Head of Service & Principal Social Worker - Children's Social Care
| Posting date: | 30 April 2026 |
|---|---|
| Salary: | £77,550 to £92,601 per year |
| Hours: | Full time |
| Closing date: | 21 May 2026 |
| Location: | Sutton, London |
| Remote working: | Hybrid - work remotely up to 2 days per week |
| Company: | London Borough of Sutton |
| Job type: | Permanent |
| Job reference: | 4026 |
Summary
About the Role and our Ideal Candidate
This is an exciting opportunity for an inspirational and values‑driven leader to join our Senior Management Team as our Principal Social Worker. As the guardian of professional standards you will ensure that the work of our practitioners across children’s services remains ethical, effective and centred on the child. You will assist the organisation by helping to create the conditions for excellent practice to flourish and to be evidenced
As a Principal Social Worker your key responsibilities will be:
Strategic Leadership and Advice: Operating at a senior level to influence council strategy, providing professional advice to the DCS, and ensuring statutory compliance.
Overseeing frameworks to improve social work practice, auditing cases, and ensuring a consistent, high-standard approach across adult social care.
Leading and supporting the social care workforce, supporting effective supervision, and creating a positive learning culture.
Safeguarding Leadership: Driving the strategic safeguarding agenda to ensure a robust response to concerns and ensuring social workers are "making safeguarding personal".
Connecting Frontline and Strategy: Acting as a conduit to inform directors and senior staff about practice realities, including the impact of policies and demographic changes.
Championing Best Practice: Promoting trauma-informed, strengths-based, and human rights-based approaches to practice.
As our Principal Social Worker, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring Sutton meets the LGA Standard for Employers, working closely alongside the Principal Social Worker of Adult Social Care and their Occupational Therapy Services. You will provide confident leadership, expert and professional advice, and clear decision making on all aspects of practice.
You will champion the voice of children, young people and their families, ensuring their needs and aspirations shape service design, practice development, and partnership working. You will work closely with a skilled and committed workforce, acting as a critical friend, and ensuring that the voice of frontline practice is represented within senior decision making forums.
You will be the strategic lead for representing and developing our Practice Framework strengthening our restorative and trauma-informed practice models, ensuring they are consistently applied and evidenced within children's records Furthermore, you will maintain a strong focus on anti-racism and anti-discriminatory practice, promoting inclusivity both within the work with our families and within our workforce.
This is a demanding and high‑profile role in which you will hold lead operational responsibility for ensuring the Council meets its statutory duties under the Children Act 1989, and all associated safeguarding and regulatory frameworks. You will work closely with internal and external partners—including health, education, and commissioned providers—to secure safe, stable, and ambitious social work practice. You will also contribute to the strategic direction of the wider service, driving innovation, quality improvement, and best practice in line with Ofsted expectations and national standards. You will play a pivotal role in ensuring that Sutton fulfils its promise to every child: to feel safe, support and be able to thrive.
For more information about the role and/or an informal conversation, view the Role Profile or contact Jackie McCarthy, Director - Children's Social Care and Safeguarding on jackie.mccarthy@sutton.gov.uk
About You
This role offers an excellent opportunity for a motivated and values‑driven leader who is passionate about improving the lives of every child and family open to social care. We’re looking for someone who brings compassion, resilience, innovation, strong relationship‑building skills, and a commitment to delivering high‑quality, child‑centred practice.
It’s a great fit for:
an experienced Service Manager ready to step into a senior leadership role with wider strategic influence
an established senior manager looking to make an impact in a forward‑thinking, ambitious local authority
You’ll be supported to understand Sutton’s approach to working with our children, young people and their families with access to coaching, mentoring, and collaborative leadership to help you succeed.
We’re looking for candidates who can demonstrate:
strong experience in children’s social care
a proven ability to lead teams and partnerships to deliver improved outcomes for children
confidence in managing performance, driving service improvement, and leading change in complex environments
a clear understanding of statutory responsibilities under the Children Act and related legislation
This is a chance to shape the future of social work practice in Sutton and ensure every child or family who comes into contact with us feels the benefit of strong, relational social work skills.
This is an exciting opportunity for an inspirational and values‑driven leader to join our Senior Management Team as our Principal Social Worker. As the guardian of professional standards you will ensure that the work of our practitioners across children’s services remains ethical, effective and centred on the child. You will assist the organisation by helping to create the conditions for excellent practice to flourish and to be evidenced
As a Principal Social Worker your key responsibilities will be:
Strategic Leadership and Advice: Operating at a senior level to influence council strategy, providing professional advice to the DCS, and ensuring statutory compliance.
Overseeing frameworks to improve social work practice, auditing cases, and ensuring a consistent, high-standard approach across adult social care.
Leading and supporting the social care workforce, supporting effective supervision, and creating a positive learning culture.
Safeguarding Leadership: Driving the strategic safeguarding agenda to ensure a robust response to concerns and ensuring social workers are "making safeguarding personal".
Connecting Frontline and Strategy: Acting as a conduit to inform directors and senior staff about practice realities, including the impact of policies and demographic changes.
Championing Best Practice: Promoting trauma-informed, strengths-based, and human rights-based approaches to practice.
As our Principal Social Worker, you will play a pivotal role in ensuring Sutton meets the LGA Standard for Employers, working closely alongside the Principal Social Worker of Adult Social Care and their Occupational Therapy Services. You will provide confident leadership, expert and professional advice, and clear decision making on all aspects of practice.
You will champion the voice of children, young people and their families, ensuring their needs and aspirations shape service design, practice development, and partnership working. You will work closely with a skilled and committed workforce, acting as a critical friend, and ensuring that the voice of frontline practice is represented within senior decision making forums.
You will be the strategic lead for representing and developing our Practice Framework strengthening our restorative and trauma-informed practice models, ensuring they are consistently applied and evidenced within children's records Furthermore, you will maintain a strong focus on anti-racism and anti-discriminatory practice, promoting inclusivity both within the work with our families and within our workforce.
This is a demanding and high‑profile role in which you will hold lead operational responsibility for ensuring the Council meets its statutory duties under the Children Act 1989, and all associated safeguarding and regulatory frameworks. You will work closely with internal and external partners—including health, education, and commissioned providers—to secure safe, stable, and ambitious social work practice. You will also contribute to the strategic direction of the wider service, driving innovation, quality improvement, and best practice in line with Ofsted expectations and national standards. You will play a pivotal role in ensuring that Sutton fulfils its promise to every child: to feel safe, support and be able to thrive.
For more information about the role and/or an informal conversation, view the Role Profile or contact Jackie McCarthy, Director - Children's Social Care and Safeguarding on jackie.mccarthy@sutton.gov.uk
About You
This role offers an excellent opportunity for a motivated and values‑driven leader who is passionate about improving the lives of every child and family open to social care. We’re looking for someone who brings compassion, resilience, innovation, strong relationship‑building skills, and a commitment to delivering high‑quality, child‑centred practice.
It’s a great fit for:
an experienced Service Manager ready to step into a senior leadership role with wider strategic influence
an established senior manager looking to make an impact in a forward‑thinking, ambitious local authority
You’ll be supported to understand Sutton’s approach to working with our children, young people and their families with access to coaching, mentoring, and collaborative leadership to help you succeed.
We’re looking for candidates who can demonstrate:
strong experience in children’s social care
a proven ability to lead teams and partnerships to deliver improved outcomes for children
confidence in managing performance, driving service improvement, and leading change in complex environments
a clear understanding of statutory responsibilities under the Children Act and related legislation
This is a chance to shape the future of social work practice in Sutton and ensure every child or family who comes into contact with us feels the benefit of strong, relational social work skills.