Find a job 
Featured Companies 
Featured Universities 
For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and improve social work services for children and families in Stockport.
- Company: Join Stockport Council, awarded MJ Local Authority of the Year 2025.
- Benefits: Enjoy hybrid working, competitive salary, and a supportive work environment.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on children's lives while working in a dynamic team.
- Qualifications: Must be a qualified social worker with leadership experience in children's social care.
- Other info: Commitment to diversity and inclusion; guaranteed interview for eligible candidates.
The predicted salary is between 58000 - 66000 £ per year.
Social network you want to login/join with:
Head of Service for Social Work Services and Practice Improvement (Children’s Social Care), Stockport
col-narrow-left
Client:
Location:
Stockport, United Kingdom
Job Category:
Other
–
EU work permit required:
Yes
col-narrow-right
Job Reference:
5825d9dee4dc
Job Views:
5
Posted:
12.08.2025
Expiry Date:
26.09.2025
col-wide
Job Description:
Head of Service for Social Work Services and Practice Improvement (Children’s Social Care)
MB1 (£66,760 – £75,712)
37 Hours, Full Time
Permanent
Stopford House. We do support hybrid working but it is expected you will spend the majority of your time in the office base.
Application Deadline: 25 August 2025, 11:59pm
Please be aware that we may close this vacancy early if a high volume of applications are received. We encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.
Shortlisting Date: 26 August 2025
Interview Date: w/c 1 September 2025
Interview Type: In Person. There will be an interview and a young person’s panel. A short presentation will be set prior to the interview and details provided after shortlisting.
While we embrace the use of AI as an innovative tool to maximise our services at Stockport Council, we are looking for authenticity in applications we receive. We therefore ask you to think carefully if choosing to use AI when completing your application and ask that you ensure you read all instructions carefully and that your application is written by you and reflects your skills, knowledge and enthusiasm.
Join us at Stockport Council MJ Local Authority of the Year 2025
Your Role
This is an exciting opportunity to join Stockport Family in a pivotal role as we take forward our plans to implement the children’s reforms and continue on our journey of improvement.
We are looking for a driven, experienced and child focused social work leader who will deliver excellent social work services to children and young people in children’s social care.
As head of service, you will join a stable and experienced leadership team who are all about creating the right conditions for best practice to flourish and to continually improve our services to children and families.
You will be responsible for providing strategic oversight and leading the delivery of statutory locality based social work services across child in need of help and protection, and children in care.
You will lead effective services, so children and young people get the right help, support and protection at the right time. Consistency and quality of practice, delivering on our statutory duties, being ready for inspection will be key areas of responsibility. You will line manage four service leaders (3 locality social work services and the children with disabilities service) and report to the director of children’s social care.
You will make sure the right conditions are in place for good quality practice to flourish, and the workforce is supported and enabled to do deliver best practice with children and families.
About You
We are looking for a leader who is:
- A qualified and registered social worker with extensive leadership experience in all aspects of practice within children\’s social care.
- Able to lead by example, demonstrating care, compassion, and respect in understanding the needs of children and families. Provides constructive challenge when necessary to uphold high expectations and standards of practice.
- Capable of analysing complex information, being responsive, and making decisions under pressure to achieve optimal outcomes for children and families.
- Understands what constitutes effective practice and fosters a strong leadership culture focused on performance and continuous improvement. Capable of translating strategic plans into tangible changes that benefit children and families.
- Proficient in building effective partnerships with agencies to meet the needs of children and improve their outcomes through integrated working.
- Committed to upholding the values and culture of Stockport Council and Stockport Family.
About Us
You will be joining a very stable and strong leadership team, within the integrated children’s services of Stockport Family, which bring together education, health and social care.
As a learning organisation, we embrace innovation and creativity. We are ambitious and driven to continually improve our services and will invest in your growth and development so you can contribute to our success.
Our practice framework is rooted in restorative, systemic and trauma informed practice. We have strong services which wrap around our social work teams to provide specialist advice, consultation and support to them, children and families.
With ongoing service restructuring to align with children\’s reforms, you\’ll join us at an exciting time, bringing your expertise to contribute to this transformation.
At Stockport Council we are one ambitious team on a mission to create opportunities for everyone who lives, works and spends time in the borough. Working at Stockport Council means contributing to one of the most thriving towns in the North. We’re keen to recruit people with the right values and behaviours that can help us ensure our workplace values are at the heart of everything we do.
We are proud to be recognised under the Good Employment Charter as an organisation committed to the wellbeing of our colleagues. As members of the charter, we have been recognised as a great place to work for all colleagues and pledge to pay the real living wage, engage staff in key decisions and endorse fair and flexible working conditions.
For an informal discussion about the role please contact [emailprotected] or [emailprotected]
The successful applicant’s appointment will be subject to satisfactory pre-employment clearances including a Disclosure and Barring Service check.
Stockport Council holds a Visa sponsorship licence but this can only be used for certain roles and this campaign does not currently qualify.
This post is politically restricted under the terms of the 1989 Local Government and Housing Act. This dictates that you must seek the council’s permission before taking up any additional appointments or positions
Please note that we have made a commitment to improve the employment opportunities for people with disabilities, care leavers and ex-military personnel. As part of the Guaranteed Assessment Scheme you will therefore be guaranteed an interview if you meet both the criteria for the scheme and the essential job role criteria.
Find out if you meet the criteria here: https://www.greater.jobs/our-guaranteed-assessment-scheme
If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme, please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application.
Privacy Notice
Follow our recruitment team on X, Instagram and Facebook for updates on our vacancies and recruitment events.
Stockport Council is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workforce culture – a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and communities to join our workforce.
We want our employees to have a good work life balance and in many job roles we can offer a range of flexible/hybrid working arrangements. We also have inclusive employment policies and staff engagement forums to support our diverse workforce. We will listen to, learn from, and develop our workforce.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Head of Service for Social Work Services and Practice Improvement (Children’s Social Care) employer: Stockport Council
Contact Detail:
Stockport Council Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Service for Social Work Services and Practice Improvement (Children’s Social Care)
✨Tip Number 1
Familiarise yourself with Stockport Council's values and culture. Understanding their commitment to wellbeing, diversity, and continuous improvement will help you align your leadership style with their expectations during the interview.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the young person’s panel by thinking about how you can engage with children and young people effectively. Consider examples from your past experience where you’ve made a positive impact on their lives.
✨Tip Number 3
Research recent developments in children's social care reforms. Being knowledgeable about current trends and challenges will demonstrate your commitment to improving services and your ability to lead change.
✨Tip Number 4
Network with professionals in the field of children's social care. Engaging with others can provide insights into best practices and may even lead to valuable connections that could support your application.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Service for Social Work Services and Practice Improvement (Children’s Social Care)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Understand the Role: Read the job description thoroughly to grasp the responsibilities and expectations of the Head of Service for Social Work Services and Practice Improvement. Tailor your application to highlight how your experience aligns with these requirements.
Showcase Leadership Experience: Emphasise your leadership skills and experience in children's social care. Provide specific examples of how you've led teams, improved services, or implemented strategic changes that benefited children and families.
Personalise Your Application: Make sure your application reflects your genuine passion for social work and your commitment to improving outcomes for children. Use personal anecdotes or experiences that demonstrate your understanding of the challenges faced in this field.
Prepare for the Interview: Since there will be an interview and a young person’s panel, prepare a short presentation as instructed. Think about how you can engage with both the panel and the young people, showcasing your communication skills and ability to connect with diverse audiences.
How to prepare for a job interview at Stockport Council
✨Understand the Role Thoroughly
Before the interview, make sure you have a deep understanding of the responsibilities and expectations of the Head of Service role. Familiarise yourself with Stockport Council's values and how they align with your own experience in children's social care.
✨Prepare for the Young Person’s Panel
Since there will be a young person’s panel during the interview, think about how to engage with younger individuals. Prepare to discuss your approach to working with children and young people, and be ready to answer questions that reflect their perspectives and needs.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Experience
Highlight your leadership experience in social work, particularly in managing teams and driving improvements in practice. Be prepared to provide specific examples of how you've led initiatives that resulted in positive outcomes for children and families.
✨Demonstrate Your Commitment to Continuous Improvement
Discuss your understanding of effective practice and how you foster a culture of continuous improvement within teams. Share examples of how you've implemented changes based on feedback or data analysis to enhance service delivery.
