Team Manager Fostering, Kinship & Recruitment

Position: Permanent Team Manager – Fostering, Kinship & Recruitment
Location: Southend-on-Sea

Southend City Council | Permanent | Full Time
Salary: £53,460 – £58,959 + retention incentives

🌟 About the Role

Southend City Council is looking for an experienced Team Manager to lead their Fostering, Kinship & Recruitment Team, a crucial service ensuring that children in care are matched with safe, nurturing placements.

This leadership role offers the opportunity to shape and deliver high-quality fostering services, supporting both children and carers while managing a dedicated team of social workers.

Responsibilities include:

* Managing and developing a team of social workers, fostering officers, and kinship staff

* Overseeing recruitment, assessment, and approval of foster carers and connected persons

* Ensuring high standards of safeguarding, compliance, and quality in all fostering and kinship work

* Supporting carers and children through assessments, training, and ongoing guidance

* Providing leadership on permanency planning, placement stability, and court work as required

* Implementing best practice, promoting equality, diversity, and inclusive approaches across the service

This role is perfect for a social work leader looking to make a real difference in the lives of children in care, while working in a supportive and progressive environment.

👤 About You

The ideal candidate will have:

* Qualified Social Worker with registration with Social Work England

* Proven leadership experience managing fostering, kinship, or children’s services teams

* Strong knowledge of statutory social work practice, safeguarding, and family law

* Experience in recruitment, assessment, and approval of foster carers

* Excellent communication, negotiation, and report-writing skills

* Commitment to relationship-based practice and positive outcomes for children

🎁 Benefits

* Retention incentives (as per Southend City Council policies)

* Generous annual leave and hybrid working options

* Supportive professional development and supervision

* Access to Southend City Council’s full benefits package including pension, wellbeing, and flexible working initiatives

* Opportunity to lead and innovate within a high-profile service

📩 Apply Now

If you are a dedicated social work leader with a passion for fostering, kinship, and recruitment, we want to hear from you. Join Southend City Council and help shape a future where every child in care has the opportunity to thrive