Head of Fostering Service Manager (East)

Role Responsibility

An opportunity has become available to manage the Kent Fostering Service, for the East Kent area of the county. The role will have responsibility for direct management of the East Kent 1, East Kent 2 and South Kent Fostering Support Teams, the Fostering Review Team and Assessment Team 1. The role will have joint oversight, with the existing Head of Fostering for the West area, of the recruitment and retention of Foster Carers and Kent Supported Homes Hosts, alongside oversight of Connected Person Foster Care.   As the Fostering Service Manager for the East, you will need to work in close collaboration with the West Kent Fostering Service Manager, to ensure consistency is delivered across the fostering agency. You will be part of the Corporate Parenting Management structure and be required to participate in our participation activities for children in care and young people who are care experienced.

This is a very exciting time to join Kent Fostering and you will need to demonstrate clear leadership and an ability to deliver change. The role includes being the Agency Decision Maker to the fostering panels, so an ability to make clear decisions within specific timescales is essential. You will need to demonstrate a relentless focus on service delivery for our children and young people in care, including securing permanency options for them. Kent Fostering has a clear vision for the increased recruitment of foster carers from the local community, so strong presentation skills and the ability to be creative with new marketing ideas will be required. It is our ambition to enhance our support offer to Kent Foster Carers and improve our retention, building their skills and knowledge to safeguard our children and achieve positive outcomes and placement stability for them.  You will work closely with our Foster Carer Ambassadors to deliver change within the service.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure application to the Disclosure and Barring service and registration as a qualified Social Worker with Social Work England.

Contact Details

For more information please contact Caroline Smith, Assistant Director of Corporate Parenting on 03000 415091, caroline.smith@kent.gov.uk.

About the Company

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county's working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds and faiths, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note – if you are interested, please apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.