Team Leader in ACE - Adoption Central England

About the Team:

Adoption Central England (ACE) is the regional adoption agency for Coventry, Solihull, Herefordshire, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. It has been established over 8 years and delivers services based on a Hub and Spoke model. The Hubs, based in Warwick and Worcester, are responsible for the recruitment, preparation, assessment, matching and initial support to adoptive placements. The Spokes, based in each local authority, provide longer term support to adoptive families and process applications to the Adoption and Special Guardianship Support Fund (ASGSF) following assessments of need, undertake step parent adoption assessments and birth records counselling for adopted adults.

ACE is a DDP certified service and we ensure that our practice aligns with DDP principles. This underpins all aspects of our work and promotes strong, relational conversations, so that staff, families, children and partner professionals consistently experience opportunities to feel seen and heard.

Our Offer to you includes:

• Supportive managers who provide recognition and a robust supervision policy focussed on wellbeing and workload.
• Full reimbursement of Social Work England annual fee.
• A Volunteering & Wellbeing Day in addition to generous annual leave and an additional day at Christmas.
• We also offer a Refer a Friend package for some roles. Terms and Conditions apply.

About the Role:

We are recruiting for the role of Team Manager in ACE - Adoption Central England covering Warwickshire. This post is based at Shire Hall in Warwick.

Key responsibilities:

• Support the continued development of the ACE service, embedding DDP informed, trauma responsive practice that promotes relational safety and emotional wellbeing for adoptive families.
• Work collaboratively with families, staff teams and partner agencies using DDP principles such as PACE (Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity and Empathy).
• Be responsible for the effective management of a team of social workers, ensuring caseloads are allocated and monitored in a way that supports reflective, relationship based practice and maintains staff wellbeing.
• Lead the delivery of a creative and responsive range of adoption support services, ensuring interventions are attuned to the needs of children and families through a DDP and attachment focused lens.
• Provide strong, compassionate leadership to the ACE Therapeutic Team, supporting the delivery of 1:1 and group interventions including Therapeutic Parenting, Non Violent Resistance (NVR) and Therapeutic Life Story Work, underpinned by DDP values and principles.

Key Requirements:

Applicants for the role will need a professional Social Work qualification and Social Work England Registration.

Additional Information:

Warwickshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. Successful applicants will be subject to a range of pre engagement checks, including a relevant Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS). In accordance with the DBS code of practice and our own policy, should an individual have a declared criminal offence an individual assessment will be completed. Warwickshire County Council adheres to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

The Fluency Duty is outlined in the Code of Practice on the English language requirements for public sector workers. The Fluency Duty for this role is Required. You must be able to speak and provide advice in accurate spoken English to the public.

Desirable criteria - a proven commitment to and/or lived experience of considering and addressing equality, diversity and inclusion issues and anti racial practice in the workplace and in service delivery.

Warwickshire County Council is committed to equality of opportunity for all employees and is keen to address areas of under representation in its workforce. See more.