Service Manager – Children’s Social Care
Ealing Council is recruiting a Service Manager to lead a new, cohesive cohort of Service Managers across the Front Door Family Pathways and Family Help Service. The role is full‑time and central to strengthening children’s social care reform, early help, safeguarding pathways and ensuring families receive the right help at the right time from the right professionals.
Responsibilities
- Lead the day‑to‑day delivery of statutory and non‑statutory children’s social care services, ensuring children are safeguarded and supported effectively.
- Provide clear leadership and oversight to Team Managers, ensuring high‑quality supervision, consistent standards and professional development.
- Make and oversee timely, proportionate and defensible safeguarding decisions at points of referral, assessment, escalation and closure.
- Drive continuous service improvement through audit, performance data, learning and reflective practice.
- Embed relationship‑based, trauma‑informed, strengths‑based approaches, including effective responses to adolescent risk and extra familial harm.
- Strengthen multi‑agency working with police, health, education, voluntary and community partners.
- Play an active role in children’s social care reform, strengthening Family Help, early intervention and effective front‑door pathways in line with national expectations.
- Contribute to service planning, workforce development, budget management and inspection readiness.
- Deputise for the Head of Service as required and provide cross‑service leadership cover.
- Work as part of a collective Service Manager cohort, reporting to a Head of Service and contributing to a supportive, high‑challenge senior management culture.
Qualifications
- Recognised social work qualification (Degree / DipSW / CQSW or equivalent) and registration with Social Work England.
- Significant post‑qualification experience in children’s social care.
- Proven experience as a Team Manager or Service Manager, with responsibility for statutory services.
- Strong track record of leading teams, managing performance and improving practice.
- In‑depth knowledge of children’s legislation, statutory guidance and safeguarding frameworks.
- Experience of multi‑agency working and partnership leadership.
- Confidence in leading change, managing risk and making sound professional judgements.
- Clear commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, staff wellbeing and workforce development.
All posts are subject to an enhanced DBS check. Ealing Council values diversity and welcomes applications from people of all backgrounds. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where everyone feels respected and supported. We are an equal‑opportunity employer.
