Group Manager Fostering

This is a Full Time Permanent Position. For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Jayne Betts, Head of Service at jayne.betts@hullcc.gov.uk.

Hull City Council is on an exciting and ambitious journey to transform services for children and young people — and we want you to be part of it. At the heart of everything we do is a deep commitment to children, young people and families. We are proud to have created a culture that prioritises high-quality support, strong relationships, and positive, lasting outcomes.

Our success speaks for itself. In May 2026, Ofsted rated Hull Children’s Services as Good overall, with a number of Outstanding features — including Outstanding for the impact of leaders on social work practice. This reflects the strength of our leadership, our workforce, and our relentless focus on improving the lives of children.

Our Fostering Service was recognised by Ofsted as strong and effective, where:

• Children receive consistently high-quality, nurturing care
• Foster carers are well-trained, well-supported, and increasingly confident
• Children benefit from stable, secure relationships that promote their safety, wellbeing and development.

The opportunity: We are looking for an inspiring Group Manager to lead and develop our Fostering Service as we continue to build on this success. Hull Fostering is the largest fostering provider in the area, supporting over 300 foster carers, including both mainstream and kinship carers.

This is a unique opportunity to:

• Lead a high-performing, well-regarded service
• Shape the future of fostering in Hull
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement
• Make a real, lasting impact on children’s lives
• Be part of a forward-thinking local authority recognised for its progress and ambition.
• Work alongside an experienced, supportive and confident leadership team
• Access ongoing leadership development and professional support
• Play a key role in a service that is already achieving Good and Outstanding outcomes.

What we’re looking for:

• A qualified social worker, registered with Social Work England
• A passionate, committed and ambitious leader, with experience in fostering and proven leadership in a social care setting
• Confidence in driving perdurance to improve outcomes for children and young people
• A commitment to our values: People First, Respect, Learning, Ambition, and Partnership
• Vision and determination to take an already strong service even further

Whether you’re an experienced manager or ready to take the next step in your career, we’ll support your development and growth.

If the postholder requires a Standard or Enhanced DBS disclosure the candidate is required to declare full details of everything on their criminal record unless the conviction/s and/or caution/s are considered “protected” in line with filtering rules for DBS checks.

ROLE AND PURPOSE: Works within either the Access & Assessment, Locality, Disability or Looked After Children Service, managing the delivery of high quality social work activities within the Hull Children’s Social Care Practice Model (across a number of teams and across a range of specialisms within the context of Children’s Social Care e.g. Fostering, Adoption, Children with Disabilities, Children’s Residential, Child Protection, Children in Need). Achieves the best possible outcomes for children and young people in need and their families with a high level of focus on the development and raising of quality in practice, setting standards and the conditions required for successful social work.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1. Strategy – Leads on the development of, and action on, the social care system by analysing demand and workflow within the system and ensuring flexible and creative responses to work coming into the service. Assures optimal conditions in the social care system for those that work within it and for those that receive a service from it.
2. Customer Focus - Works in partnership with colleagues, parents and carers to ensure that child-centred systemic practice is the principal standard and framework for all work undertaken with children, young people and families.
3. Performance Management - Provides ‘quality of practice’ evaluation to Team Managers and Assistant City Managers through audits, observed practice and data analysis and uses it to inform continuing learning and development of people and the service.
4. Leadership - Directs the allocation of case work to Team Managers and maintains managerial oversight of workflow within the service area including timely responses to new case work, case review and transfer/closure.
5. Statutory Obligations - To promote and safeguard the welfare of children, young people and/or vulnerable adults.
6. Provides professional support and challenge in relation to case decision-making.
7. Provides group and individual supervision to up to ten Team Managers/Homes Managers and provides support in relation to complex/high risk case decision-making.
8. Provides the lead role in staff management/supervision with regard to council policies and procedures, including recruitment, sickness monitoring and employee performance processes.
9. Develops effective partnerships with other agencies in order to achieve 'a co-ordinated approach to ensure effective safeguarding arrangements'.
10. Actively engages with performance management and communication processes within the Social Care Service.

Benefits of Working of Hull City Council:

• A competitive salary
• An excellent pension through the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• Initially 23 days annual leave depending on length of service.
• Career development and learning experiences from a range of training courses and learning methods
• Supportive and forward-thinking culture
• Great career development opportunities

We are committed to increasing the diversity, equality, and inclusion within our workforce to represent the people we serve and build an environment in which everyone can feel like they belong. We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply.

The Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.