Team Manager - Leaving Care and Children Looked After

London Borough of Sutton; City Of London; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

A local council in London is seeking a Team Manager for Children Social Care to lead a multidisciplinary team. The role involves ensuring effective social care services and compliance with regulations. The ideal candidate must have a degree in Social Care, experience with children in care, and strong leadership skills. The position offers a salary range of £47,532 - £55,620 per year along with various benefits.

Benefits

Generous annual leave

Flexible working environment

Local Government Pension Scheme

Subsidised gym membership

Qualifications

• Registered with Social Work England.
• Experience working with children in a care environment.
• Significant experience in managing multidisciplinary teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a multidisciplinary team delivering effective social care.
• Ensure compliance with statutory requirements and professional standards.
• Oversee assessment and planning processes for looked-after children.

Skills

Leadership

Child-centered approach

Communication

Care planning

Education

Degree in Social Care or similar

Job description

Overview

This job is brought to you by Jobs/Redefined, the UK's leading over-50s age inclusive jobs board.

About the Borough

Grow your career at the London Borough of Sutton - Social Care Recruitment Event

Location - Online - Click to get a ticket and receive a link to join our Social Care Recruitment Event!

Join us on Tuesday 30 September 2025 @ 6pm to explore exciting career opportunities within Children's Social Care at the London Borough of Sutton.

In Sutton, there is much to be proud of both as a council and as a borough, including high resident satisfaction, service quality, and an ambitious plan for future improvements.

Situated in Zone 5, Sutton is well connected to central London and surrounding areas by rail and road, with multiple stations and direct connections to major destinations.

About the Service and Team

The Children Looked After and Leaving Care Service in Sutton is dedicated to supporting all Children in Care and Care Leavers on their journey toward independence. Our primary responsibility is to ensure high-quality care planning for permanency, fulfilling our statutory obligations to Children in Care and Care Leavers, with a trauma-informed, restorative approach that prioritises the voices of children and young people.

Joining Sutton, you can expect to receive:

• A broad range of post-qualifying education opportunities as part of the Developing Together Social Work Teaching Partnership (SWTP) with Kingston University and regional partners
• Opportunities to attend conferences, workshops, and access research and practice resources for ongoing development

Sutton Council is committed to fostering an inclusive workplace with staff network groups such as the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic +A Network, LGBTQ +A Network, and Women's +A Network.

About the Role and Our Ideal Candidate

Join Children Social Care as a Team Manager in the Leaving Care and Children Looked After Team and enjoy a Golden Hello along with a Recruitment and Retention Bonus, outlined as follows:

• £1,000 paid with your first month's salary
• £1,000 for your first completed year of service
• £2,000 for your second completed year of service
• £3,000 for your third completed year of service and each year thereafter

As a Team Manager for the Children Looked After Team, you will play a crucial role in overseeing the care and support provided to children in our care. Responsibilities include:

• Leading and managing a multidisciplinary team to deliver effective social care services for looked after children
• Ensuring interventions are child-centred and in the best interests of children and young people
• Overseeing assessment, planning, and review processes for looked after children
• Ensuring compliance with statutory requirements, policies, and professional standards

As a leader, you will foster a positive and inclusive team culture, oversee care planning and quality assurance, chair meetings, and collaborate with multi-agency professionals to safeguard children and young people in our care. The role offers opportunities to expand your knowledge and skill set within children’s social care.

Are you ready to take the next step in your social care career? We are committed to supporting your growth in a diverse and inclusive environment as you embark on your career with Sutton's Adult Social Care. Apply now and join us on our journey!

This position offers an excellent opportunity for existing team managers and experienced social workers with outstanding communication skills and a compassionate manner, capable of effectively managing high levels of emotional distress. We encourage applications from candidates with childcare experience and a passion for delivering person-centred care.

Requirements

• To be registered with Social Work England and hold a degree in Social Care or similar
• Experience of working with children within a care environment
• Significant experience of leading and managing a multidisciplinary team
• Sound knowledge and ability to deliver social work support to service users and their families
• Ability to communicate complex social issues clearly to both patients and professionals
• Ability to plan and coordinate social care plans and aspects of patient discharge

You will join a welcoming, supportive team dedicated to providing first-class supervision and ongoing professional development opportunities.

For more information about the role and/or an informal conversation, you can view the Role Profile or contact Debbie Owen, Head of Service Corporate Parenting ([e-mail])

Our Offer to You

As an organisation that values talent, we offer a supportive, friendly and collaborative environment to grow your career. We encourage ideas and provide opportunities for development. We also offer a modern and flexible working environment supported by IT infrastructure, including Google Chromebooks and Google Apps. The Flexible Working - Smarter Working Scheme enables improved work-life balance.

Benefits include:

• Generous annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays (pro-rata if part-time)
• General Council Flexi-time (grades 1-9)
• Public Health Service Localised Flexi-time Scheme - accrual of up to 5 days per year
• Three volunteering days per year in Sutton
• Comprehensive learning and development programme
• Local and national discounts for shopping, eating out and leisure
• Interest-free season ticket loans
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Car parking scheme
• Bicycle loan facilities and cycle to work scheme
• Zip car scheme
• Free eye tests and contribution towards glasses
• Confidential wellbeing and counselling support
• Subsidised gym membership

Application Process

Please apply online outlining what skills, abilities and experience you can bring which makes you an ideal candidate for this role. Refer to the requirements in the job profile when completing your application.

We anonymise personal information during shortlisting to reduce bias. Applications are reviewed against the role requirements in the job profile. The closing date is for guidance, and we may close the vacancy early if a sufficient number of applications are received; please submit promptly to avoid disappointment.

Additional Information

We are diverse, inclusive and welcoming. We encourage applications from people of all backgrounds, including Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates and disabled candidates. We guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the role as part of our Disability Confident Committed status.

We offer family-friendly policies, flexible working, staff engagement forums, and inclusive networks to support our diversity agenda.

The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers. Check GOV.UK for right to work guidance.

Salary

Salary range

• £47,532 - £55,620 per year