Head of Children and Family Services in Bridgend

The job requirements are detailed below. Where applicable the skills, qualifications and memberships required for this job have also been included.

Job details

Job category/type Early Years and Childcare

Date posted 03/11/2026

Job reference 19338

Few roles offer the opportunity to make such a profound difference to the lives of children, young people and families. In Bridgend, we are committed to ensuring that every child has the best possible start in life, is safe from harm, and is supported to achieve their full potential. Our approach is rooted in early intervention, prevention, strengths-based practice, and working alongside families to build resilience and sustain positive outcomes.

We are proud of our Children and Family Services workforce, who work to safeguard and support children, young people and families across the county borough. We are a well supported and performing children and family services and well placed to continue to improve, which has been recognised by Care Inspectorate Wales ‘’ BCBC leaders have consistently prioritised children’s services, to support sustained and timely improvements. This has significantly strengthened the quality and delivery of social services functions’’.

As a Council, we are determined to protect vulnerable children, support strong families and communities, and deliver excellent services that improve outcomes and life chances. As our new Head of Children and Family Services, you will be a key member of the leadership team, working closely with colleagues across the Council and with partners in education, health, the police, the third sector, and regional and national organisations.

You will provide strategic leadership for children's social care and family support services, driving the delivery of our priorities and ensuring continuous improvement in prevention and early intervention, safeguarding, care planning, performance, and outcomes. This role requires an experienced professional leader with the ability to inspire our workforce, sustain high quality strength based practice, drive innovation and transformation, and deliver excellent services.

You will bring a strong values-based approach, a track record of delivering sustainable improvement, and a commitment to putting children and families at the centre of decision-making. You will be highly skilled in leading a diverse multi-professional workforce, building effective partnerships and leading system-wide collaboration to respond to the of children, young people and families.

Bridgend offers a strong platform on which to build. We have a talented and committed workforce, supportive elected members, strong partnerships, and a determination to continuously improve outcomes for children and young people.

You must be able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the legislative, policy and practice landscape affecting children and family services. You will be a professional social worker with a deep appreciation of the opportunities and challenges facing children and family services and a clear vision for how early help, prevention, family support and effective statutory intervention can work together to improve outcomes.

We want to hear from individuals with a track record of strength based practice, strengthening family networks within communities, reducing the need for statutory intervention wherever possible, improving the experiences of children in care and care leavers, and ensure that every child and young person in Bridgend is supported to thrive. Through your strategic leadership, you will drive excellence in practice, foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement, and lead effective partnerships that deliver meaningful and lasting change for children, young people and families.

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