Team Manager - Fostering

An exciting opportunity has arisen for the role of Fostering Team Manager with Northamptonshire Children’s Trust post approval fostering support team

As the Team Manager, you will be responsible for managing the post approval team within the fostering service to develop and deliver high quality support to foster carers and the children and young people in their care in line with the appropriate regulatory and legal frameworks, building on the progress already made in achieving the Ofsted judgement of GOOD in January 2024.

You will be pivotal in maintaining collaborative working relationships with colleagues within the Children’s Trust, foster carers and partner agencies to ensure that all children in our care are well supported to maximise their life chances.
Our benefitsWe are committed to continuous improvement, building a skilled, knowledgeable, and flexible workforce alongside promoting innovation and creativity whilst keeping children, young people and families at the heart of all we do.

We really value our workforce and offer you a great benefits package including:

2 Day Induction Programme
2 days Signs of Safety training (social care colleagues)
Extensive Learning & Development and career development opportunities
Flexible and family working arrangements including enhanced maternity benefits
A permanent, supportive and inclusive management team where you will be empowered to make good professional decisions
Local government Pension Scheme
Heavily subsidised town centre car parking scheme
Employee Discount Scheme
28 days’ annual leave, plus 8 Bank Holidays (pro rata for part time) and an additional 5 days, after 5 years’ service
Opportunity to purchase up to 25 days
Employee Assistance Programme
Monthly quality supervision
SWE Registration paid yearly (social care colleagues)

What will you be doing?As a fostering Team Manager, you will be responsible for overseeing the day-to-day delivery of the work of the post approval support provided to foster carers and the children and young people in their care.

You will be providing line management supervision and support to practice managers social workers and family support workers within the team to ensure the promotion of foster carer recruitment and retention.

You will maintain an oversight of practice standards and compliance using case auditing and monitoring of service KPI’s and work collaboratively with the service manager to develop and improve practice in line with the service plan.

You will work with the service manager to review and develop practice and policy within the fostering service in line with changes to regulation and legislation and in response to local and national developments including learning from research.
About youWe are looking for someone who is passionate about developing and delivering high quality services for Children, Young People, and their Families. You will have a creative and flexible approach that will support the service as we move forward.

You will have experience of supporting staff and stakeholders through change and have a commitment to maintaining a culture in which staff feel supported and involved in practice development.

We are looking for someone who can develop and maintain respectful, collaborative working relationships with key stakeholders.

You will have had previous experience of working and managing within a social care setting including within fostering services and as such a working knowledge of the Fostering Regulations, NMS and the legislative framework within which fostering services operate.

Previous experience of working within an IFA alongside a Children’s Trust would be beneficial but is not essential.

You will be a qualified social worker registered with social work England
About usNorthamptonshire Children’s Trust was established in November 2020 to deliver Children’s Services to the newly established North and West Northants County Councils. The Trust is wholly owned and funded but operationally independent from the Councils; this provides the organisation with unique opportunities to explore new ways of working and to be more agile and adaptable in its approach to service delivery. We are developing a culture that allows the very highest quality of professional practice to flourish and evolve, delivering at the cutting edge of new innovation. 

Closing date for applications is 25th March 2024.

Interviews will be held at One Angel Square, NN1 1ED on 16th April 2024.