Team Manager - Adoption Support

Southampton City Council; Swanwick CP; On-site; GBP 57,000 - GBP 66,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government organization in England seeks a Team Manager for its Adoption Support team. This role requires leading a dynamic team to provide support to adoptees and their families. Candidates should have a Social Work Degree and substantial relevant experience. The role offers a salary band of £57,755 - £65,222, with various benefits including a generous pension, flexible working options, and health & wellbeing support.

Benefits

Excellent local government pension

Generous holiday allowance

Flexible working options

Family-friendly policies

Training and development opportunities

Qualifications

• At least 3 years post-qualifying experience.
• Strong understanding of child protection legislation.
• Ability to innovate and reflect on practices.

Responsibilities

• Manage complex caseloads within departmental guidelines.
• Ensure adherence to statutory regulations.
• Lead and supervise staff effectively.
• Prioritize best outcomes for children.

Skills

Social care management experience

Experience with adoption services

Strong report writing skills

Negotiation skills

Ability to work collaboratively

Education

Social Work Degree

Social Work England registration

Job description

An exciting opportunity has arisen for aTeam Managerto join ourAdoption Supportteamat Adopt South.

Are you looking for a challenging and diverse role working as part of a friendly and supportive team, with an opportunity to make a real difference?

Aboutthe role:

This role is with Adopt South, the partnership Regional Adoption Agency for Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth, and Southampton local authorities, with SCC as the employer.

We are looking for a Team Manager to join our dynamic and innovative Regional Adoption Agency to help us make a positive difference to adoptive families, adopteesand birth relatives across our region.

This exciting opportunity requires a 37 hours per week (part time considered if overall compliment can be fulfilled), whereyou'llplay a key part in shaping the future of adoption support.You'llcollaboratively lead the Adoption Support Team while fully leading and shaping the direction of the Adopted Adults Team.

In the Adoption Support Team, you will help shape and deliver a range of services that support families, children and young people who have been adopted and may face challenges in their daily lives. This includes assessing families who mayrequireadditionalsupport from us and/or access to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund.

You willbe responsible formanaging a team of Social Workers, Child and Family Support Workers and Coordinators to deliver our Adoption Support Offer. This includes working alongside our Training Team and MDT to consider our workshops,webinars and therapeutic parenting offerandthe planning and delivery of family events that help families and young people connect and thrive.

As the manager of the Adopted Adults Team, you willbe responsible forsupporting adoptees to access their adoption records and accessing intermediary services. Familiarising yourself with post and pre-commencement legislation, you willbe responsible forimplementing a consistent, meaningful,compassionateand legally informed service, aligned with national recommendations.

Aboutyou:

We are looking for someone with substantial post-qualifying experience in social work. A strong understanding of child protection legislation would be favourable, and management experience.

You will bring excellent communication skills, empathy, and the ability to reflect and innovate.You’llalso be committed to improving outcomes for families and adoptees and motivated to grow both personally and professionally. This is a unique opportunity to use your voice and leadership to shape our services and make a make a real difference to our families and adoptees.

Whatyou’lldo:

• Managing,prioritisingand reviewing complexcaseloadswithin departmental guidelines.
• Managing staff allocations and ensuring work is completed within statutory regulations.
• Managing staff including the recruitment and selection process, managing annual leave, sickness, careerprogressionand performance.
• Offering robust reflective management oversight through supervision, caseoversightand auditing.
• Ensuring that best outcomes for children are at the centre of all practice and decision making.
• Contributing to data monitoring, serviceanalysisand evaluation.
• Manage concerns,complaintsand allegations.
• Ensuring that all Hampshire County Council Safeguarding policies are adhered to, and concerns are raisedin accordance withthese policies.
• Work in collaboration with our key partners and colleagues across the region.
• Supporting the senior leadership team in the development and growth of the agency at a local and national level.
• Authorising assessments.
• Working flexibility to meet the needs of the service which will include supporting evening and Saturday working.
• Triage and allocations.

Whatwe’relooking for:

Essential Qualification

• Social Work Degree with at least 3 years post qualifying experience.

• Social Work England registration.

Essential Knowledge, Experience,Skillsand Behaviours

• Social care management experience including experience of managing staff through change
• Significant experienceand knowledge of adoption services and processes.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and regulations.
• Strong report writing and negotiation skills.
• Proactive with ability to work alone and as part of a team whenrequired.
• Enthusiasm for achieving the best outcomes for children and families.

Desirable Qualifications, Knowledge, Experience,Skillsand Behaviours

• A capacity to engage and communicate with parents and carers who may be experiencing distress.
• Ability to interact effectively with staff from all disciplines, and multi-agency colleagues, and to work collaboratively with a team to achieve commonobjectives.
• Capacity for toleratinghigh levelsof demand with an ability to work effectively and independently under pressure, while using supervision effectively.

If you feel you have the necessary background, experience, and skills to undertake this role we would like to hear from you.

What we can offer you:

Salary: The salary band for this role is £57,755 - £65,222. The starting salary is £57,755 with annual progression through the salary bands.

Here at SCC we have a range of different benefits, a few examples can be found below.

• Excellent local government pension with 16.8% employer contribution
• Death in service benefit of x3 salary, and optional salary sacrifice shared cost AVC (additional voluntary contribution)
• Generous holiday 25–31 days, based on role and service
• Flexible working options (role-dependent)
• Family-friendly policies - Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Shared/Unpaid Parental Leave, Time off for Dependents
• Training and development, including coaching and mentoring
• Health and wellbeing support - Employee Assistance Programme, Menopause Pledge, Mental Health First Aiders and access to a variety of staff networks
• Veteran-friendly employer with the Armed Forces Covenant
• Retail discounts and savings through the Southampton City Council benefits platform
• Discounted memberships at local sports and fitness centres
• Sustainable travel benefits - low emission car scheme, cycle to work, season ticket loans
• Employee volunteering scheme with 2 paid days leave to volunteer

For further information on our benefits package please visit

Employee benefits (southampton.gov.uk)

Contact Details for an Informal Discussion:

For further information and details regarding the role, please contact Carol Beddow, Service Manager on [e-mail]

Recruitment contact details:

Email: [e-mail]
Tel: [phone]
For more information about SCC please visit Southampton City Council