Service Manager - Social Work Services (Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children's Service)

Role Responsibility

Kent County Council’s Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking (UAS) Children’s Service provides accommodation and support to all newly arrived UAS children in Kent. The Service’s Social Work Services provide initial assessment and protection to all UAS children arriving to Kent. Recognised as Outstanding by Ofsted in 2022, the Service strives to become a nationally recognised centre of excellence in the initial protection and care of UAS children.

This is an exciting opportunity for an aspiring or current Service Manager to lead and manage the Social Work Services’ diverse staff group, who are committed to delivering high quality Social Work practice to UAS children. You will ensure timely assessment and placement of children upon arrival to Kent, with a clear focus on protection and the wider safeguarding agenda. You will provide professional leadership to shape initial assessment and services provided to children and work closely with the Assistant Director and Senior Management Team to improve and deliver services for UAS children across Kent.

Kent County Council is looking for an outstanding individual who is committed to providing a first-class service to UAS children. We are looking for someone with significant senior management experience in Children’s Services, with experience working to improve outcomes for looked after children. You will be able to evidence good leadership skills and a proven track record for delivering good outcomes for children. Above all, you’ll be focused on helping UAS children begin to navigate a pathway to resettlement in the UK.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure application to the Disclosure and Barring service and registration as a qualified Social Worker with Social Work England.

As part of the interview process for this role you may be required to complete additional testing.

Interviews are tentatively scheduled to take place on Friday, 18 April 2024 at Kroner House, Ashford. 

Candidates invited to interview will be required to deliver a presentation as part of the interview, which will need to be submitted to the panel ahead of time (details of the presentation topic will be shared directly with shortlisted candidates).