Job descriptionRecruitment & Kinship Fostering Team Manager (Full time, permanent) Southend City Council are looking to appoint an experienced Team Manager who will oversee recruitment, assessment, training, and supervision of foster and kinship carers for children within Southend. Key Responsibilities * Ensure recruitment, assessment, training, and supervision of new foster carers and kinship carers meet the diverse care needs of children in Southend. * Manage a team of 2 Advanced Practitioners, supervising Social Workers and Support Workers, managing performance, providing formal professional supervision, conducting appraisals, and addressing skills gaps and training needs. * Chair meetings, conferences and reviews as required, ensuring a multi-disciplinary approach is adopted and that the needs of individual children are always addressed. * Provide support to staff using Restorative Practice and deliver the council’s vision through a model of practice, while developing supervisory capacity. * Attend on‑site meetings at least three days a week and the monthly on‑site meeting, working within a hybrid post. Requirements * Registered with Social Work England and completed the Approved Senior Social Work Experience (ASYE). * Held a recognised Social Work qualification. * Minimum four years of experience working with children and families, fostering and adoption, kinship and recruitment, and previous work at the Advanced Practitioner level. * Knowledge of social work intervention methods, child protection, looked‑after children, fostering and adoption services, relevant legislation/regulations, and National Minimum Standards and Regulations for Adoption and Fostering services. * Ability to provide effective development and management of social work staff and foster carers, including supervision, team meetings, team development, and expert advice on fostering issues. Benefits 25 days annual leave, flexible working, excellent training and development opportunities, and a one‑off payment of £7,500 after three years and one day of employment. Equal Opportunities Statement The Council is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications, regardless of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, age or religion or belief. J-18808-Ljbffr