Team Manager - Kinship Team

Cheshire East Council; Crewe; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 57,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Enhanced annual leave

Hybrid/Remote working

Green car scheme

Cycle to work

Enhanced public pension

Employee assistance programme

Job summary

Cheshire East Council in Crewe is seeking a permanent, full‑time Team Manager – Kinship Team to lead a social work pod delivering high-quality practice with vulnerable children and families.

You will supervise staff, develop risk-managed intervention plans, liaise with partner agencies, manage budgets, and ensure safeguarding compliance and reporting to meet regulatory requirements.

Qualifications

• Social Work England recognised qualification.
• DSB enhanced check required.
• Experience handling complex social work with families.
• Extensive understanding of risk management and safeguarding.

Responsibilities

• Identify parenting capacity and risk factors to target resources.
• Devise intervention plans including Child Protection Plans.
• Produce reports for LSB, Court and other regulations.
• Manage a high‑risk workload and supervise staff.
• Communicate with children and families to reflect their views in plans.
• Lead social work pod and allocate tasks; provide guidance and support.
• Provide professional supervision to social workers and practitioners.
• Collaborate with partner agencies for integrated multi‑disciplinary working.
• Manage budgets for commissioned services and ensure value for money.

Skills

Team leadership

Risk assessment

Communication

Social work practice

Education

Social Work qualification

Job description

At Cheshire East we’re offering an opportunity for someone to help transform lives and to play a defining role in the next chapter for children and families in Cheshire East as we build something special, to last.

We have an exciting opportunity for a permanent full‑time Team Manager – Kinship Team, based within Delamere House, Crewe.

About the Role

Ensure the provision of quality, professional social work practice in relation to high-risk complex matters and the management of a Team of Social Work professional staff to meet the needs of children and their families.

We are looking for a passionate and committed professional who believes in the power of relationships to create lasting change for children and families.

You will be motivated to Interview, observe, assess and evaluate information in order to produce a holistic assessment of the needs of children and families and determine appropriate methods of intervention. Whilst managing the Social Work pod, prioritising and allocation of tasks whilst motivating and support the team.

In this role you will:

• Identify the parenting capacity, family and environmental factors and the need for protection to ensure a balance of risk with protective factors in order to effectively target resources.
• Devise written plans for intervention and / or care for children and their families, including Chil Protection Plans to ensure focused social work interventions and the management of risk to children.
• Research findings and statutory guidance and provide and present concise reports about complex information in line with evidence based social work practice to meet the requirements of the Local Safeguarding Board, the Court and other regulations.
• Manage a complex and high-risk workload and build professional relationships with children and their families to safeguard children and promote positive outcomes.
• Communicate effectively with children and their families to ensure their views and wishes are heard and provide written reports about their circumstances and plans for intervention.
• Manage the social work pod, prioritise and allocate tasks, provide guidance, direction, motivation and support to ensure effective services to children and their families.
• Provide professional supervision to social workers and children’s practitioners to ensure accountability for social work practise and assist with the professional development of staff within designated practice standards.
• Liaise and worth with other agencies and promote joint working in line with the statutory guidelines to ensure an integrated approach and multi-disciplinary working for the benefit of children and their families.
• Manage budgets for the commissioning of services and authorise cash payments to families in line with financial Regulations to ensure value for money and appropriate assistance to families.
• Manage the child’s record using Cheshire Easts recording system, provide aggregated information and statistics and share information with other agencies in line with the requirements of the data Protection Act to promote the welfare of children.
• Contribute to the development of social work policy and procedures to ensure that services best meet the needs of children and families.
• Ability to analyse performance data, motivate and mobilise staff to ensure that performance targets are met and maintained consistently across the service.

The successful candidate will bring:

• Social Work England recognised social work qualification.
• Social Work England registered.
• A satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) – enhanced check is required.
• Experience of complex social work with families.
• Extensive understanding of risk management, child protection and safeguarding.
• Clear understanding of safeguarding and the principles of Early intervention
• Extensive and significant experience as a practising social work professional.

To find out more about the essential and desirable criteria for the role please view the attached job description specification document.

In return we are able to offer:

• A competitive salary- Between£49,658 per annum - £56,809 per annum(CEC NJC – Grade 11) Pro-rata with guaranteed yearly pay increases.
• Enhanced annual leave- Start with an impressive34 days of annual leave(including bank holidays) from day one, and watch it grow to 39 days after just five years of service
• Purchase of annual leave –Want more time off? You can purchaseup to 10 extra daysof annual leave each year, giving you the flexibility to balance work and life just the way you want (Pro-rata for part-time staff)
• Flexible working pattern- Enjoy a37-hour standard full-time work weekwith the added perks of flexi-time and hybrid/remote working arrangements where possible. Your work-life balance just got a whole lot better
• Salary sacrifice green car scheme- Drive green and save green! Lease a brand-new electric or hybrid car through our salary sacrifice scheme.There’s no credit checks, no deposits, just significant savings and exclusive offers on a three-year lease
• White goods salary sacrifice scheme -Upgrade your home with ease. Purchase home and electronic items through our salary sacrifice scheme, spreading the cost of big-ticket purchases like appliances, computers, and tech gadgets directly from your salary
• Enhanced public pension-Secure your future with ourcareer average pension, where contributions are built at a rate of 1/49th of your yearly pensionable pay
• Cycle to work scheme -Save up to 25-39% on the retail price of bikes and safety equipment through Income Tax and National Insurance savings. Get fit and save money!
• Employee assistance programme- Access a completely free and confidential assistance service to help manage, reduce, and overcome life’s challenges, both at work and in your personal life
• Discounted gym membership -Stay active and healthy with corporate membership prices for Everybody Leisure, including:
• Gym, Swim and Group Fitness at all 16 facilities
• Off-Peak Racket Sports
• Athletics Tracks
• Sauna/Steam/Spa

Join us and experience a workplace that truly values and supports you!