Team Manager

Southampton | Locum | Up to £47.50 per hour | Hybrid Working

Southampton City Council is seeking an experienced Team Manager to join their Children in Care Team. This is an excellent leadership opportunity for an experienced manager who can provide strong oversight, support practitioners, and drive positive outcomes for children and young people in care.

You will lead a team of Social Workers responsible for Children in Care, ensuring high-quality practice, effective care planning, and timely permanence decisions that promote stability and long-term success for children and young people.

In this role, you will:

• Lead and manage a team of Social Workers within the Children in Care Service
• Provide regular supervision, support, and performance management to staff
• Oversee complex Children in Care cases and permanence planning
• Ensure statutory responsibilities, visits, reviews, and care planning requirements are met
• Drive positive outcomes for children through effective care planning and placement stability
• Provide management oversight on court proceedings and legal planning where required
• Chair professional meetings and contribute to key decision-making forums
• Monitor team performance, caseloads, and compliance with statutory timescales
• Conduct case audits and quality assurance activity to maintain high standards of practice
• Work collaboratively with foster carers, residential providers, education, health services, and partner agencies

What You’ll Need:

• Social Work England Registration
• Social Work Qualification
• Significant post-qualified experience within Children's Social Care
• Previous Team Manager or Assistant Team Manager experience
• Strong Children in Care, Looked After Children, and permanence planning experience
• Experience overseeing court proceedings and legal planning
• Excellent leadership, supervision, and performance management skills
• Strong understanding of statutory legislation and safeguarding frameworks
• Ability to drive performance and support service improvement

Why Sheldon Phillips?

Because we actually listen to what you need. We’re not just here to fill roles—we’re here to find you the right fit in a supportive and rewarding team. That’s why social workers trust us to help them take the next step in their careers.

If you want to know more about this Team Manager – Children in Care role in Southampton, give Ellis Russell a call on 01635 226350 – let’s have a chat!

And don’t forget – if you refer a friend and we place them, you’ll get £300 as a thank you! (Terms and conditions apply).