledge of Fostering Regulations

Experience in a social care setting

Education

Qualified social worker registered with Social Work England

Job description

What will you be doing?

As a fostering team manager, you will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day delivery of the work of the fostering recruitment team and the effectiveness training offer available to foster carers to support them to meet the needs of the children and young people in their care.

You will be providing line management supervision and support the practice manager social workers, recruitment officer and training coordinator within the team to ensure the promotion of foster carer recruitment and retention.

You will set the tone for rigorous assessment practice while maintaining strong oversight of caseload distribution, timescales, and pipeline risks.

You’ll also use data meaningfully and work closely with panel advisers and decision makers to ensure consistent, high quality outcomes.

Align recruitment activity with sufficiency needs in conjunction with our Family Finders and Post Approval Team.

You will maintain an oversight of practice standards and compliance using case auditing and monitoring of service KPI’s and work collaboratively with the service manager to develop and improve practice in line with the service plan.

You will work with the service manager to review and develop practice and policy within the fostering service in line with changes to regulation and legislation and in response to local and national developments including learning from research.

We welcome the opportunity to speak to any interested candidates so please feel free to email: [e-mail] and they can agree a mutually agreeable time to call you

About you

We are looking for someone who is passionate about developing and delivering high quality services for Children, Young People, and their Families. You will have a creative and flexible approach that will support the service as we move forward.

You will have had previous experience of working and managing within a social care setting including within fostering services and as such a working knowledge of the Fostering Regulations, NMS and the legislative framework within which fostering services operate.

Previous experience of working within an IFA alongside a Children’s Trust would be beneficial but is not essential.

You will be a qualified social worker registered with social work England

This is a leadership role with real impact. You will influence who joins the service and who does not. You will shape standards at the front door of fostering.

We are looking for someone who understands that every approval decision has long-term consequences for children.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore subject to an enhanced DBS certificate. It is also a regulated activity and will be subject to a Barred List check

About us

At Northamptonshire Children’s Trust, children, young people and families are at the heart of all we do – in every decision we make and every action we take. Our mission is driven by the unwavering commitment to achieving the best outcomes for them. The Trust is wholly owned and funded but operationally independent from the Councils.

Our workforce are our most valuable asset and are pivotal to making the services and support we offer to children, young people and families who need us to be the absolute best we can be.

We value our colleagues and empower them to be able to do the best job of their lives every single day, working in a culture of support and kindness where achievements are celebrated and creativity is very much welcomed.

At NCT equality, diversity and inclusion are part of us and in everything we do, to enable all colleagues to develop and thrive in our organisation. We are a disability confident employer and have a commitment to care leavers who we guarantee an interview if they meet the essential criteria.

Join our dedicated team and be a part of an organisation where your work makes a real difference.

Benefits

We really value our workforce and offer you a great benefits package including:

• SWE Registration paid yearly (social care colleagues)
• Recruitment Welcome Bonus of £2,200
• Relocation costs of up to £8,000
• 28 days annual leave, plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time) and an additional 5 days, after 5 years
• Local Government Pension Scheme plus immediate life cover (3 times your annual salary from day one) and ill-health protection.
• Opportunity to purchase up to 25 days annual leave
• Employee Assistance Programme - We have an employee support programme run by Health Assured, an independent, external organisation. Health Assured is available for you and your immediate family members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and includes telephone counselling, legal advice, bereavement support and medical information.
• Employee discounts with local and national retailers, days out, finance, health and beauty, travel and eating out plus lots more.
• Flexible and family working arrangements including enhanced maternity benefits
• A permanent, supportive and inclusive management team where you will be empowered to make good professional decisions
• Extensive Learning & Development and career development opportunities
• Subsidised town centre car parking scheme