Team Manager - Children in Care, Mid Essex
Secondment opportunity / Fixed term contract, 12 months
Full Time, 37 hours per week
£54,001 to £66,899 per annum
Location: Chelmsford
Working Style:
Closing Date: 7th December 2025
Here in Essex, we continue to raise the bar about practice and our investment in our workforce is second to none. It’s an exciting time to join us. Not only have we been named Outstanding by Ofsted. We are also delighted and at the same time humbled to have been crowned Social Work Employer of the Year for the second time in the last three years!
Children and Families is recognised as a service in which social work can develop and prosper, with a culture of collaboration, integrity and compassion; promoting development and wellbeing of children, young people and their families; protecting them from neglect and abuse. Working together with partners delivering a range of early help, family support and effective social work interventions which build resilience, remove barriers and enable children and young people to look forward to a brighter future.
The Team Manager leads team, developing and promoting capabilities and holding them accountable for performance and delivering improvements. Working with the Service Manager, contributing to the development of strategy and ensuring a service which adapts responsively to change.
With proven ability to focus on results, develop innovative solutions and build strong working relationships, this leader will possess a deep understanding of working in a challenging social and financial environment.
Children in Care (CIC)
Our Children in Care teams work with children and young people up to the age of 18 who are in care – those who are either placed with foster carers or who live in residential homes. They work with the children and young people to ensure their experiences.
The role
1. Lead a team of social workers to deliver a high-quality professional service with positive outcomes.
2. Accountable for individual performance, quality assurance, resources and budgets.
3. Accountable for the practice of social workers within the team, providing professional and practice supervision, using available tools to address underperformance and coaching to enhance the quality of the practice.
4. Responsible for development of individuals to maximise the capability and performance across the team.
5. Responsible for the oversight and quality assurance of a range of social work reports and court statements.
6. Responsible for responding to complaints and other feedback from service users in accordance with policy and in a way that fosters positive relationships.
7. Lead inter-agency collaborative working, where a social work perspective is used to inform and drive decision making. Establishing and developing effective approaches to integrated working with partners, communities and the voluntary sector, to achieve successful outcomes for service users.
8. Develop the training and tactical service delivery plan for the team.
9. Use expertise and professional knowledge to provide advice and guidance for complex cases in line with legislative and organisational standards.
10. Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.
The Experience You Will Bring
11. A recognised social work qualification. Diploma, degree or master’s in social work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent, with current registration with Social Work England as a registered social worker.
12. Evidence of continuing professional development, aligned to any relevant Professional Competency/Capability frameworks or Knowledge and Skills Statements.
13. Significant experience within a Social Care setting with evidence of challenging social and family situations.
14. Experience of supervision of Social Work students and/or newly qualified Social Workers, possessing strong leadership and behavioural skills, with the ability to forge a highly performing and motivated team from diverse backgrounds, to deliver local objectives and work to required professional standards.
15. Developing strong relationships with partners, other agencies and the local community to achieve joint objectives and offer a supportive framework for children and their families.
16. Recognise the financial implications of care packages commissioned.
17. Evidence of clear decision making in order to highlight and limit the potential risks associated with intervention.
18. Knowledge of relevant legislation and experience of legal processes including care proceedings
Why Essex?
As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.
In February 2025, Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about
, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.
The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wider operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, transporting service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency. Driving licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential.
Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.
If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join
If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please
Follow us on,, and. Further details can be found on our .
Downloads
| | |