Service Manager
Job Location:
Monthly Salary:
Posted:
Application Deadline:
Vacancies:
Job Summary
We are recruiting for the role ofService Manageracross our A12 operational service area on a permanent basis.
Whilst this role is part of a team based from our Birmingham officeour teams work flexibly and remotely therefore your proximity to the office doesnt always have to be a critical consideration.
A onceinageneration opportunity to practice social work differently
Family justice is changing and Cafcass is at the heart of that change. With the national rollout of Child Focused Courts we are leading a transformation in how childrens voices are heard and how decisions are made in family proceedings.
Child Focused Courts place childrens safety wellbeing and lived experience at the centre of decision-making from the very start of proceedings. This problemsolving less adversarial approach allows decisions to be informed earlier by a clear understanding of childrens experiences including through the preparation of Child Impact Reports.
The role at a glance
Working within Cafcass Child Focused Courts teams you will;
- Undertake direct work with children and families involved in family court proceedings
- Ensure childrens voices are heard clearly and influence judicial decisionmaking
- Collaborate closely with judges legal professionals and partner agencies
- Practise social work that is purposeful evidenceinformed and valuesled
Many practitioners involved in early Child Focused Court pilots describe this way of working as professionally rewarding aligned with core social work values and genuinely impactful for children.
We trust and empower colleagues to work in a hybrid way providing the resources equipment and support so that individually and collectively we can be the voice of children and young people when the family court makes critical decisions about their futures.
Whilst this role is part of a team based from our offices in Birmingham or Staffordour teams work flexibly and remotely your proximity to the office doesnt always have to be a critical consideration.
We are a diverse inclusive organisation that is a safe space for colleagues with shared aspects of identity and lived experience which helps ensure we provide a service which promotes the diversity and uniqueness of children and families from all backgrounds. We especially welcome applications from people from diverse backgrounds as we strive to ensure our workforce reflects the diversity of the children and families we work with.
We provide extensive wellbeing support for colleagues as well as excellent benefits all of which we hope encourages you to join us.
Let us tell you a bit more about the role
Being a Service Manager is very rewarding but as you would expect challenging too. As well as being registered with Social Work England youll be organised resilient empathetic supportive and able to work independently.
and what were looking for.
We also think you for you to succeed and truly make a difference youshould be someone who has;
- Expert knowledge of childrens social work including safeguarding statutory and assessment frameworks
- A track record of highly effective practice management or supervisory experience
- Demonstrable experience of being a practice educator with the skills to continuously monitor manage develop and improve team and individual performance
- Proven ability to establish strong and effective networks with other agencies.
- Experience of leading individuals and teams through change
Next steps / timelines
If and when you are ready to apply our application process is straightforward and quick to complete. You dont need to complete your application in a single visit you can start it and come back and amend your responses / update your CV just make sure you come back before the closing date to submit.
Below we have given you an indication of a timetable we are hoping to work towards although dates are subject to change.
| Closing date: | 29 May 2026 |
| Final Interview: | 8 June 2026 |
We understand that starting a new role is a big decision and you may require further information before applying. You can find out more about the role in the Job Description and there is a wealth of information about Cafcass on ourCafcass Careerspage.
If you wish to speak with a member of the team for more specific information you can contact Michelle Berridge from our HR Resourcing team providing your contact information and best times / methods to get hold of you.
Whilst we will always try and respond a.s.a.p. we wouldnt want you to miss the closing date before we are able to. If this is the case we recommend you apply and as part of your application you can ask questions and this may allow us to contact you and provide you with the required information that will help you decide if you still wish to be considered.
Finally in anticipation of your application being successful you might want to read about theoffer and pre-employment checksprocess. As part of your application you can highlight any concerns or questions about the pre-employment checks and we encourage all applicants to do so safe in the knowledge such information will not be shared with individuals involved in the selection process.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Please be advised successful applicants will be subject to a range of pre-engagement checks including a Disclosure and Barring Service check (DBS). In accordance with theDBS code of practiceand our own policy should an individual have a declared criminal offence an individual assessment will be completed. Further information on what the assessment covers can be found by viewing theCafcass DBS poli
Be Their Voice
We are Cafcass the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service and we represent children in family court cases in England.
Independently advising the family courts about what is safe for children and in their best interests we speak up for overchildren every year when the family court makes critical decisions about their futures ensuring their needs wishes and feelings are heard.
Watch our video to find out we dont just listen to childrens voices but we can be their voice.
If our purpose resonates with you and you share our ambitions for children - exceptional experiences for every child everywhere and every time - then if you join us you will work alongside like-minded people in a diverse inclusive and supportive organisation.
You will be trusted to work flexibly and independently using outstanding technology (e.g. touchscreen laptops iPhone all with first class support including IT Trainers) with access to substantial resources (e.g. Cafcass Library has over 27000 resources on social work child protection and related topics). You will also have opportunities to develop whatever team you join wherever you are in the country and at whatever stage you are at in your career.
Whether you join us in one of our social work roles that work directly with children and families or our corporate and business services teams who provide technology support and expertise you will have the chance to make a difference for children and families. You can also find out more at Wellbeing
The wellbeing of our colleagues is something we are truly passionate about as demonstrated by everyone having four dedicated additional days per year when they are encouraged to spend time focusing on their health and wellbeing.
Colleagues can also have a health and wellbeing cash plan for which Cafcass pays the basic premium (you can upgrade to include family members) which allows them to claim back some costs of routine health expenses including dental check-ups eye tests physiotherapy sessions and more.
Overall we foster a holistic approach to supporting our colleagues benefitting physical mental and financial health. This is led by a dedicated in-house team the benefits of which include meaning support is targeted and specific to what colleagues need. Our team can also offer support and guidance when it comes to specific health conditions such as neuro-diverse conditions cancer and the menopause.
Our wellbeing offer is further strengthened by an external Employee Assistance Provider (EAP) which provides a free confidential support service 24 hours a day. This means access to clinical and professional expertise which gives you a chance to talk about all kinds of work and personal issues.
If this wasnt enough we are especially proud that over 125 colleagues have completed training and receive ongoing support to act as Health and Wellbeing Champions. Furthermore we have nearly 100 people that have trained to be Mental Health Allies.
Diversity
We represent children and families from diverse backgrounds and having a diverse workforce helps us to fulfil this responsibility authentically.
It also helps us to grow evolve and innovate so we particularly welcome applications from individuals from diverse backgrounds as we strive to ensure our workforce reflects the diversity of the children and families we work with.
We are proud to be a disability confident leader we invite you to join our team we are committed to actively attract and recruit individuals with disabilities including non-visible disabilities and mental health conditions. Our inclusive and accessible recruitment process means we aim to accommodate reasonable adjustments as needed. This commitment highlights our dedication to employing training retaining and developing the careers of our colleagues with disabilities.
Our Diversity Networks provide a safe space for colleagues with shared aspects of identity and lived experience supported by allies across the organisation. The networks help ensure we provide an inclusive working environment and a service which promotes the diversity and uniqueness of children and families from all backgrounds.
For more information watch our video here.
Our current networks include:
Kaleidoscope Network
Colleagues from Black Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds.
Mental Health Network
Colleagues who experience or have an interest in Mental Health issues.
Pride
Network
Colleagues who identify as Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Trans LGBT.
Neurodiversity Network
Colleagues who are neurodivergent or support someone who is.
Together
Together with Children and Families (which we just call Together) is the name of our relationship-based practice framework. It applies to the work of every individual in Cafcass from Social Workers to Leaders and includes our Corporate and Business Support teams.
It is at the heart of what we do and is made up of our values how these values work in practice the tools to use to incorporate these values in our work and the impact this will have on the children and families we serve.
This framework encourages us to be pro-active and to look for the strengths in ourselves and others. It also enables us to build positive relationships with our colleagues our partners and most importantly with the children and families with whom we work.
We look forward to telling helping you learn more about Together should you join us.
Benefits
We know if you join us you want to be rewarded in a variety of ways including time away from work to spend time with those important to you manage your financial present and future whilst also be trusted to manage your work/life balance.
Therefore in addition to our unique holistic approach to supporting your health and wellbeing we also provide:
Generous holidays
28 days holiday (including three for Christmas) rising to 33 days with five years continuous service which could include your current employment. You can also sell any you do not need.
This list is just a selection of main benefits and we have a range of policies and processes that allow us to support our colleagues - and their families and we look forward to providing you with further information about these in due course.
Documents
Required Experience:
Manager
