At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and inspire a team to deliver outstanding fostering services for children and young people.
- Company: Join an ethical, award-winning fostering agency with a strong commitment to quality.
- Benefits: Enjoy flexible working, generous leave, and a supportive environment for professional growth.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team dedicated to equality and inclusion.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in the lives of children while developing your leadership skills.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership experience in fostering or children's social care is essential.
The predicted salary is between 37800 - 46200 £ per year.
We offer hybrid working which includes a blend of home and office working with a minimum of one day per week in our office. Contract: Permanent Full Time: 37.5 hours per week.
About the Role: This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and inspirational fostering leader to join our Outstanding fostering agency and help shape the future of our service across the North East. As Registered Manager, you will provide strategic and operational leadership, ensuring the delivery of high-quality fostering services that achieve positive outcomes for children and young people whilst supporting and developing our foster carers and staff. As the Ofsted Registered Manager for Team Fostering North East, you will work closely with the Senior Leadership Team to ensure the service operates effectively, efficiently and in full compliance with fostering legislation, National Minimum Standards and regulatory requirements. You will play a key role in driving service excellence, business growth and continuous improvement across the region. There will be a requirement to travel across the North East region and, occasionally, to Team Fostering’s offices in Yorkshire and the East Midlands. Participation in the agency’s out-of-hours rota is also required.
Key responsibilities include:
- Acting as the Ofsted Registered Manager for the North East service, ensuring compliance with fostering regulations, National Minimum Standards and agency policies.
- Providing leadership, management and support to managers and staff, promoting high standards of practice, accountability and professional development.
- Ensuring safe and robust decision-making across the service, including safeguarding matters, referrals, assessments and allocation of work.
- Overseeing the recruitment, assessment, training, support and retention of foster carers, ensuring excellent service delivery and positive experiences for fostering families.
- Leading quality assurance and auditing activity to ensure high-quality assessments, reports, planning and risk management processes are maintained throughout the service.
- Monitoring outcomes for children and young people, identifying areas for development and implementing improvements that enhance placement stability and care experiences.
- Contributing to budget planning, setting annual targets and regularly reporting on outcomes, compliance and performance.
- Developing and maintaining strong relationships with local authorities, partner agencies and other key stakeholders to support service development and business growth.
- Supporting tendering processes, contract opportunities and regional growth initiatives.
- Monitoring performance, compliance and financial viability, reporting regularly to the Board of Directors and Senior Leadership Team.
- Leading on service improvement, innovation and strategic development to ensure outstanding outcomes for children and young people.
The Successful Candidate:
We are looking for a passionate and experienced leader with a proven track record within fostering services and a commitment to improving outcomes for children and young people. We would welcome applications from candidates who can demonstrate:
- Significant leadership and management experience within fostering or children’s social care services.
- A thorough understanding of fostering legislation, safeguarding, National Minimum Standards and regulatory frameworks.
- Experience of leading teams, managing performance and driving continuous service improvement.
- Strong decision-making, organisational and quality assurance skills.
- Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively with carers, colleagues, local authorities, partner agencies and Ofsted.
- A commitment to achieving outstanding outcomes for children, young people and foster families.
- A full UK driving licence and the ability to travel as required.
About Team Fostering:
Team Fostering is an ethical not for profit fostering agency with a strong reputation and track record for providing high quality, fostering placements for looked after children. We pride ourselves on our values and our commitment to making positive changes for children and young people. Our Northeast Service was graded as Outstanding by Ofsted in November 2025. We offer a blend of home and office-based working arrangements, to support a healthy work-life balance for all our staff. This will be a minimum of one day per week based at our Middlesbrough office.
Team Fostering offer an exceptional range of employee benefits including:
- Monthly supervision
- 30 days annual leave plus 8 days bank holidays
- A blend of home and office working
- A wide range of flexible working arrangements to support a good work life balance
- Flexi time & TOIL
- Staff loyalty bonus
- Employee assistance programme
- Generous benefits package including retail discount scheme, salary sacrifice schemes
- Life assurance cover
- GP Helpline
- Learning & development opportunities to support your continuous professional development
Team Fostering are wholly committed to our ongoing investment in professional training and development, health and wellbeing for our staff. We are immensely proud of our recognition as a Real Living Wage Foundation Employer, an Investors in People Employer which we have held since 2006, our accreditation as a Mindful Employer and the achievement of our Better Health Award at Continuing Excellence level.
If you are an experienced fostering leader looking to make a lasting difference within an Outstanding agency, we would love to hear from you.
Team Fostering is an equal opportunity and Disability Confident Committed employer that is committed to equality, diversity, inclusion and belonging at work. As we continue to grow, we know that we must have the most talented employees with diverse backgrounds, cultures, perspectives, and experiences to support our children and young people. Team Fostering strives to be diverse and inclusive – a place where we can ALL be ourselves. We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background, who are underrepresented within the agency.
Please note if you are shortlisted for interview we will contact you via the email you have provided. Please ensure you check your emails including your junk folder regularly.
Registered Manager (North East) employer: Team Fostering Ltd
Team Fostering is an outstanding not-for-profit fostering agency located in Middlesbrough, dedicated to improving the lives of children and young people. We offer a supportive work culture with flexible arrangements, generous benefits, and a strong commitment to professional development, ensuring our employees thrive while making a meaningful impact in the community. As a Real Living Wage Foundation Employer and Investors in People accredited, we prioritise diversity, inclusion, and the well-being of our staff, making Team Fostering an exceptional place to work.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Registered Manager (North East)
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Team Fostering Ltd.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Team Fostering Ltd!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Team Fostering Ltd, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Team Fostering Ltd or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Registered Manager (North East)
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Team Fostering Ltd:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Team Fostering Ltd! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Team Fostering Ltd
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.