At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and innovate in children's care, ensuring quality and compliance across services.
- Company: Cheshire East, dedicated to building a humane and ambitious children's service.
- Benefits: 34 days annual leave, flexible working, green car scheme, and enhanced pension.
- Other info: Join a supportive workplace that values your contributions and well-being.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in children's lives while shaping the future of care.
- Qualifications: Qualified social worker with senior leadership experience in regulated services.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
Together at Cheshire East we’re building something special, a children’s service that is ambitious, humane and built to last. To realise this ambition, we are seeking exceptional Heads of Service, Senior leaders who want to make a real, lasting difference and help shape the future.
We have an exciting opportunity for a Head of Service – Caring for Children – Regulated Services, based at Delamere House, Crewe. This is where the quality of care becomes tangible — in the homes we run, the foster carers we support, the kinship arrangements we build, and the young people who call these places theirs.
About the Role
You’ll serve as the Responsible Individual across Cheshire East's in-house fostering, residential homes, supported accommodation, kinship and SGO services — holding personal accountability for regulatory compliance, inspection readiness and safeguarding excellence across every setting. With a large net budget, this is a role of significant scope, financial responsibility and strategic importance.
You'll lead Cheshire East's sufficiency strategy — developing a diverse range of local, high-quality placement options that reduce reliance on costly out-of-area provision and give children the chance to grow up near the people and places they know. You'll strengthen the kinship and SGO offer, roll out the National House Project, and drive the Mockingbird model in fostering — all underpinned by a whole-service commitment to restorative, therapeutic, relationship-based care.
In a Families First system, regulated services do not operate in isolation. You'll lean into locality working, support smooth transitions between teams, and ensure that the children in our care experience the same coherent, relational approach whether they are in a foster family, a residential home or supported accommodation. You'll build and sustain a skilled, stable, compassionate residential and fostering workforce because the quality of care depends entirely on the people delivering it.
- Responsible Individual - Personal accountability for all Ofsted-regulated services, outstanding practice, inspection readiness and statutory compliance.
- Sufficiency Strategy - Building local, diverse placement options, reducing drift and out-of-area placements through strategic investment and innovation.
- Kinship and SGO - Strengthening family networks and kinship pathways so more children can remain within their own communities.
- National House Project - Pioneering therapeutic residential models and bringing nationally proven programmes to life in Cheshire East.
The successful candidate will bring:
- Qualified social worker registered with Social Work England
- Senior leadership experience across regulated services — fostering, residential, supported accommodation
- Previous experience or strong knowledge of the Responsible Individual role
- Deep knowledge of fostering, residential and supported accommodation regulations
- Track record in sufficiency planning and workforce development
- Commitment to restorative, therapeutic, trauma-informed care
To arrange a confidential conversation about this post prior to application, please contact Karen Potts (executive assistant to Dawn Godfrey, Executive Director Children’s Service) on 01270 686275 or karen.pott2@cheshireeast.gov.uk.
In return we are able to offer:
- Enhanced annual leave - Start with an impressive 34 days of annual leave (including bank holidays) from day one, and watch it grow to 39 days after just five years of service
- Purchase of annual leave – Want more time off? You can purchase up to 10 extra days of annual leave each year, giving you the flexibility to balance work and life just the way you want (Pro-rata for part-time staff)
- Flexible working pattern - Enjoy a 37-hour standard full-time work week with the added perks of flexi-time and hybrid/remote working arrangements where possible. Your work-life balance just got a whole lot better
- Salary sacrifice green car scheme - Drive green and save green! Lease a brand-new electric or hybrid car through our salary sacrifice scheme. There’s no credit checks, no deposits, just significant savings and exclusive offers on a three-year lease
- White goods salary sacrifice scheme - Upgrade your home with ease. Purchase home and electronic items through our salary sacrifice scheme, spreading the cost of big-ticket purchases like appliances, computers, and tech gadgets directly from your salary
- Enhanced public pension - Secure your future with our career average pension, where contributions are built at a rate of 1/49th of your yearly pensionable pay
- Cycle to work scheme - Save up to 25-39% on the retail price of bikes and safety equipment through Income Tax and National Insurance savings. Get fit and save money!
- Employee assistance programme - Access a completely free and confidential assistance service to help manage, reduce, and overcome life’s challenges, both at work and in your personal life
- Discounted gym membership - Stay active and healthy with corporate membership prices for Everybody Leisure, including Gym, Swim and Group Fitness at all 16 facilities, Off-Peak Racket Sport, Athletics Track, Sauna/Steam/Spa
Join us and experience a workplace that truly values and supports you!
Executive Head of Children’s Care & Fostering in Crewe employer: Cheshire East
At Cheshire East, we are dedicated to creating a nurturing and innovative environment for our employees, particularly in the role of Executive Head of Children’s Care & Fostering. With exceptional benefits such as enhanced annual leave, flexible working patterns, and a strong commitment to employee growth through training and development, we foster a culture that prioritises well-being and professional advancement. Join us in making a meaningful impact on the lives of children while enjoying a supportive workplace that values your contributions.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Executive Head of Children’s Care & Fostering in Crewe
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the children's care sector and let them know you're on the lookout for opportunities. A friendly chat can lead to insider info about roles that might not even be advertised yet.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the organisation thoroughly. Understand their values, recent projects, and challenges they face. This will help you tailor your responses and show that you're genuinely interested in making a difference.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your pitch! Be ready to explain how your experience aligns with the role of Executive Head of Children’s Care & Fostering. Highlight your leadership skills and commitment to restorative, therapeutic care — it’s what they’re looking for!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who take the initiative to engage directly with us.
We think you need these skills to ace Executive Head of Children’s Care & Fostering in Crewe
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion:When writing your application, let your passion for children's care and fostering shine through. We want to see how much you care about making a difference in the lives of young people.
Tailor Your Experience:Make sure to highlight your relevant experience in regulated services. We’re looking for specific examples that demonstrate your leadership skills and knowledge of fostering regulations.
Be Clear and Concise:Keep your application clear and to the point. We appreciate well-structured responses that get straight to the heart of your qualifications and vision for the role.
Apply Through Our Website:Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity.
How to prepare for a job interview at Cheshire East
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you have a solid understanding of the regulations and standards that govern fostering and residential care. Brush up on your knowledge of the Responsible Individual role and be ready to discuss how you’ve navigated compliance and inspection readiness in your previous roles.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your senior leadership experience, especially in regulated services. Think about times when you’ve successfully led teams, developed workforce strategies, or implemented innovative solutions to improve care quality.
✨Emphasise Your Commitment to Care
Be ready to talk about your dedication to restorative, therapeutic, and trauma-informed care. Share specific instances where you’ve made a real difference in children’s lives, and how you plan to continue this work in the new role.
✨Ask Thoughtful Questions
Prepare insightful questions that show your genuine interest in Cheshire East's vision for children's services. Inquire about their sufficiency strategy, kinship pathways, or how they measure success in their care models. This will demonstrate your strategic thinking and commitment to the role.
