Fostering Services Manager

Fostering Services Manager

Salary: Up to £56,700 per annum dependent on experience

Location: Exeter, Devon and Bristol

Contract/Hours: Perm/Full time – 37 hours per week

Benefits:

• Over 7 weeks inclusive paid leave and the option to buy or sell leave . consideration of continued service leave balance
• Excellent support and leadership opportunities
• Flexible maternity, paternity and adoption packages
• Up to 5% employer contribution and life assurance cover
• Blue Light Card eligibility with discounts at 15,000 national retailers

At Action for Children, we offer more than just a job. Join us and you’ll be part of a team dedicated to giving children safe and happy childhoods. See how your skills can make a real difference, helping solve the problems children and young people face every day.

A bit about the role

Our Fostering Service Manager will oversee standards, compliance, safeguarding and the sustainability needs of Fostering services within south-west England

You will be part of the senior management group within England Fostering Services and work to Action for Children’s Head of Fostering

The role involves strong financial acumen, an ability to review/audit practice and sustain high practice standards and oversee and work to AFC people strategy. To provide strong leadership and direction to a range of professional social work staff, business development and work in partnership with marketing and central finance staff to maintain sustainable services.

You will hold the Registered Managers role for Devon Short Breaks and Fostering South-West peninsular and oversee the Registered Manager role in Fostering Southwest (Bristol) services. You will be accountable for regulatory requirement and standards as directed by AFC Head of Service and Ofsted.

You will be responsible for local budgets and contracts, providing accuracy and accountability to the Head of Fostering, and develop strong relationships with commissioners, other stakeholders and Ofsted.

You will be responsible to ensure Fostering England HOMES Model is implemented and oversee outcomes

More information on this can be found by clicking here

About the service

Action for Children Fostering Services in England southwest provide the highest standards of care to the most vulnerable children and young people by the provision of safe, secure, and successful foster homes including short breaks for children with additional needs. These services are located around Exeter, Devon and Bristol.

We provide foster families with excellent training, supervision, and support to achieve the best outcomes for the young people we look after. We provide high quality of care to the young people, always ensuring they are at the centre of our approach. We offer a therapeutic HOMES model and carers and staff have access to skilled psychologists with specialist knowledge of the needs of looked-after children.

How you'll help to create brighter futures

• Provide strategic leadership to ensure strong practice and leadership is upheld
• Provide and deliver on AFC values
• Responsible for a high performing and professional staff group, including social work and nursing staff
• Oversee the day‑to‑day operations of regulated services across Exeter, Devon and Bristol
• Provide oversight and accountability to AFC Head of Service (fostering) and Ofsted, the Regulatory Body
• Lead and be accountable for safeguarding, recording and practice.
• Work to regulatory requirement, including AFC Fostering Panel
• Provide guidance and professional supervision to staff.
• Build strong relationships with carer families, local organisations and partner agencies.

Let's talk about you.

• Hold a recognised social work qualification (Degree, DipSW, CQSW) and be registered with Social Work England
• Significant experience across children’s social care, including fostering.
• Experienced in leading, motivating and supporting managers and social workers, challenging under‑performance and promoting best practice.
• Confident analysing data, managing budgets and applying commercial awareness within a social care context.

Why Action for Children?

Every child should have a loving home, food, warmth, the chance to grow and learn - the support to cope with life’s challenges. But too many children don’t.

By bringing your passion and unique skills and experience, you’ll help us create change that really matters. And when we succeed, we’ll recognise what you did to make a difference.

We've been driven by love to take action for children for over 150 years, giving them the protection and practical help they need. A lot’s changed since 1869. But what children really need, hasn’t. So as long as children need us, we’ll be here.

Will you join us?

For more information about our Fostering Services Manager role, please check out job description here

How to apply

If you require any support to apply, please contact: Scott Jones via email at recruitmentservice@actionforchildren.org.uk quoting reference 13308

For any questions about the role, please contact Colette Fearns (Head of Fostering England) via email at colettefearns@actionforchildren.org.uk.

Diversity, equality and inclusion

We work hard to create an inclusive environment. One where individuality is celebrated and where everyone feels valued and supported. Because when we come together, with skills like yours, we’re capable of amazing things.

We actively encourage applications from people with Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds and people with a disability, as these groups are under-represented within Action for Children.

Men are currently under-represented within our Children Service roles. We’d like to change that. So, we really encourage men to apply for any of our Children Service roles.