At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and inspire teams to improve outcomes for children and young people in Barnsley.
- Company: Join a supportive and inclusive workplace dedicated to making a difference.
- Benefits: Flexible working, professional development, and wellbeing support.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on children's lives while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Qualified social worker with leadership experience in Children's Services.
- Other info: Opportunities for continuous learning and career growth.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Want to find out more about working in Barnsley? Here are some reasons why you'll love it...
As a Service Manager, you will provide both strategic and operational leadership across defined areas of Children's Social Care and Integrated Services. In this role, you will:
- Lead, manage and inspire multiple teams, including managers and practitioners, promoting high quality, strengths based practice.
- Maintain professional oversight, risk management and high level decision making for Children in Need, Child Protection and those at risk of significant harm.
- Oversee service development, performance and resource management, ensuring services are safe, equitable and offer value for money.
- Drive multi agency collaboration with health, early years, education, and voluntary sector partners.
- Embed assessment and planning frameworks so children with additional needs receive timely, effective support.
- Represent the service in internal and external forums, influencing policy, system development and continuous improvement.
- Champion learning, development and innovation to build a skilled, confident and motivated workforce.
This is a highly influential role, suited to a confident and experienced leader who can balance strategic vision with strong practice oversight. Working in partnership across statutory and voluntary agencies, and closely with parents and carers, you will ensure children with disabilities and their families are engaged, listened to, and receive a timely, creative and individual response. Your focus will be firmly on achieving outcomes for children and young people, ensuring that all intervention is meaningful, proportionate, and rooted in best practice.
With a strong connection to frontline practice, you will help cultivate a culture where learning, reflection and high quality practice can thrive. You will promote continuous improvement through reflective supervision, strengths based approaches and evidence informed decision making. You will also play a central role in multi agency planning, strategic development and safeguarding decisions, ensuring that children in need of protection, at risk of harm or requiring care receive a coordinated, effective and responsive service.
About You
- You will be a qualified and registered social worker with significant leadership experience within Children's Services.
- An effective and inspiring manager with a proven record of driving improvement, managing change and developing high performing teams.
- Skilled in analysing information, using performance data, and making evidence informed decisions.
- Experienced in partnership working, with the ability to influence and collaborate across agencies.
- Knowledgeable about legislation, statutory responsibilities and inspection frameworks relevant to children, young people and families.
- Committed to safeguarding, quality assurance and delivering excellent outcomes.
- Able to work flexibly, including participation in the senior management on call rota.
We welcome applicants with strong values, ambition, and a genuine commitment to improving the lives of children and their families.
What We Offer
- A comprehensive induction, regular supervision and a strong culture of learning and development.
- Opportunities for CPD, leadership development and professional growth.
- A supportive, inclusive workplace where your contribution is valued.
- Flexible working arrangements.
- Access to a range of employee benefits and wellbeing support.
If you feel that you have the skills, knowledge and experience to join us and work with us to achieve positive outcomes for our children, young people and families in Barnsley then we'd love to hear from you.
If you would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact Nicole Harris, Head of Service – nicoleharris@barnsley.gov.uk
Service Manager – Children & Young People’s Team in Barnsley employer: Children's Social Work Matters
Contact Detail:
Children's Social Work Matters Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Service Manager – Children & Young People’s Team in Barnsley
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the field, attend local events, and connect with professionals on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the organisation and its values. Understand their approach to children's services and think about how your experience aligns with their goals. This will help you stand out as a candidate who truly gets what they’re about.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice your responses to common interview questions, especially those related to leadership and safeguarding. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers and showcase your skills effectively.
✨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 are proactive and engaged with our mission to improve the lives of children and families.
We think you need these skills to ace Service Manager – Children & Young People’s Team in Barnsley
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to reflect the specific skills and experiences that match the Service Manager role. Highlight your leadership experience and how you've driven improvements in children's services.
Showcase Your Passion: Let your enthusiasm for working with children and young people shine through. Share examples of how you've made a positive impact in previous roles, and why you're committed to improving lives in Barnsley.
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use clear language to describe your qualifications and experiences, making it easy for us to see why you’re the right fit for the team.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to submit your application through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates about your application.
How to prepare for a job interview at Children's Social Work Matters
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you’re well-versed in the key responsibilities of a Service Manager in Children’s Services. Brush up on relevant legislation, statutory responsibilities, and the latest best practices in safeguarding and child protection. This will show that you’re not just interested in the role, but that you’re also knowledgeable and ready to hit the ground running.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples of how you’ve successfully led teams and driven improvements in previous roles. Think about specific situations where you inspired your team or managed change effectively. This is your chance to demonstrate your ability to cultivate a high-performing workforce and promote a culture of learning and development.
✨Be Ready for Scenario Questions
Expect to be asked how you would handle various scenarios related to children in need or safeguarding issues. Practice articulating your thought process and decision-making skills in these situations. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your responses clearly and effectively.
✨Engage with Multi-Agency Collaboration
Since this role involves working with various partners, be prepared to discuss your experience in partnership working. Highlight any successful collaborations you’ve been part of and how you influenced outcomes across agencies. This will show that you understand the importance of teamwork in achieving positive results for children and families.