Group Manager - Children in Care and Leaving Care Service
37 hours per week – 2 year fixed term post. PO19 – £56,724 – £60,049, includes market factor of £3,000.
This is a new and exciting role of Group Manager for the Children In Care and Leaving Care Service. It is a management position combining responsibilities for Children in Care and Leaving Care Teams. The post holder will focus on permanency planning for children and young people, reunification home and step down from residential care.
Key duties include:
* Leadership and Management – Providing management, supervision, and support to Team Managers.
* Permanency Planning – Ensuring all young people have an appropriate permanency plan which supports them to return to their family or wider support networks where appropriate.
* Statutory Compliance – Overseeing the timely and effective delivery of all statutory duties relating to Children in Care and Leaving Care.
* Strategic role in multi‑agency practice development. Supporting Team Managers to monitor multi-agency care plans/pathway plans, improve multi-agency relationships, challenge poor practice, and, if necessary, escalating unresolved concerns to appropriate leaders.
* Performance Monitoring – Analysing performance data and service feedback to identify areas for improvement and reporting these to senior managers and corporate parenting boards.
* Representing the Service & Senior Leadership Functions – Deputising for the Head of Service, contributing to corporate parenting strategy and responding to complaints at a senior level.
* Quality Assurance – Using QA data to influence service-wide practice, contributing to preparation for OFSTED inspections and embedding learning from audits, complaints, inspections and reviews.
* Policy Development & Systems Leadership – Responsibility for developing new policy and procedures.
* Risk & Safeguarding Leadership – Managing complex and high risk cases escalated to Group Manager level and chairing/adjudicating complex multi-agency meetings.
Qualifications and experience:
The role is a specialist one that requires a qualified social worker with substantial post‑qualification experience and a thorough knowledge of the legal and statutory framework governing children’s social care in the UK.
Benefits:
* Competitive salaries and a fantastic leave package – starting at 24 days, rising to 32 days with service, plus 8 bank holidays and an extra concessionary day to enjoy.
* Flexible working & career progression.
* Local Government Pension Scheme.
* Staff discounts & salary sacrifice perks.
* Free parking & confidential wellbeing support.
* Hybrid working model – whether you're in the office or working from home we support a balance that fits your personal and family commitments.
We believe great services start with great people – and that means building a workforce that reflects our community. At Telford & Wrekin Council, everyone belongs, and every voice matters.
Roles involving children or vulnerable adults will require a criminal records check. It is an offence to apply if you are barred from working with these groups.
Please note: We do not hold a sponsorship licence for visas.
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