Post Ref: CC599
Please note: Internal, at risk, or redeployee applicants will be seen in the first instance.
Our Vision for Calderdale 2034 is simple but ambitious. We aspire to be a place where talent and enterprise can thrive. A place defined by our innate kindness and resilience, by how our people care for each other, can recover from setbacks and are full of hope. It is a place where every young person can reach their potential, and where people and communities care for and support each other. This means when families need support that they receive the right help at the right time to help them care for their children, supported by their family network.
When children do need to come into care, we want them to be in family placements including foster placements wherever possible and close to home to maintain links with their families and schools. We need their plans for permanence and their outcomes in life to be driven with high ambition.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced leader looking to help us deliver our vision and to make a positive impact on the lives of children and families. You will be joining an excellent children's service where there is a positive culture based on our relational, systemic practice, recognised by Ofsted and where staff support and wellbeing is a top priority.
Your role will lead excellent services including Fostering, Special Guardianship, Connected Care, Leaving Care and our Permanence, ensuring excellent and timely outcomes for our looked after children and care experienced young people. You will lead on the sufficiency of placements, driving the recruitment and retention of foster carers, working closely with our commissioning and external placements team to reduce our demand on external placements.
You will also be the strategic lead for our adoption work, working closely with One Adoption West Yorkshire. You will lead our bespoke therapeutic team.
You will need to be a qualified social worker with current Social Work England registration and an experienced manager of social workers including child protection work. You will need to have a good working knowledge of legislation relevant to children's social care and fostering. Calderdale children' services is graded Good with Ofsted and has a systemic model of practice within a positive, supportive culture where excellence can thrive.
If you have the relevant skills and qualities and want to work in a compassionate and caring organisation where you can make a real impact, we want to hear from you
For an informal discussion, please contact Helen Smith to organise this, on: or email at:
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expect all staff to share this commitment. Applicants to posts that are exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act will require a DBS from the Disclosure and Barring Service before the appointment is confirmed.
Closing Date: Sunday 12th October, 2025
Interview Date: TBC
We may utilise digital interview methods.
As part of our Vision ) we aim to be a talented, resilient and inclusive community. We welcome applications from all and offer a variety of flexible working / job share opportunities for both full and part time staff.
On 30 January 2019, the Council declared a climate emergency in a bold move to step up its action to tackle climate change.
Calderdale Council embraces the positive benefits of a diverse workforce and we are committed to providing an environment that is inclusive. We encourage applications from people who share our commitment to challenge inequality and promote diversity across Calderdale. We particularly welcome applications from communities that are currently under-represented in our organisation. All applications are anonymised before being seen by the selection panel.
For support on your application please read our Application Booklet or visit our Employment Hub.