Team Manager in North East

Do you want to lead a passionate team dedicated to supporting parents to achieve meaningful and sustainable change and help more children to remain safely within their birth families?

This is a rare and exciting opportunity for an experienced social worker who is committed to achieving positive outcomes for children and families and can demonstrate experience of supporting, supervising, and developing others within a practice setting.

WHAT IS INVOLVED?

Our Pre-Birth Team works closely with care leavers, young parents, and families who have previously been involved in care proceedings. By delivering intensive, relationship based intervention that supports parents to achieve meaningful and sustainable change the team help more children to remain safely within their birth families. Where this is not in the child’s best interest, the team works to find a permanent home for the child as early as possible utilising our early permanence procedures.

As Team Manager, you will lead and inspire this team of social workers, creating a positive culture where excellent practice can flourish. You will provide clear leadership, professional challenge and management oversight.

This post is eligible for a recruitment/retention allowance of £2,500 over 12 months (pro-rata for part time workers). Payments are made in equal instalments across a 12-month period alongside your pay. The allowances are subject to tax, National Insurance and pension contributions.

HOW CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Jacqui Allen by e-mail at jacqui.allen@durham.gov.uk

You can also find out more about social work in County Durham onourwebsite, and about our practice model “how we practice in Durham” in ourResource Library.

WHAT WILL I NEED?

• Significant experience of work with children, young people and families.
• Significant experience of identifying and responding to need and risk management
• The ability to build and maintain positive relationships with children, young people and families and other professionals
• A positive and Innovative approach to work

You can read more about the experience, skills and personal qualities we are looking for in the attached person specification.

If successful, you will be required to apply for a Disclosure and Barring Service Enhanced Disclosure.

OUR COMMITMENT TO SAFEGUARDING

Durham County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect all employees and volunteers to share this commitment. This role is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore if successful in your application, an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check will be sought inclusive of a check of the Children’s Barred List, due to the position working in regulated activity. Applicants should be aware that the DBS check will disclose both spent and unspent convictions, cautions, reprimands and warnings, in line with current legislation and will confirm whether an individual is barred from working with children, adults, or both.

INTERVIEWS

Interviews will be held on 30 September 2026.

We operate a guaranteed interview scheme for applicants that can show they meet all the essential criteria and have indicated they have a disability, are a looked after young person, care leaver or a veteran.

OUR OFFER TO YOU

We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable.

• attractive salaries
• a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service)
• membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme
• a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable

Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION

We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled and neurodivergent people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.