Head of Care and Family Connections
| Posting date: | 24 February 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £63,403 to £71,838 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 20 March 2026 |
| Location: | Weston-Super-Mare, North Somerset |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 3 days per week |
| Company: | North Somerset Council |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | SCHA0997 |
Summary
Lead the Change. Shape the Future. Make a Real Impact.
At North Somerset Council, we are really proud of the support that we provide to our children, and we know that we can make this even stronger. That is why we have invested in our services for children to create a system of support to help children stay close to home. We are therefore wanting to build our senior capacity to ensure we deliver this alongside our children, families, and workforce. This is a really important role in our corporate parenting space and will involve the post-holder working closely with colleagues, partners and members. You will lead the development of our fostering family and innovate as we open our own homes for children in our community. You will have critical oversight and delivery responsibility across our sufficiency space – including strengthening our approach to supporting children to remain at home and returning home with support.
This is your opportunity to lead with purpose, drive innovation, and ensure every child gets the right support at the right time. You’ll bring clarity where there’s complexity, compassion where there is challenge, and leadership where it matters most.
The Role
You’ll lead our Care and Family Connections work
Inspiring and empowering our development of edge of care and reunification
Driving excellence as we open our own homes for children
Work closely with our fostering family to grow and support our offer and to increase opportunity for children to remain in their home community
Championing trauma‑informed, strength‑based, and reflective practice across our services
Building strong partnerships across agencies, communities, and families to champion our offer for children looked after and those with care experience.
Shaping future services in line with national reforms.
This is a strategic leadership role with real operational influence, where your decisions will directly impact lives. This role may be subject to change as part of the social care reforms implementation and this change will be part of your terms and conditions at the time of your appointment.
About You
We’re looking for a bold, compassionate leader who brings:
A professional social work qualification and registration with Social Work England.
Senior‑level experience in children’s social care, including corporate parenting areas of work.
A clear strategic vision and the ability to turn ideas into action.
A collaborative, inclusive leadership style that builds trust and inspires confidence.
A deep commitment to working alongside families and communities to create lasting change.
Contact Information
For further information about the role, please contact Ben Short, Assistant Director, Children’s Support & Safeguarding at ben.short@n-somerset.gov.uk or 01275 884392.
At North Somerset Council, we are really proud of the support that we provide to our children, and we know that we can make this even stronger. That is why we have invested in our services for children to create a system of support to help children stay close to home. We are therefore wanting to build our senior capacity to ensure we deliver this alongside our children, families, and workforce. This is a really important role in our corporate parenting space and will involve the post-holder working closely with colleagues, partners and members. You will lead the development of our fostering family and innovate as we open our own homes for children in our community. You will have critical oversight and delivery responsibility across our sufficiency space – including strengthening our approach to supporting children to remain at home and returning home with support.
This is your opportunity to lead with purpose, drive innovation, and ensure every child gets the right support at the right time. You’ll bring clarity where there’s complexity, compassion where there is challenge, and leadership where it matters most.
The Role
You’ll lead our Care and Family Connections work
Inspiring and empowering our development of edge of care and reunification
Driving excellence as we open our own homes for children
Work closely with our fostering family to grow and support our offer and to increase opportunity for children to remain in their home community
Championing trauma‑informed, strength‑based, and reflective practice across our services
Building strong partnerships across agencies, communities, and families to champion our offer for children looked after and those with care experience.
Shaping future services in line with national reforms.
This is a strategic leadership role with real operational influence, where your decisions will directly impact lives. This role may be subject to change as part of the social care reforms implementation and this change will be part of your terms and conditions at the time of your appointment.
About You
We’re looking for a bold, compassionate leader who brings:
A professional social work qualification and registration with Social Work England.
Senior‑level experience in children’s social care, including corporate parenting areas of work.
A clear strategic vision and the ability to turn ideas into action.
A collaborative, inclusive leadership style that builds trust and inspires confidence.
A deep commitment to working alongside families and communities to create lasting change.
Contact Information
For further information about the role, please contact Ben Short, Assistant Director, Children’s Support & Safeguarding at ben.short@n-somerset.gov.uk or 01275 884392.
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