Fostering Team Manager
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne (Hybrid working options available)
Salary: (N10)
Contract: Permanent, Full-time (37 hours per week)
Closing Date: 14 October 2025
About Newcastle and the role
Newcastle City Council is a fostering friendly employer, a UNICEF Child Friendly City, and a City of Sanctuary, committed to providing the highest quality of care to our children and families. We are seeking an experienced and child-centred fostering manager to supervise and inspire a team of supervising social workers and resource workers, within a service rated "Good" by Ofsted.
The fostering service is composed of four individual teams. As a team manager, you will be expected to work closely with colleagues in the management team to provide good quality supervision and support, empowering the teams to deliver excellent, relationship-based practice, provide appropriate care arrangements, and achieve the best possible outcomes for children and young people.
Your role and responsibilities
* Provide strong leadership, supervision, and guidance to a team of fostering workers.
* Oversee complex fostering caseloads, ensuring all work is compliant with statutory responsibilities, policies, and national minimum standards.
* Drive best practice in a supportive and reflective way, fostering a culture of continuous learning and professional development within the team.
* Ensure the effective assessment, training, and support of foster carers, maintaining high standards and meeting service targets.
* Provide high-quality management support for the service and contribute to service development.
* Collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary partners and partner agencies to support foster carers and the children in their care.
What we offer
* A supportive culture: Join a local authority where social workers and leaders are valued, supported, and heard.
* Comprehensive benefits: Enjoy a defined benefit pension scheme, flexible and hybrid working options, a generous flexi-time scheme, and an Employee Assistance Programme.
* Professional growth: We offer a dedicated 5-day induction and ongoing leadership training, development, and coaching opportunities.
* Generous leave: Newcastle City Council offers generous annual leave, with the option to buy more.
* Additional leave for employees who are also foster carers: As a Fostering Friendly Employer, the council provides up to five days of additional paid leave for fostering-related activities, such as attending training and settling in a new child.
What we are looking for
* A professional Social Work qualification (e.g., Degree in Social Work, DipSW, CQSW, or equivalent) and current registration with Social Work England.
* Significant post-qualifying experience in children’s social work, with demonstrable experience in fostering.
* Experience of managing, supervising, or mentoring social workers, preferably within a local authority setting.
* Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of relevant fostering regulations, legislation, and national minimum standards.
* A proven ability to lead and motivate a team, manage resources, and drive service improvements.
* A strong commitment to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people.
Ready to apply?
Interviews will take place week commencing 27 October 2025. For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Deborah Anderson at deborah.anderson@newcastle.gov.uk.
We are committed to protecting and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expect all staff to share this commitment. This post is working in regulated activity. If you are successful we will undertake additional recruitment checks which will include a check to see if you have had any criminal convictions, a check of police information and we will check the barred list(s). It is a criminal offence for a barred individual to apply for a job in regulated activity.
Apply online at, select 'Apply Now' and complete our online application form. Before completing the form please ensure you read the supporting documents. Any communication sent to you regarding your application will be sent to the email address you have set up on your Northeast Jobs account, so you will need to ensure that you check your inbox.