Cafcass (Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service)
Service Manager
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Service Manager
Service Manager
We are seeking an experienced and passionate Service Manager to join the Social Work Academy, playing a key role in developing the next generation of social workers.
About the Role
In this vital leadership position, you will:
- Supervise, support, and formally assess Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs), students, apprentices, and Practice Educators against nationally accredited standards.
- Ensure fair, balanced, and high-quality outcomes through reflective supervision, coaching, and challenge, aligning with Cafcass standards.
- Contribute to recruitment, induction, coaching, and professional development of both new and experienced staff, fostering a positive learning culture and practice excellence.
- Work closely with the Head of Practice and Assistant Director to drive learning, performance improvement, and organisational learning.
- Build strong partnerships with higher education institutions and professional bodies.
- Champion the ‘Together with Children and Families’ practice framework, uphold safeguarding responsibilities, and support a culture of continuous improvement and high-quality service delivery.
Key Responsibilities
Supervision & Development
- Provide expert oversight to NQSWs managing Private Law workloads, including within the Early Intervention Team.
- Ensure proportionate and timely Cafcass involvement, aligning with Early Help and First Hearing standards.
- Promote child-focused decision-making through:
- High-quality assessments
- Robust risk and need analysis
- Effective court practice
- Lead reflective supervision, quality assurance, and case oversight to guarantee safe, timely, and children-centred recommendations.
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Leadership & Governance
- Model best practice while promoting professional standards and quality service delivery.
- Champion safe, effective, and fair outcomes for children and families.
Who You Are
To succeed in this role, you should have:
- Expert knowledge of:
- Children’s social work
- Safeguarding frameworks
- Statutory assessment processes
- Proven experience in:
- Effective practice management or supervisory roles
- Working as a Practice Educator, with skills in:
- Monitoring team/individual performance
- Facilitating continuous improvement
- Leading through organisational change
- Strong networking skills to build external partnerships.
- A track record of driving behavioural change within teams.
Personal Attributes
- Registered with Social Work England
- Organised, resilient, empathetic, and team-focused
- Able to work independently across:
- Public Law
- Private Law
- Screening/Benefits teams
- Commitment to equity, safeguarding, and child welfare.
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Location & Travel Requirements
- Flexible office location (agreed post-offer).
- Regular travel required within the operational region, including national travel and occasional overnight stays.
⚠ Important Note: This role requires regular driving due to geographical factors and transport limitations. While we review applications from non-drivers meeting essential criteria, this directly impacts suitability.
Expected Process
Timeline
- Closing Date: 13th July at 9:00 AM
- Initial Interviews: Ongoing
- Final Interviews: Commencing 27th July
Next Steps
- Apply on our website (no single-step submission needed; you can add/edit/return before closing).
- Further questions can be submitted during application.
Key Contact:
For queries, email:
- Priya Kadara (HR Resourcing) – Priya.Kadara@cafcass.gov.uk
- Sophie Kershaw (Hiring Manager) – Sophie.Kershaw@cafcass.gov.uk
Pre-Employment Checks
Successful candidates will undergo:
- A DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check Should a candidate have any declared offences, individual assessment and employer review will follow (refer to Cafcass’ DBS policy for full details).
We look forward to hearing from you!
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