3 Month Contract With A Local Authority
Role Purpose
We are seeking an experienced Team Manager / Independent Reviewing Officer (IRO) to provide sickness-cover management within our Supporting Families First service. This dynamic, multi-disciplinary team works directly with families identified as Children in Need (CIN) under Section 17 of the Children Act 1989, delivering intensive family support and safeguarding interventions.
Key Responsibilities
* Provide operational management and professional supervision to a multi-disciplinary CIN team.
* Ensure effective case allocation, workload management, and oversight of social work practice.
* Maintain high standards of performance, safeguarding, and statutory compliance.
* Fulfil IRO responsibilities, including chairing CIN reviews, quality assurance of plans, and escalation where necessary.
* Monitor the effectiveness of CIN and family support plans, ensuring children’s voices are central to decision-making.
* Provide critical challenge to practitioners to improve outcomes and reduce risk.
* Oversee complex CIN cases, ensuring risk assessments are robust and regularly reviewed.
* Ensure practice aligns with Section 17 responsibilities, Working Together guidance, and local safeguarding procedures.
* Promote safe, timely, and coordinated responses to emerging risks.
* Work collaboratively with health, education, police, early help, and voluntary services.
* Support the integrated approach offered by the Supporting Families First service.
* Strengthen partnerships to ensure coordinated, child-centred interventions.
* Drive continuous improvement and reflective learning within the team.
* Support staff training, coaching, and development in child protection, CIN processes, and family-led approaches.
* Ensure recording, decision-making, and casework reflect best practice standards.
* Contribute to service development initiatives and performance reporting.
* Maintain accurate, timely case notes and oversight records.
* Provide leadership cover as required across pods, ensuring service continuity.
Requirements
* Qualified Social Worker with registration (SWE).
* Strong experience working as a Team Manager, IRO, Deputy Team Manager, or Senior Practitioner within children’s services.
* Proven track record in CIN, safeguarding, and multi-disciplinary family support.
* Experience managing complex cases and providing high-quality supervision.
* In-depth knowledge of:
o The Children Act 1989, particularly Section 17
o CIN and CP pathways
o Working Together to Safeguard Children
o Safeguarding and multi-agency practice
* Ability to analyse risk, quality-assure plans, and drive improved outcomes.
* Strong leadership, communication, and organisational skills.
* Confident in chairing meetings, challenging practice, and escalating concerns appropriately.
* Ability to travel within Worcestershire across service pods.
* Flexible, resilient, and able to manage high-pressure environments.