Assistant Team Manager, Child Protection

**Job Description**

We are seeking an Assistant Team Manager, Child Protection, for a local government client in Dorchester, Dorset. You will be an experienced, qualified social worker passionate about supporting children in care and helping them achieve stability and long-term security. In this role, you will provide leadership and management support to the team, working alongside the Team Manager to ensure high-quality practice and effective supervision—hybrid/Remote working.

**Responsibilities**

You will:

· Supervise and appraise social workers and family workers

· Provide oversight of complex casework and offer guidance on care planning

· Chair meetings and contribute to decision-making that promotes the best outcomes for children

· Support practice development within the team, acting as a role model and mentor for colleagues

· Maintain a focus on securing permanent homes for children and ensuring stability in placements

**Knowledge & Experience Requirements**

You will bring proven experience in supervision, mentoring, and leading others, along with a track record of delivering excellent outcomes in complex children's social care cases. A collaborative approach, strong communication skills, and the ability to work in partnership with professionals and families are essential.

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills – both orally and in writing
• Proven operational experience in social work, ideally working as a senior practitioner or small team leader/supervisor.
• Able to demonstrate relevant theoretical Social Work concepts, practices and detailed organisational knowledge relating to the provision of a professional Social Work service.
• Experience in dealing with significant issues, management of complex child protection matters, staff underperformance, and managing resources to address team performance priorities through the allocation of limited resources
• Ability to influence and negotiate partner relationships at the management level.
• Must understand the need for emotional intelligence/resilience, specifically in relation to risk, ensuring a positive balance between perceived risk and protection from harm where necessary.
• Ability to provide direction, motivate, and inspire the team to deliver quality professional practice.
• Experience in managing a small budget and/or contributing to financially related decisions on larger spends.
• Demonstrable knowledge of how to improve practice and performance in a supportive, positive way.
• Able to perform management and provide quality assurance, ensuring team contribution to Children and Young People.
• Able to provide professional leadership in situations of complexity, risk, uncertainty and challenge.
• Ability to develop and maintain strong working relationships with colleagues and partners to improve outcomes for individual children and young people.

Qualification – Essential

• Dip SW. CQSW. CSS or CCETSW or equivalent
• SWE (HCPC) Registered
• Advanced user –Microsoft Office, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, social media.

Essential Compliance Requirements

• 3 Years of References
• Enhanced Adults DBS
• Relevant Degree required
• Have access to a car and be willing to travel
• Willing to engage in the mandatory pre-screening application process.

Diamond Blaque Group, a leading public-sector provider, is acting as the employment agency for this vacancy. Our organisation is deeply committed to fostering an environment of equal opportunity and diversity in the workplace.