Fostering Services Manager

Fostering Services Manager

Salary: Up to £56,700 per annum (dependent on experience)
-higher salary can be considered for an exceptional candidate.
Location: Exeter, Devon and Bristol
Contract/

Hours:

Perm/Full time – 37 hours per week

• 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 andyou’llbe part of a team dedicated to giving children safe and happy childhoods.

See howyour skills can make a real difference, leading on embedding a therapeutic fostering offer to children and young people

Our Fostering Service Manager will oversee standards and the compliance, safeguarding and 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, ability to impact practice and culture and embed our AFC people strategy. You will provide strong leadership and direction to a range of professional social work, health and business support staff and work in partnership with marketing and central AFC staff to maintain sustainable services

You will hold the Registered Managers role for Devon Short Breaks and Fostering Southwest 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 Fostering Services

You will be responsible for local budgets and contracts, providing accuracy and accountability, and to build on strong relationships with commissioners and other stakeholders.

You will be responsible to oversee our therapeutic HOMES Model.information on this can be found by clicking here

This is an exciting opportunity to take over services that embed the HOMES model throughout its entire fostering approach, as the current leader is moving on.

You will be supported by highly equipped and experienced managers who see the importance of delivering on a culture of psychological safety

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 always ensuring children and young people 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.

• Provide strategic leadership to ensure strong practice and leadership is upheld
• Provide and deliver on AFC values
• 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.
• Build strong relationships with carer families, local organisations and partner agencies
• Be the external representative and attend local events, panels and forums to promote and strengthen the service.

• 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…