Vacancy details

In Bracknell Forest we are committed to making sure that children receive the right support at the right time.

We are seeking an experienced Children's Social Care Assistant Team Manager, or an experienced advanced practitioner with existing management and supervisory experience, to join our Children’s Specialist Support Team.

If you can demonstrate your own passion and drive to improving outcomes for children and to support families to stay together and would like to be part of a hard-working, supportive and friendly children’s management team, we look forward to receiving your application.

At Bracknell Forest, we pride ourselves on being a council which is stable and well-managed where our employees can thrive in a supportive environment. This role includes an expectation to work from our Time Square office a minimum of three days per week, alongside flexible working arrangements.

If you would like an informal chat or a tour of the office prior to submitting your application, please contact helen.gore@bracknell-forest.gov.uk to arrange a suitable time.

To learn more about what it is like to work with us, take a look at our team's video

About you…

You will have significant post-qualifying experience in statutory work with children and families and bring a strong understanding of assessment, planning and intervention, with the ability to ensure that needs-led services and interventions are identified and that effective plans are in place for children and families at the right time.

You will be a natural leader able to build effective relationships, demonstrate strong analytical skills and work collaboratively as part of a management team.

With existing supervisory, mentoring or practice leadership experience, you have the confidence to support, guide and develop Social Workers, Newly Qualified Social Workers and Family Workers through reflective supervision, coaching and day-to-day practice support.

Deputising for the Team Manager, you will also be comfortable managing performance, chairing meetings and contributing to recruitment and retention.

You will know what good practice looks like and be able to create the conditions for others to learn, reflect and deliver high-quality, child-focused practice.

About the team…

The Children’s Specialist Support Team (CSST) is a highly skilled and supportive group of professionals dedicated to working with children who have disabilities and/or complex health needs. Our focus is on keeping children at the heart of everything we do. We deliver a range of services, including support for children with additional vulnerabilities, statutory responsibilities for disabled Children in Need, care packages and short breaks.

Our team is diverse, covering a broad range of areas, including social work, occupational therapy and short breaks, such as Larchwood, our respite unit. We embrace a "child-first" and social model approach, valuing partnership and collaboration as key to our success.

As a small and welcoming local authority, we pride ourselves on our inclusive culture and strong sense of community. We prioritise staff wellbeing and foster a supportive environment where everyone feels connected and valued.

Read more about our culture and what our staff say Children's social care culture | Bracknell Forest Council.

Please note: Children's services are currently progressing its Families First transformation programme. This role may be subject to changes to its responsibilities, reporting arrangements and/or job description. Any proposed changes would be managed in accordance with the council's relevant consultation processes and policies.

Key responsibilities…

• To support the Team Manager to manage the delivery and performance of the Children’s Specialist Support Team.
• To promote and support the council’s policies and procedures for safeguarding, ensuring children are at the centre of all decisions and the social model of disability is respected in all work.
• To ensure arrangements for regular engagement/participation with children and young people, parents and carers by all staff within the service.
• To lead on strategy discussions, child in need meetings, professional meetings and other forums.
• To provide high quality, reflective supervision (in line with the supervision policy).

Our benefits… 

• 28 days annual leave increasing to 33 days after 3 years’ continuous service, with the opportunity to buy up to 10 and sell up to 5 days.
• Hybrid working opportunities to support your wellbeing and work-life balance. 
• Paid employee volunteering scheme.
• Local government pension scheme, with life insurance cover.
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme (subject to eligibility). 
• Reimbursement of Social Work England registration. 
• Recognition of continuous service attained within the NHS and UKHSA when calculating some benefits. (Terms and Conditions apply)
• Career development through internal and external training opportunities. 
• Enhanced maternity, paternity, adoption and fostering leave. 
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support your health and wellbeing
• Inclusive and social working environment with a variety of staff networks and a sports and social club.

Find out more about all our benefits or see the candidate pack.

Our values...

At Bracknell Forest Council our values define who we are and what is important to us. Our core values are inclusive, ambitious, and always learning. These values influence the way we work with each other and the way we serve our residents and engage with our communities. We make our values real by demonstrating them in how we behave every day. If you are excited about joining a diverse team that celebrates learning and strives for excellence, we would love to hear from you. 

Reasonable adjustments...

We are committed to ensuring an inclusive recruitment process for all applicants. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support your application or interview, please let us know by contacting recruitment@bracknell-forest.gov.uk. We will work with you to support you throughout the process. Find out more about reasonable adjustments.

Disability confident and inclusive recruitment...

Bracknell Forest Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader and an inclusive employer. This means that if you tell us on your application form that you have a disability, are an armed forces veteran or are a care leaver, you will be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria outlined in the person specification.

Interview date

Interviews will be held on Monday 7th September.

Interviews will be conducted in person, providing candidates with the chance to personally meet the team and experience our work environment.

We will be reviewing applications regularly and reserve the right to close the advert early if suitable candidates are identified. To avoid disappointment, you are advised to submit your application as soon as possible.

Please note AI is prohibited during the interview, any candidate using AI will be withdrawn from consideration.

Want to ask us a question? 

For an informal discussion or to ask any questions about this role, please contact: 

Benigna Amago - Team Manager, Children's Specialist Support Team

Email: Benigna.Amago@bracknell-forest.gov.uk

Bracknell Forest Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. We expect everyone employed with us to share this commitment. All successful candidates for this role will be subject to a DBS (Disclosure & Barring Service) check as part of our pre-employment checks process.

Candidates should be able to demonstrate experience of working within the current Social Care System and Framework.

We can only accept applications from candidates currently residing in the UK.

Candidates currently residing in the UK who require sponsorship to work are encouraged to assess their eligibility for a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) based on the relevant criteria. Please be aware that sponsorship availability varies and is subject to eligibility requirements and budget limitations. As a result, we cannot guarantee sponsorship for all roles and will evaluate sponsorship requests on a case-by-case basis.

No agencies please. 

Equal Opportunities

Bracknell Forest Council – Working for Equality. We welcome applications from all sections of the community.

How to apply

Please apply online via the link provided.

Please note, we do not accept CVs submitted without a fully completed online application form.