We are looking to recruit a qualified and experienced social worker manager to the post of Service Manager to lead our Fostering and Connected Carer’s Service. You will be responsible for the recruitment, assessment and support of foster carers, family finding, permanence and Kinship Carers.
You will have responsibility for leading a team of three managers and overseeing our inhouse foster carers. This is an exciting time for Ealing as we are responding to the national issues in placement sufficiency by participating in several DfE and voluntary sector partnerships to enhance our fostering service, as well as implementing some Exchange Days alongside Coram BAAF. You will also lead the response to the recommendations arising from the National Kinship strategy. This post offers a unique opportunity therefore to develop partnership, strategic leadership and project management skills, alongside the experience of leading a committed and focussed team of social workers and managers.
As the successful candidate, you will ideally come with experience of fostering/working within regulated services and/or transferrable skills from working at a senior level in social care management. You will be enthusiastic and creative, keen to lead your team to develop the service to provide loving homes and the very best outcomes for our children, young people and carers.
You will need to hold a professional social work qualification and Social Work England registration.
This is a permanent 35-hour post which requires some very limited participation in management cover arrangements out of hours. We can offer some flexibility but ideally you will be able to be in the office for a minimum of two days per week.
If you would like an informal discussion about the post, please contact Siobhan Bellamy-Wallace via email bellamywallacesi@ealing.gov.uk.
Ealing council is committed to safeguarding children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment.
Ealing follows safer recruitment practices to protect children and vulnerable adults. The post holder will be subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
This post is subject to Ealing's enhanced vetting process.
This role is deemed customer facing and as such you must have a command of spoken English which is sufficient to enable you to effectively perform the role. This requirement relates to Part 7 of the Immigration Act 2016.
More than 360,000 people call Ealing home. Our seven towns - Acton, Ealing, Greenford, Hanwell Northolt, Perivale and Southall - are diverse, vibrant and lively communities where over 170 languages are spoken. We will enable you to do the work you care deeply about, and our aim is to deliver the infrastructure that allows that to happen.
Ealing is a great place to come and develop your career. You will be supported in this by colleagues and managers who will provide you with the opportunities to grow, gain experience, confidence and become a reflective practitioner.
Ealing is a richly diverse borough and we benefit from close ties to our communities which enriches our work and continually improves our offer. We are alive to the pressures many of our families are facing and work creatively with families and partners to bring about changes which makes the work that much more energising.
We recognise that to recruit and retain the very best social workers and social care practitioners, we need to bring together all our learning and development opportunities into one place. That’s why we have launched the Ealing Social Care Academy. The academy helps our team connect, collaborate, and engage creatively with internal and external partners and service users.
Watch our film to hear about Ealing staff telling their career stories
More directly we can offer you:
Manageable caseloads
Clear career progression pathways
Opportunities to develop and experience different areas of work
Competitive remuneration packages
A hybrid approach to working that increases your work / life balance
If you want to find out about this opportunity, please contact our Recruitment lead, Caroline Horsley at: HorsleyC@ealing.gov.uk