Team Leader – Post Adoption and Aftercare

Do you want to join a growing and dynamic charity and make a real difference? This varied and rewarding role could be for you!

A little about us

The Catholic Children’s Society (CCS) has been supporting children and families since 1859. Today we are one of the largest providers of mental health services to schools in London and offer a range of family support services. Our legacy includes placing over 6,000 children with adoptive families and we now proudly operate an Ofsted-rated Outstanding Voluntary Adoption Support Agency. Our ‘Pathways’ service supports individuals who were adopted through CCS or lived in our children’s homes, and their families. We help them access records, explore their past and reconnect with birth relatives, achieving “an exceptional level of user satisfaction” (Ofsted).

Our values

We work with individuals of all faiths and none. Our work is underpinned by our core values of integrity, compassion, inclusion and partnership. There is no requirement or expectation that candidates for this role are Catholic.

About the role

This is an exciting opportunity to lead our Post Adoption and Aftercare team and make a real difference to people’s lives. Facing an unknown past can be daunting. You will lead a team of experienced social workers to ensure service users access a high-quality, sensitive and compassionate service. This is a challenging, varied and deeply rewarding role. You will be responsible for managing referrals, overseeing casework, supervising staff, and ensuring compliance with all relevant legislation and standards. You will also act as the Ofsted Registered Manager for our Voluntary Adoption Support Agency. This role would suit a dynamic and empathetic individual who is passionate about helping people find out more about their past and achieve a greater understanding of their early life and family background.

What we are looking for

We are looking for someone with a strong background in adoption or post-adoption work, who is ready to lead a small, dedicated team. The successful candidate will:

• Be a qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England.
• Have at least five years’ experience of working in the field of adoption and/or post adoption, with a minimum of two years’ experience in post adoption.
• Have experience of managing a team, including providing supervision to other social workers.
• Have excellent knowledge of the Adoption and Children Act 2002 and related regulations.
• Be highly organised, with excellent communication and interpersonal skills.

What you will get in return

• Salary of £58,000 p.a. (pro rata)
• The option to work either 35 hours or 28 hours per week.
• Generous annual leave allowance of 30 days p.a. (pro rata) plus bank holidays
• 11% employer pension contribution
• Access to a staff Health Plan and Employee Assistance Programme
• The opportunity to wake up each morning and feel you are making a positive difference!

Location

We have a lovely office at 73 St Charles Square, London W10 6EJ (private off-street parking is available for staff). Hybrid working options will be considered, with the expectation that staff attend the office at least two or three days per week.

Application process

We are actively interviewing for this role, so please submit your CV and covering letter as soon as possible. The advert will close on Monday, 21 July at 9 am. Please ensure you include a concise cover letter that clearly sets out why your skills and experience make you suitable for this role and what motivated you to apply.