Team Manager - Looked After Children

Opus People Solutions Limited; Shrewsbury; On-site; GBP 47,000 - 67,000; Full time

Job summary

Opus People Solutions Limited is seeking an experienced Team Manager for Looked After Children services in Shrewsbury. You will lead a team of seven social workers, ensuring statutory supervision every four weeks and robust care planning to drive positive outcomes for children in care.

You will chair multi‑agency meetings, oversee permanency planning and SGOs, and collaborate closely with Legal Services to ensure timely completion of orders and court reports.

Qualifications

• Experience managing a team of Social Workers.
• Strong knowledge of Looked After statutory responsibilities.
• Understanding of Care Planning Regulations and Permanence Planning.
• Experience chairing multi-agency meetings and providing management oversight.
• Social Work England registration and full UK driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Managing and supervising a team of 7 Social Workers, ensuring statutory supervision is completed every 4 weeks.
• Providing robust management oversight across all looked after children cases.
• Chairing multi‑agency meetings focused on permanence planning, safeguarding, and risk management.
• Supporting the progression of SGOs and Care Order discharges, working with Legal Services for timely completion.
• Quality assuring assessments, care plans, reviews, court reports, and other key documentation in line with Care Planning Regulations.
• Monitoring performance, compliance, and service delivery through weekly performance meetings.
• Supporting social workers with complex decision‑making, permanency planning, and risk assessment.
• Acting as Duty Manager for the CLA and UASC Service, providing cover during annual leave and staff absences.
• Ensuring children experience stable placements and achieve permanence through effective care planning.

Skills

Team management

Leadership

Court experience

Quality assurance of assessments

Regulatory compliance in looked after

Job description

About the Role

Are you an experienced Team Manager with a strong background in Looked After Children services? We are seeking a dedicated and driven leader to provide management oversight to a LAC team, ensuring children and young people receive high-quality support, stability, and permanency planning. This is a fantastic opportunity to lead a skilled team of Social Workers, driving excellent practice and achieving positive outcomes for Children in Care.

You will conduct:

• Monthly face‑to‑face team meetings
• Monthly face‑to‑face management meetings
• Quarterly Director Assurance meetings held in person

Additional travel may be required for:

• Chairing meetings in person
• Court attendance
• Supporting Social Workers on family visits where required

Location: Mount McKinley House, Shrewsbury, SY2 6LG

Rate: £41.42 per hour (Umbrella rate)

Contract: Temporary

Hours: 37 hours per week

Office Requirements: One office‑based day per week, home/flexible working remainder, travel required

Key Responsibilities

• Managing and supervising a team of 7 Social Workers, ensuring statutory supervision is completed every 4 weeks.
• Providing robust management oversight across all looked after children cases.
• Chairing multi‑agency meetings focused on permanence planning, safeguarding, and risk management.
• Supporting the progression of Special Guardianship Orders (SGOs) and Care Order discharges, working closely with Legal Services to ensure timely completion.
• Quality assuring assessments, care plans, reviews, court reports, and other key documentation in line with Care Planning Regulations.
• Monitoring performance, compliance, and service delivery through weekly performance meetings.
• Supporting social workers with complex decision‑making, permanency planning, and risk assessment.
• Acting as Duty Manager for the CLA and UASC Service, providing cover during annual leave and staff absences.
• Ensuring children experience stable placements and achieve permanence through effective care planning.

About You

• Significant experience within Children Looked After Services
• Previous Team Manager, Assistant Team Manager, or Advanced Practitioner experience within Children's Social Care
• Strong knowledge of: Children Looked After statutory responsibilities, Care Planning Regulations, Permanence Planning, Special Guardianship Orders (SGO), Care Order discharge processes, Court work and legal proceedings, Safeguarding and risk management
• Experience chairing multi‑agency meetings and providing management oversight
• Ability to quality assure assessments and reports to a high standard
• Social Work England registration
• Full UK Driving Licence

If you are an experienced Children's Social Care Team Manager with a strong background in Children Looked After services, permanency planning, SGO progression, and care order discharge work, we would love to hear from you.

This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. A DBS check may be applicable for this role, applicants are required to declare any cautions and convictions that are not protected under current filtering rules.