Overview
Ofsted rating: Good for Children in Care and Care leavers with Outstanding Leadership, June 2023.
We are the difference for Care Leavers.
Team Manager Opportunity in Southampton until March 2027, with opportunity for a permanent post as Team Manager thereafter.
Southampton City Council, Pathways Through Care Team, is a service passionate about achieving the best outcomes for our children and Care Leavers. We work closely with partner agencies, building strong relationships between practitioners and their families, enabling systemic and reflective work with our children.
We are currently seeking a committed and supportive person to continue to drive and develop support for our Care Leavers in Southampton City Council. As Team Manager for the Care Leavers Service you will lead a dedicated team of Personal Advisors supporting young people making the transition from care to independent adulthood.
This role is pivotal in ensuring that care leavers receive consistent, high-quality support to achieve positive outcomes in education, employment, health, and wellbeing. The team will work collectively within an established permanent management team.
This is an exciting opportunity to support an embedded team and build on good practice on a fixed‑term contract until 31 March 2027. Hybrid working is available with expectations of managers being in the office for 3 days each week.
The Service
The Care Leaver team is part of the Pathways Through Care Service where children in care and Care Leavers are supported. We share the same office space, and the relationship between the two service areas is interactive and enables the journey to independence to be streamlined and young‑person focused.
The team supports young people from 16 years old, assigning Personal Advisors, and focuses on joint working in the last 12 to 18 months of a young person’s time in care. There are two Care Leaver teams, and this role involves working alongside other Care Leaver managers to ensure consistency of support.
The service benefits from a permanent management team with diverse experience from different service areas, including two service managers who are visible and approachable. There are 7 teams within the service: 2 teams for young people who are care experienced, 1 team working specifically with unaccompanied children in the UK, children in care and care leavers, and three other children in care teams. Additionally, there is a Staying Connected Team providing floating support to young people over 18 in our accommodation.
The Role
The successful Team Manager will lead Personal Advisors in supporting Care Leavers through their transition to adulthood and independence. They will work alongside Children in Care Teams until young people turn 18, after which they will have case responsibility and management oversight for all 18–25 year olds.
This full‑time Team Manager position enables experienced or aspiring managers to utilise their social work skills and core values in supporting staff and delivering excellent practice to our care leavers.
Qualifications and Experience
We are looking for a social work manager who cares about delivering aspirational support to our Care Leavers. Essential qualifications include a social work qualification and Social Work England Registration. Experience in child protection, working with children in care and care leavers, and an understanding of statutory responsibilities are required. Advocacy and participation are central to the service’s core values.
Equal Opportunities
We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome a broad diversity of talent to apply.
Salary and Benefits
Salary: £57,755 – £65,222 plus market supplement of £2,000 per annum. The starting salary is £57,755 with annual progression through the salary bands.
Benefits include:
- Death in service benefit of 3× salary, and optional salary sacrifice shared cost AVC (additional voluntary contribution)
- Generous holiday 25–31 days, based on role and service
- Flexible working options (role‑dependent)
- Family‑friendly policies – Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Shared/Unpaid Parental Leave, Time off for Dependents
- Training and development, including coaching and mentoring
- Health and wellbeing support – Employee Assistance Programme, Menopause Pledge, Mental Health First Aiders and access to a variety of staff networks
- Veteran‑friendly employer with the Armed Forces Covenant
- Retail discounts and savings through the Southampton City Council benefits platform
- Discounted memberships at local sports and fitness centres
- Sustainable travel benefits – low emission car scheme, cycle to work, season ticket loans
- Employee volunteering scheme with 2 paid days leave to volunteer
- Contractual Car User Allowance applies to these roles
For further information on our benefits package please visit: https://www.southampton.gov.uk/humanresources/benefits/.
Contact Details
For more information or an informal discussion about the role, please contact recruitment@southampton.gov.uk or speak with Service Manager Carolyn Driscoll.
Interview Information
Please note that interviews are scheduled for Friday 24 April.
Recruitment Contact Details
Phone: 023 8083 4033
Additional Information
Follow us on social media for regular updates on our featured jobs and latest news.
#J-18808-Ljbffr…