Team Manager Adoption

Job Title:Team Manager - Adoption
Salary:per annum
Grade:G
Contract Type:Permanent
Working Hours:37 hours per week

About the Department

Thurrocks Childrens Services are committed to ensuring that every child grows up safe supported and able to thrive. Our Outstanding Adoption Team plays a vital role in achieving permanence for children through highquality adoption practice. We work closely with colleagues across social care and with our regional partners in Adopt East to deliver timely childcentred adoption pathways. The Adoption Team Manager will play a key role in leading the service driving standards and contributing to continued improvement across the wider directorate.

As an Adoption Team Manager you will be responsible for:

• Providing strong visible leadership to the Adoption Team ensuring highquality timely and legally compliant adoption practice.
• Managing supervising and developing adoption social workers and practitioners through reflective supervision and effective performance oversight.
• Ensuring highquality assessment approval and support of adopters in line with statutory timescales.
• Overseeing permanence planning family finding matching and placement for children ensuring timely progression of adoption plans.
• Qualityassuring all adoption documentation including PARs CPRs and adoption support assessments.
• Working collaboratively with childrens social care teams to promote early permanence timely decisionmaking and robust care planning.
• Ensuring adopters and children receive proportionate and timely adoption support including therapeutic interventions where appropriate.
• Maintaining accurate compliant case records and ensuring adherence to legislation guidance and local procedures.
• Working closely with Adopt East and other partners to support high standards of adoption practice and regional collaboration.

This role offers the chance to make a real difference by leading a committed team to secure the best possible outcomes for children for whom adoption is the plan.

Were looking for someone who has:

• A recognised social work qualification and registration with Social Work England.
• Strong leadership line management and decisionmaking skills and experience in Adoption
• Indepth knowledge of adoption legislation regulations and statutory guidance.
• Excellent analytical communication and reportwriting skills.
• Significant postqualifying experience in children and families social work including direct experience in adoption/permanence.
• Experience supervising and supporting social work staff.
• The ability to work collaboratively prioritise effectively and model highquality practice.

Essential qualifications: Social Work Degree / Diploma in Social Work / CQSW (or equivalent) and be registered with Social Work England (SWE)
DBS Check: Enhanced with Childrens barred list check

Benefits of Working with Us

At Thurrock Council we value our employees and offer a comprehensive benefits package including:

• Generous annual leave entitlement
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Flexible and hybrid working opportunities (where applicable)
• Ongoing training and professional development
• Employeeassistanceprogramme and wellbeing support
• Staff discounts and local offers
• A supportive and inclusive working environment

Closing Date (Redeployment Only):26th February 2026

Closing Date (Internal & External):8th March 2026

Interview Date: 16th - 17th March 2026

Additional Information

If you have any questions about the role or interview process please contact

Elise McQueen - Head of Looked After Children and Care Leavers

To view the Job Profile and Person Specification please follow the link below:

Download Job Profile (PDF Document)

Application Requirements-

As part of the Safer Recruitment process Gap Management isrequiredfor all Safeguarding roles.Please complete the Gaps in Employment grid provided (refer to the example document for guidance) and upload it underMiscellaneous Documentsas part of your application.

If the Job Profile and Person Specification list any qualifications as essential please also upload copies of those relevant qualifications.

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