Team Manager - Children's Social Care
Permanent full-time
Salary Up To £63,405 Per Year
Hours: Permanent full-time (37 hours), Monday to Friday with flexible working
Following our recent Ofsted Good judgement, there has never been a better time to join Solihull Children's Services. With a supportive permanent leadership team and flexible working arrangements, you'll be part of a service committed to achieving the best outcomes for children and families.
We currently have 2 opportunities for experienced and committed Team Managers to join our Services:
· Team Manager - Children's Family Help Team
· Team Manager - Children & Young People we Care For Team
About Us
At Solihull, children and young people are at the heart of everything we do. We are launching eight new Family Help Teams, bringing together skilled professionals to provide timely, relationship-based support that improves outcomes for children and families. Our Family Help Teams are pivotal to the delivery of the national reforms locally, enabling children and families to access more coordinated support from one team around the family.
Each Family Help Team consists of five Social Workers, three Family Support Workers, an Advanced Practitioner and a Team Manager, creating the capacity and expertise needed to deliver meaningful interventions. Teams receive support from a multi-agency Partnership Hub, which includes Domestic Abuse services (including an Independent Domestic Violence Advisor and perpetrator offer), Edge of Care, Family Group Conferencing, Youth Justice, Harm Outside the Home, Education inclusion, Educational Psychology, Housing and the Department for Work and Pensions. Together, we provide coordinated support that helps families build on their strengths and achieve lasting change.
The Children We Care For team provides support for children and young people who are in our care long term, for example those children and young people for whom the local authority holds a care order. The team provides ongoing support and services to all children for whom there is no immediate plan to return to the care of their birth family. They also support plans for children to return home where it is considered safe for them to do so. The team is passionate about ensuring that children and young people are only in care for as long as they need to be and wherever possible, grow up within the loving hold of their own families. Where children and young people are unable to live within their families, the team actively pursues permanence for them for example through long-term fostering or special guardianship order.
At Solihull Council, we pride ourselves on being a Council that is small enough to care, but big enough to make a difference.
About the Role
We are looking for exceptional candidates who are passionate about improving the lives of children, young people and their families at this critical time, here in Solihull.
You will be responsible for the leadership and management of a social work team who work with children and family in need of support, and with some of our most vulnerable children and families. Our social workers are passionate and committed to making a difference in the lives of children subject to child protection plan and / or involved in care proceedings. We will enable you and your team to really invest in the children and families you support; building strong relationships over time and allowing you to see the long-term positive impact of your hard work and dedication.
As the Team Manager, you will lead on operational developments alongside our partners, as well as working with others to develop services. You will take responsibility for the day to day operational management of a team of Social Workers and Family Support Workers, to ensure that children and their families receive a responsive service that promotes and safeguards their welfare.
As a key part of the council leadership team, you will also have the opportunity to be creative, influence practice and promote a learning environment where team members can develop their skills, to enable them to do their job well and support children to achieve positive outcomes.
You will be social work qualified, registered with Social Work England and you will have substantial post qualifying experience of practice with children, families and their carers.
You will also have:
• Significant management experience working within a pressurised children’s social work environment
• Knowledge of relevant up to date relevant social work legislation, statutory guidance, theories and research and how it impacts on practice
• PQ or Practice Teaching Accreditation, or be working towards / willing to complete
• Excellent spoken and written communication skills, to enable you to build strong relationships with children, young people and their families / carers, as well as wider partners and voluntary agencies
• A full driving license and access to a car, though reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants, where required.
In return, we will agree a bespoke personal development plan; you will have access to our high quality internal training programme and continuous professional development framework, to enable you to further develop your leadership skills within a friendly, professional working environment.
We are a small and friendly local authority with good relationships across the children’s social work service. We also have close partnerships across agencies in the borough, which allow for a culture of support, shared learning and mentoring between agencies.
Our team also enjoy a hybrid approach, working from both their home and our modern offices, as well as various flexible working arrangements and a generous benefits package that includes; competitive salaries and payment of SWE registration; a modern working environment; a staff discount scheme; and a strong focus on staff wellbeing, with access to our Employee Assistance programme.
So, if you are ready to lead our ambitious team – and make a tangible impact and positive difference to families’ lives – then we would be delighted to receive your application.
To apply, please click on the link.
If you have a specific question regarding these vacancies please contact:
Family Help - Sara Jefferies, Operations Manager – sjefferies@solihull.gov.uk
Hayley Hadnum, Operations Manager - hhadnum@solihull.gov.uk
Children We Care For - Selina Rawicz, Head of Service – selina.rawicz@solihull.gov.uk
Closing Date: 16 November 2026
Interview Date: 27 November 2026
Please note this recruitment will involve psychometric testing as part of the shortlisting process.
This post will require an enhanced DBS and barring list check.
Please note: As part of our compliance and safer recruitment requirements, references will be sought for all successful candidates following interview. A reference must be provided by the candidate’s current or most recent employer or training provider. Where this does not cover the last three years, an additional reference will be required from the candidate’s next most recent employer or training provider. Posts subject to statutory regulation may require additional scrutiny. Personal/character references will only be accepted in exceptional circumstances.
This post is covered by the Fluency Duty, as outlined in the Code of Practice on the English language requirements for public sector workers.
Solihull Council has a responsibility for, and is committed to, safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk, and requires all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
Solihull Council is proud to be an Equal Opportunities Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees - a place where we can all be ourselves and succeed on merit.
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