Interim Head of Service – Children in Our Care, Care Leavers & Disabled Children and Young People’s ServicesContract: Interim assignmentDuration: 4 months, with potential to extendDriving Licence: RequiredThe OpportunityWe are seeking an experienced and dynamic Interim Head of Service – Children in Our Care, Care Leavers & Disabled Children and Young People’s Services to provide strategic leadership, stability and direction during a period of transition.Reporting to the Director of Children’s Services, you will lead services across Children in Care, Leaving Care, Corporate Parenting and Disabled Children’s Services, ensuring high-quality practice, strong safeguarding arrangements and positive outcomes for children, young people and their families.You will play a key role in supporting the ongoing Families First, reunification and service improvement agendas, maintaining service performance and providing consistent leadership while permanent recruitment is underway.Key ResponsibilitiesProvide strategic leadership and oversight across Children in Care, Care Leavers, Corporate Parenting and Disabled Children’s Services.Maintain high standards of safeguarding, permanence planning and service delivery.Drive improvements in outcomes for children and young people, promoting stability, resilience and independence.Support the delivery of Families First and reunification initiatives.Strengthen partnership working with health, education and other key stakeholders.Oversee complex placement sufficiency challenges, ensuring appropriate and effective care arrangements.Navigate SEND-related complexities, funding pressures and resource challenges.Maintain performance, manage risks and identify opportunities for service improvement.Provide clear leadership, professional challenge and support to operational teams and senior colleagues.Contribute to the wider transformation and improvement of Children’s Services.About YouYou will be a credible, values-led senior leader with substantial experience in children's social care and a strong track record of leading complex services.You will bring:Significant senior leadership experience across Children in Care, safeguarding, permanence and care leaver services.A strong understanding of corporate parenting responsibilities and the needs of care-experienced children and young people.Experience leading disabled children's services or working across complex SEND and additional-needs provision.Excellent partnership and relationship-building skills, particularly with health colleagues and multi-agency partners.The ability to navigate complex placement sufficiency, commissioning, funding and resource challenges.A proven ability to maintain performance, manage competing priorities and deliver service improvements.Strong strategic thinking, sound professional judgement and confident decision‑making.The resilience and adaptability to make an immediate impact in a high‑profile interim leadership role.A full driving licence.
Interim Head of Service - Children in Our Care, Care Leavers and Disabled Children & Young People's in West Bromwich employer: We Do Social Work
We Do Social Work is an exceptional employer that prioritises the well-being and development of its staff, offering a supportive work culture where collaboration and innovation thrive. As a Social Work Assistant in the Children & Families team, you will benefit from ongoing training and professional growth opportunities, all while making a meaningful impact in the community. Located in a vibrant area, our organisation values flexibility and encourages a healthy work-life balance, making it an ideal place for those passionate about social work.
