Team Manager - Kinship

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Team Manager to manage our kinship 1 team and shape the vision of kinship care in Hertfordshire. We are raising the profile of kinship care and are looking for someone with the drive and commitment to lead our kinship service and enable children to live in stable homes within their family network. The postholder will work closely with social care teams across children’s services to ensure children have the right care plan in place at the earliest opportunity. You will also link with partner agencies across health, education, and housing.

The kinship teams are made of qualified social workers and children’s practitioners, and a children's information officer all of whom you will be responsible for. The teams are well established and motivated to get the best outcomes for children.

Key elements of the role are:

• Management of kinship 1 team.
• Attendance at fostering panel.
• Assessments of kinship carers including special guardianship assessments and kinship fostering assessments, and private fostering assessments.
• Development of support services for kinship foster carers, special guardianship carers and private foster carers and children.
• Supervision and support of kinship foster carers ensuring national minimum standards are met.
• Contribution to wider service developments.
• Performance management including oversight of service performance, data and resource management.
• Financial oversight of a range of budgets as well as financial agreements linked to special guardianship and fostering allowances.
• Work with colleagues across children’s services to keep children within their family network where it is safe to do so.

About You

Essential

• Social work qualified and registered with Social Work England.
• Supervision and management experience.
• Experience and awareness of the processes involved in assessing and supporting kinship carers.
• A sound understanding of kinship care (including special guardianship, kinship foster care and private fostering) and current developments.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Budget management skills.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Ability to develop the support offer for a diverse community of carers.
• Visionary leadership skills.
• Full driving licence and access to a vehicle for work purposes.

Desirable

• Experience of working with kinship carers at management level.
• Experience of working in a fostering service at management level.
• Experience of assessment and family safeguarding.

This is a challenging and rewarding opportunity to shape the future of kinship services in Hertfordshire as we continue our journey of developing our services to meet the needs of our kinship community.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Sharrone.Rogers@hertfordshire.gov.uk

Interview date: 2nd and 3rd July

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is Level 13.

Additional Information

Disability Confident

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Safeguarding

This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

Driving Required

You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

English Fluency

The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post.