Fostering Team Manager

Fostering Team Manager

Full Time – Permanent

About Us

Redbridge Council fostering service is going through some exciting changes.  We are seeking a Team Manager, to support the changes and development of the service.

As a team manager, you will be responsible for ensuring that legislative, regulatory, national minimum standards and are met.

The Team Manager will be responsible for managing 2 teams undertaking supervision of mainstream and kinship foster carers and the recruitment and assessment service. They will also supervise two Practice Managers and the Fostering Recruitment, Engagement and Development Officer.

Each team consists of a practice manager, supervising social workers and Assessment Social Workers.  The team manager will provide direct supervision to the Practice Managers, oversee the development of the service which includes, foster carer recruitment, reviews, assessments, referrals and placements, foster carer learning and development of our fostering panel.

The team manager will also work closely with other colleagues both within children services and our external partners.

About You

Ideally you will have experience in achieving performance targets and developing services to meet organisational objectives. You will be a strong written and verbal communicator with good IT skills and a flexible and adaptable approach.

• To supervise a team ensuring that high standards are maintained and are compliant with legislation and policies, within agreed timescales. To work closely with the Fostering, Adoption & CWD service manager to achieve this and deputise on their behalf if required.
• To ensure the development of fostering panel is maintained at a high standard to ensure efficient fostering panel scheduling.
• To be a member of the Management Team and contribute to strategic planning for the Redbridge Council Fostering Service.
• To keep abreast of developments in the field of fostering, adoption and Special Guardianship care.
• Being accountable for the direction, delivery, and performance of the team.
• Ensure integrated practice is embedded to improve outcomes for children, young people, and families in the community.
• Maintain and grow key relationships with several stakeholders including Children and Families senior management team, external partners and agencies, local people, community groups, national professional bodies, and internal partners.

The successful candidate will join a welcoming team where they will have access to regular supervision, appraisal and continued professional development and will have the ability to work alongside the current Fostering Social Workers to drive the continuous development and evolution of the service.

We will offer an excellent package of bespoke training to ensure your professional development is maintained to a high standard.

If you have the ambition, we have the commitment and resources to help you achieve it.

We are a small team and it is essential that we get the right person for this role, so although relevant experience and qualifications are a given, the right attitude is a must.

If this sounds like you, then please get in touch. It is essential that:

• You hold a fully accredited DipSW/Social Work degree (equivalent to Level 6 NQF), are registered with Social Work England.
• You have a minimum of 4 years post-qualification experience in Children’s Social Care.
• Exemplary experience of complex case management including purposeful evidence-based interventions, analytical assessments and the highest quality of written work.
• You can demonstrate experience of case presentation within a Court, multi-agency case conference and statutory panel context.
• You can demonstrate a detailed knowledge and understanding of legislation and statutory guidance, Knowledge and Skills Framework for Child and Family Social Work and a range of social work interventions, methodologies and best practice.
• You can apply your specialist knowledge in childcare legislation, the Looked After Children system and Child Protection to plan and deliver a range of complex activities providing effective outcomes for children, young people and their families.
• High levels of experience and expertise in providing supervision of both casework and support of the emotional well-being of staff members Experience of coaching, mentoring and developing the skills and knowledge of others.
• You will have the ability to lead, motivate and support others (workers, colleagues and partners) in dealing with more complex, sensitive and potentially distressing/controversial issues and service users with challenging needs and/or behaviours.
• You have excellent communication and negotiation skills and the ability to deal with complex issues in a sensitive and appropriate way and can build rapport and relationships with children, their families/carers, your colleagues and other agencies.
• You embrace partnership working and understand the benefit of working closely with all professionals who contribute to the lives of children, young people and families.
• Able to effectively plan resources and be flexible in making changes as required.
• You can set and monitor performance targets to push forward continual improvements in the service, manage often conflicting demands and work effectively under pressure.
• You are committed to doing everything possible to achieve the best for all children, young people and families.
• You have a commitment to the highest of practice standards and continuing your professional development.  
• A Practice Learning qualification is desirable.

About Our Offer

Our commitment to you:

• A team with strong relationships, that is friendly and supportive.
• Good relationships with support from other services, agencies and external partners, working together for the good benefit of the children.
• A Leadership Team that has committed to drive the transformation journey of the service and who care about the job you do and the families you support. An ethos to reduce the demand for Social Work intervention by strengthening support to non-statutory placements.
• Ofsted Outstanding Children and Families Service.
• A strong and varied learning and professional development programme.
• Excellent links with local Universities with access to research and resources Flexible working options to help your life/work balance
• Competitive salary and benefits package.

This is a very exciting time to join our Fostering Service. Please check out the rest of the website for more information about who we are, our vision and what it is like to be part of our team.

Link Contact

If you would like to discuss the opportunity in more detail before applying, please contact Gloria Samuel at gloria.samuel@redbridge.gov.uk

To apply for this post please complete the online application form and attach your CV and a Covering Letter addressing how you meet the criteria for the role as stated in the person specification.

All short-listed applicants will need to demonstrate proof of right to work in the UK. At the London Borough of Redbridge, we receive a high volume of great-quality applicants, we therefore may close a vacancy earlier than advertised. Early applications are therefore encouraged.

We are committed to employment practices that promote diversity and inclusion in employment and welcome applications from qualified applicants regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sex, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity status, colour, race, religion, or belief.