Somerset Council
Team Leader - Leaving Care
Taunton
£41.7k – £46.2k/yr
Posted about 2 months ago
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Team Leader - Leaving Care
Team Leader – Leaving Care Support (Care Leavers) – Shepton Mallet Grade 9 • £41,771 to £46,142 per annum • 37 hours per week (with possible flexible working arrangements)
Closing Date: 17/06/2026
Role Summary
As a Team Leader within Somerset Council, you will provide professional leadership over a team delivering high-quality statutory support to care leavers.
Key responsibilities include:
- Supervising and developing a team to meet Somerset Council’s Corporate Parenting obligations.
- Leading on complex casework, ensuring assessments, plans, and reviews deliver timely, consistent, and outcome-focused support.
- Safeguarding welfare, promoting independence, and enabling young people to transition into adult life successfully.
- Offering expert guidance, crisis management, and advocacy for care leavers in challenging circumstances.
- Driving multi-agency collaboration, service development, and quality assurance.
- Championing the voice of care leavers in both individual planning and broader service improvements.
Key Responsibilities
Team Leadership & Management
- Lead and manage the Leaving Care team to ensure high-quality, safeguarding-focused support aligns with statutory expectations.
- Recruit, induct, supervise, and develop staff, overseeing performance, welfare, and capability in line with Council policies.
Case Oversight & Complex Interventions
- Provide professional oversight of assessments, plans, and reports, ensuring high standards and clear evidence of young people’s voices.
- Take lead responsibility for high-risk cases, including crises requiring intervention for homelessness, safeguarding, or financial hardship.
- Work as a senior practitioner and Corporate Parent, building trust and relationships with care leavers and their families.
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Outcome-Driven Support
- Ensure care leavers access support in accommodation, health, education, employment, welfare, and family ties.
- Champion independent, tailored support tailored to each young person’s needs.
Multi-Agency & Service Development
- Facilitate effective multi-agency working, challenging partners when necessary to advocate for the best outcomes.
- Lead on complaints resolution, operational issues, and risk escalation.
- Contribute to service development, quality assurance, and county-wide improvements in leaving care services.
Essential Requirements
Knowledge & Understanding
- Equivalent competence to NVQ Level 3 in Care.
- In-depth knowledge of the needs of looked-after children and care leavers.
- Expertise in Childcare assessment and planning frameworks.
- Understanding of:
- Children Act 1989 / Children and Young People’s Act
- Leaving Care Act
- Child Protection legislation, procedures, and practice
- Accommodation legislation and statutory requirements
Experience & Skills
- Proven experience working with young people in social care settings.
- Collaborative working experience with collegial and inter-agency partners.
- Communication skills (written and verbal) to articulate service-related issues clearly.
- Strategic thinking, problem-solving, and ability to analyserisks and intervene proactively.
- Relevant IT skills to support everyday working.
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Desirable Qualifications & Experience
- Management Qualification (or equivalent to NVQ Level 4).
- Specific experience in care leavers’ accommodation support.
- Experience in staff supervision, appraisal, and management.
- Skills in team leadership, recruitment, selection, and employee development.
- Experience in equality, diversity and inclusion frameworks, including coaching and motivating staff.
Additional Information
- Fixed-term contract for one year (with potential extension).
- Homes-based role with local travel to Taunton/Shepton Mallet. Must have access to a vehicle and a full driving licence.
- Flexible working considered; 30 days’ annual leave (in addition to bank holidays).
- Small, collaborative team focused on supporting care-experienced young people.
Application Conditions
- UK working rights only (visa sponsorship unavailable).
- Shortlisted candidates will receive a full job description.
Contact:
- Operations Manager – Samantha Heathcote E-mail: samantha.heathcote@somerset.gov.uk
- Operations Manager – Annabelle Sargeant Phone: 01278 447736 E-mail: annabelle.sargeant@somerset.gov.uk
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Skills
Team Leadership
Case Management
Safeguarding
Crisis Management
Multi-agency Working
Performance Management
Staff Supervision
Strategic Thinking
Problem Solving
Budget Management
Advocacy
Quality Assurance
Location