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My Family, My Future, My Merton
A place where Outstanding Children’s Services are offered, where children and young people feel they belong, stay safe, and can thrive.
At Merton, our ambition is clear - to ensure every child in our borough has the opportunity to grow up feeling loved, supported, and safe. Following our Outstanding Ofsted rating, we continue to strengthen our services through relationship-based practice, excellent leadership, and a focus on timely and enduring outcomes for children in care.
We are proud of our strong corporate parenting ethos, our child-centred approach, and the way we work collaboratively with children, families, carers, and professionals. Now, we are seeking a passionate and experienced Team Manager to lead one of our Children in Care teams, supporting our vision and driving forward exceptional practice.
Please see our why work for us page on our website for more information about a great range of benefits that go beyond salary and offer flexibility to suit you Work for Merton : Working for us | Merton Council
The Role
As Team Manager in the Children in Care service, you will lead a dedicated team of social workers who support children who are looked after by the local authority. You will play a critical role in ensuring that all children in our care receive consistent, high-quality support and that permanency planning, court progression, and care planning are delivered with a sense of urgency and purpose.
You Will
- Provide visible, values-led leadership that upholds and champions Merton’s Values and Corporate Parenting Principles, ensuring that every child in care is treated as if they were our own.
- Oversee and drive court progression work, ensuring that care proceedings and permanency plans are progressed in a timely and child-centred manner.
- Offer strong management oversight and reflective supervision to your team, helping to develop confident, creative, and accountable practitioners.
- Ensure that all children in care have robust and regularly updated care plans which reflect their needs, aspirations, and identity.
- Promote placement stability, emotional wellbeing, and long-term planning (permanence), working with carers, IROs, and partner agencies to secure the best possible outcomes and life stories for our children
- Use data and performance information to monitor progress, identify areas for improvement, and support continuous service development.
- Represent the service in permanency tracking meetings, court planning forums, and multi-agency reviews.
What We’re Looking For
We are seeking a qualified social worker (registered with Social Work England) with:
- Strong experience working with children in care and a clear understanding of permanency planning, court processes, and statutory responsibilities.
- A track record of supervising and supporting staff, managing performance, and promoting a culture of learning.
- Excellent communication, analytical, and organisational skills.
- A passion for improving outcomes for children and young people and for leading with integrity, curiosity, and compassion.
Why Join Merton?
Social Workers Love Working In Merton Because
- We put children first - their voices shape our decisions.
- We build strong relationships - with families, carers, and each other.
- We invest in our staff - with excellent learning and development opportunities, manageable caseloads, and visible, supportive leadership.
- We embrace diversity - and thrive on inclusion and mutual respect.
We have implemented a blended practice model that combines the best of Signs of Safety, systemic practice, and relationship-based social work. Our workforce is stable, supported, and ambitious - and we want you to be part of it.
