This is more than managing a service. It is an opportunity to shape practice, develop our workforce, strengthen partnerships and influence how we support young people across Stoke-on-Trent.

You will:

• Provide strategic and operational leadership across the Young Peoples Service
• Ensure high-quality care planning, pathway planning and statutory practice
• Lead, support and develop managers, social workers and practitioners
• Promote strong, reflective and relationship-based practice
• Maintain oversight of performance, quality assurance, risk and outcomes
• Strengthen partnership working across Childrens Social Care, education, health, housing, employment and wider services
• Champion ambitious corporate parenting and positive transitions into adulthood
• Ensure the voices and lived experiences of young people genuinely influence their plans and the development of services
• Drive continuous improvement and contribute to the wider leadership and development of Childrens Social Care

About You

We are looking for an experienced and confident leader who combines strong professional judgement with a genuine commitment to young people.

You will be:

• A qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England
• An experienced manager and leader within Childrens Social Care
• Knowledgeable about children in care, care leavers and Corporate Parenting
• Confident leading complex practice and decision-making
• Experienced in performance management, quality assurance and service improvement
• Able to build effective relationships and partnerships across agencies
• Comfortable providing both support and professional challenge
• Committed to restorative, relational, strengths-based and anti-discriminatory practice
• Passionate about listening to young people and ensuring their voices shape the services they receive

Why Stoke-on-Trent?

There is a real opportunity to influence what comes next for our Children and Families services.

You will join a developing workforce with a shared ambition to improve outcomes for children and young people and build services around strong relationships, good practice and effective partnership working.

What we offer:

• A competitive salary based on your skills, experience and talent
• Hybrid and flexible working options
• An excellent local authority benefits pension scheme
• Professional development through learning opportunities, regular training sessions and apprenticeship and management schemes

If you are an experienced social work leader looking for your next opportunity and want to help young people build safe, stable and successful futures, we would love to hear from you.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact:

Cheryl Barlow Head of Service

Cheryl.barlow@stoke.gov.uk

Any offer of employment will be subject to the successful completion of required pre-employment checks. These may include:

• Right to Work in the UK
• Proof of address
• Satisfactory references
• Occupational Health Clearance
• Evidence of professional qualifications or registrations
• DBS check at the appropriate level

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and we expect all our employees and volunteers to share this commitment. This position is exempt under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the successful applicant will be subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS).

Please note that if an employee who is currently at risk of redundancy within the organisation applies for this vacancy their application will receive priority. If this happens you will be advised accordingly.

Your career matters here. At Stoke-on-Trent City Council, we're committed to helping our people thrive. From competitive pay and a supportive working environment to opportunities for development and career progression, we invest in our workforce because we know they're our greatest asset. We're building an inclusive organisation that reflects the communities we serve, where everyone is welcomed, valued and encouraged to make a difference.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Stoke-on-Trent City Council, we believe our strength comes from the diversity of our community, and we want our workforce to reflect that. We welcome applications from individuals of all backgrounds and experiences. We understand that some people, especially those from underrepresented or marginalised backgrounds, may hesitate to apply if they don't meet all the listed requirements. If this role interests you and you think you could be a good fit, we encourage you to apply. We are proud of what makes each of us unique and are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels included, can be themselves, and can succeed together.