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Posted 02 August, 2026

Service Manager - Connected Care & Kinship Fostering

Randstad Care
Durham, ENG, GB Full Time

Job Description

Service Manager - Connected Care & Kinship Fostering\n
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    Role: Agency Service Manager (Connected Care & Kinship)

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    Department: Children's Services / Fostering & Permanence

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    Location: Durham County Council

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    Pay Rate:£350 per day

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    Contract: Full-Time, Interim / Agency Contract

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    Working Pattern: Hybrid / Flexible Working (Subject to service need)

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An exciting opportunity has arisen for a dedicated Agency Service Manager to lead the Connected Care and Kinship Fostering Service at Durham County Council. In this strategic operational leadership role, you will champion child-centred practice, improve placement sufficiency, and ensure children are supported to thrive within their extended family networks whenever safe and appropriate.

Key Role Highlights\n
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    Attractive Rate: Secure a competitive daily rate of £350 per day.

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    Strategic & Operational Impact: Drive service development, shape kinship care strategies, and influence permanence planning at a senior level.

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    Service Transformation: Lead on quality assurance, audits, and performance management to enhance placement stability and reduce reliance on external placements.

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    Supportive Environment: Work alongside a collaborative senior leadership team committed to continuous service improvement.

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Core Responsibilities\n
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    Service Leadership: Provide strategic and operational direction across the Connected Care and Kinship Fostering Team.

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    Kinship & Connected Carer Management: Oversee the assessment, approval, statutory review, and ongoing support of kinship and connected foster carers.

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    High-Risk Case Oversight: Deliver expert guidance on complex, high-risk cases to ensure defensible, robust decision-making.

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    Statutory Compliance: Ensure full compliance with Fostering Regulations, National Minimum Standards (NMS), Care Act guidance, and broader legal frameworks.

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    Quality Assurance & Partnership: Lead service audits and work collaboratively with Children in Care teams, legal services, and regional fostering partners.

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Candidate Requirements\n
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    Professional Status: Qualified Social Worker with active Social Work England registration.

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    Leadership Track Record: Proven leadership experience at Team Manager or Service Manager level within statutory Children's Services.

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    Fostering Expertise: Substantive experience within fostering services, specifically specializing in kinship, connected care, and permanence planning.

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    Regulatory Knowledge: Deep understanding of fostering legislation, safeguarding frameworks, and court processes.

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    Interim Agility: Demonstrated ability to work at pace and deliver results in an agency or interim capacity.

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Apply Today\n

Randstad Care acts as an employment business when supplying temporary staff and as an employment agency when introducing candidates for permanent employment with a client. Randstad Care is an equal opportunities employer and decisions are made on merits alone.

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Did you know that Randstad Care have been awarded a place on the National Clinical Staffing Framework for the NHS? This means we will be able to bring you more opportunities within nursing & midwifery and clinical staffing.

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