- Suffolk County Council
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Address: West Suffolk House, Bury St Edmunds IP33 3YU or The Mix, Stowmarket IP14 1BB - Hybrid
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Salary: £60,135 per annum (pro rata for part time)
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Hours: 37 hours per week, flexible working options available
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Contract: Permanent
Reimagine the possibilities
At Suffolk County Council, we're ambitious for children, young people and families. We are transforming the way support is provided through Family Help, bringing together skilled practitioners from across disciplines to deliver the right help at the right time.
As a Family Help Service Manager, you will play a key leadership role in shaping and delivering integrated services that help children thrive, strengthen families and improve long-term outcomes across Suffolk.
Your role and responsibilities
As a Service Manager within Family Help, you will provide strategic and operational leadership to multidisciplinary teams comprising Senior Family Help Practitioners, Family Help Practitioners and Domestic Abuse Workers. You will ensure children, young people and families receive high-quality, timely and effective support, while leading service improvement and embedding best practice across the service.
You will:
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lead and inspire Family Help teams to deliver excellent outcomes for children, young people and families
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drive the implementation and development of the Family Help model, embedding strengths-based and relationship-led practice
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work closely with the Social Care Family Help Service Manager and wider Children's Services colleagues to provide coordinated support for families
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promote a culture of continuous improvement, learning and innovation
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oversee service performance, quality assurance, safeguarding and statutory responsibilities
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support and develop managers and practitioners through effective supervision, coaching and performance management
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manage resources and budgets effectively to achieve the best possible outcomes.
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build strong partnerships with schools, health partners, police, voluntary organisations and other key stakeholders.
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contribute to strategic planning, transformation programmes and service development across Children's Services.
You will need
We're looking for an experienced and inspirational leader who can drive high-quality practice and service improvement within children's services.
You will have:
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a Social Work qualification and current Social Work England registration
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significant experience of leading and managing children's services
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a strong understanding of safeguarding, assessment and case management within children's services
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experience of managing change and embedding service improvements.
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proven ability to lead, motivate and develop teams
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experience of managing budgets, resources and performance
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strong partnership-working skills and the ability to influence across organisations
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excellent communication skills and the ability to articulate strategic vision
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a commitment to delivering outstanding services for children, young people and families.
You can view a full list of requirements in the Job and Person Profile (JPP), which you can find in the ‘How to apply’ section towards the bottom of this advert.
If you believe you can succeed in this role, apply. Even if you don't meet all requirements, still apply. We would appreciate the opportunity to consider your application.
The team
At Suffolk County Council, we aspire for every child to live their best life.
Our Family Help teams bring together professionals from different disciplines to provide early intervention, safeguarding and family support. We are committed to delivering joined-up services that prevent escalation, build family strengths and create sustainable change.
You'll join a collaborative and supportive leadership team that values innovation, professional development and continuous improvement, with a shared commitment to achieving the best outcomes for children and families across Suffolk.
Empowering Everyone
We’re big believers in potential, possibility and the power of different ideas. We’re always searching for ways to encourage, respect and enable everyone to be the best they can be. We want to represent the diverse communities we serve. We welcome applications from all individuals, especially those from groups that are currently underrepresented in the organisation, as shown in our Workforce Equality Report.
For more information
Please contact Charnine De'Ath for a casual conversation. You can reach them by calling 01728652379 or emailing Charnine.De'[email protected]
How to apply
Step 1 - Read the Job and Person Profile (Word).
Step 2 - Click ‘Apply Now’ to start your online application.
Step 3 - Upload a supporting statement answering the following questions below (no more than 400 words per question). You should use the Supporting Statement template (Word).
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Tell us about a significant service improvement or organisational change you have led. How did you engage managers and staff, address resistance
to change, and embed the new way of working? What was the impact on practice and outcomes? -
Describe your experience of leading early intervention, Family Help, safeguarding or family support services. What strategies have you implemented
to improve outcomes for children and families, reduce risk and prevent needs from escalating? What evidence demonstrates the impact of your approach? -
Tell us about a time when you developed the performance or practice of a team or manager. How did you provide support and challenge, address
any performance or practice issues, and ensure high-quality outcomes for children and families?
Please note: Without a supporting statement, your interest will not be progressed. Any supporting documents must be in either PDF or MS Word format.
For guidance on completing your application, please see our How to Apply page.
Planning to use Artificial Intelligence (AI)? Please ensure your application still reflects your own skills, experience and ideas. If used inappropriately, your application may not be processed. Please read our guidance for using AI to understand what’s acceptable.
Do you need any reasonable adjustments to help you to apply? If you are disabled and/or have additional support needs, you can request reasonable adjustments. You can do this by contacting our Recruitment Team at [email protected] or 03456 014412. You can find examples of possible adjustments on our Reasonable Adjustment pages.
Closing date: 11.30pm, 16 August 2026
Interview date: 21 August 2026
This authority is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checks or police vetting will be required for relevant posts. #LI-Hybrid
If you want to know more about our benefits, values and equality commitments please visit our Suffolk County Council careers website (careers.Suffolk.gov.uk).
