Team Manager (Stage 2 Assessment And Support) in Southampton

Are you looking for a challenging and diverse role working as part of a friendly and supportive team, with an opportunity to make a real difference? We are looking for a Team Manager to join our dynamic and innovative Regional Adoption Agency and help us make a positive difference to adoptive families across our region. We provide supportive thorough assessments of prospective adopters in a timely way. As an Adoption Service we are child-centred and ensure that our support is bespoke to our adoption families. We strive to ensure our prospective adopters are skilled to provide for the needs of our children and provided with essential support throughout their adoption journey.

As one of the Stage 2 assessment and support Team Managers, you will be responsible for shaping and defining how we support our families through assessment and the placing of a child within the family. We are looking for an inspiring and passionate Team Leader who will work with their team to develop new approaches and processes, ensuring that families are assessed thoroughly and receive high-quality support and advice throughout the adoption process. We require a team manager to ensure that we can offer families the best outcome that meets their needs efficiently.

You’ll use a strengths-based approach to ensure assessments focus on potential adopters' abilities, resources, resilience, and motivation to adopt. With substantial post-qualifying experience in children’s social work you’ll have knowledge of adoption and the needs of children requiring permanence. You’ll have excellent assessment skills and will apply your professional knowledge to transform outcomes for individuals, relatives and carers, whilst facilitating effective multi-agency solutions. At the same time, you’ll have the opportunity to gather feedback from service users and use your voice to enhance the way we think and work.

You’ll have proven management experience and exceptional communication skills, with the ability to relate to all different kinds of people. A good understanding of Child Protection legislation is important to the role, as is the motivation to grow through personal and professional development. Above all, you will be determined to make a difference for both the service and the children who need it.

What we’re looking for:

• A qualified and experienced social worker with substantial post-qualifying experience in children’s social work and a sound understanding of adoption, permanence planning, and safeguarding.
• Ability to apply a strengths-based approach, recognising and building on the abilities, resilience, support networks, and motivation of prospective adopters.
• Skilled in completing high-quality assessments, analysing complex information, and making evidence-based recommendations to support positive outcomes for children.
• Strong knowledge of Child Protection legislation, statutory guidance, and adoption regulations.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage effectively with children, families, prospective adopters, colleagues, and partner agencies.
• Experience of working collaboratively within multi-agency environments to achieve the best outcomes for children and families.
• Commitment to listening to and learning from service user feedback to continuously improve practice and service delivery.
• A reflective practitioner who is motivated to develop professionally, embrace learning opportunities, and contribute positively to team and organisational development.
• Strong organisational and IT skills, with the ability to maintain accurate, timely, and high-quality records and reports.
• Passionate about achieving permanence and improving the lives of children through high-quality adoption practice.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a passionate and experienced team dedicated to finding safe, stable, and loving homes for children who need permanence. You’ll work in a supportive environment where professional curiosity, strengths-based practice, and innovation are encouraged. We are committed to helping our staff thrive through high-quality supervision, ongoing learning and development opportunities, and a strong focus on wellbeing. If you are passionate about making a difference and want to play a key role in transforming children's lives through adoption, we'd love to hear from you.

Our benefits package includes details of the holiday entitlement, pension scheme, flexi-time scheme and family friendly policies. We offer a flexible, motivating and inclusive workplace. We have created an environment that you can look forward to being a part of, where you are empowered to be your best and a workplace built on teamwork where people can grow and develop in their roles.

Our working pattern will include working outside of 8.30am - 5pm but with TOIL gained and may occasionally include weekend work. Hampshire County Council is recognised nationally as one of the highest performing local authorities in the UK. A modern, forward-looking local authority, it offers a pleasant, supportive, and collaborative working environment. Hampshire County Council is also a flexible employer interested in making the most of your skills and offers a great work life balance.

This post is subject to a Criminal Records Check. As such, please note that under safer recruitment requirements for Children’s Services, references will be requested prior to interview.

Hampshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect this commitment.

In order to combat discrimination, no unnecessary conditions or requirements will be applied which could have a disproportionately adverse effect on any one group. All sections of the population will have equal access to jobs. No applicant or employee will receive less favourable treatment because of age, disability, gender reassignment, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marriage or civil partnership and pregnancy or maternity, unless a Genuine Occupational Requirement (GOR) applies.

We are a Disability Confident Employer - committed to ensuring that our recruitment and selection process is inclusive and accessible.