Assistant Team Manager (Refugee Team)

Are you ready to be part of a team that transforms lives?

Our Refugee Service supports children fleeing conflict, including separated children and unaccompanied minors from Ukraine. We also work with children whose families have No Recourse to Public Funds, offering safety, stability, and hope for a brighter future.

The Role:
This is a unique chance to join a dynamic, evolving, and creative team where your work will have a direct impact - not just on our service, but on the lives of vulnerable children starting anew in the UK.

As a key member of the team, you'll support the manager and practitioners in delivering a consistently high-quality, safe service to children and young people. You'll be involved in every step of their journey - from arrival and initial assessments (age, risk, trafficking) to navigating the asylum system and supporting those eligible for Leaving Care services.

What you'll do:
You'll be a skilled professional helping children find safety, belonging, and opportunity. Your work will align with best practices in case and risk management, ensuring compliance with legislation and statutory duties.

What makes this role special?

• End-to-End Involvement: Be there from the moment a child arrives in the UK, guiding them through critical assessments and support systems.
• Family Reunification Focus: Work creatively to reunite children with family and friends already in the UK, while maintaining strong links with parents abroad.
• Professional Leadership: Oversee and support practitioners in assessing, monitoring, and reviewing social care needs, ensuring services meet the highest standards.
• Collaborative Development: Work closely with carers, relatives, and partner agencies to shape future service delivery and contribute to ongoing improvements.

What we're looking for:

• Qualified Social Worker, registered with Social Work England.
• Proven significant experience gained in frontline statutory social care practice, working collaboratively with children, young people, and their families.
• Passion and commitment to improving outcomes and the lived experience of the children we serve.
• You will be required to travel to various locations within Hampshire (and the Isle of Wight or other local authority), and it is essential that you have a current drivers' licence and access to a reliable vehicle on a regular basis. You will also need business insurance.

Ready to make a difference? Join us and help shape a future where every child has the chance to thrive.

Why join us?
Hampshire County Council is recognised nationally as one of the highest performing local authorities in the UK. A modern, forward-looking local authority, it offers a pleasant, supportive, and collaborative working environment.

Hampshire County Council is also a flexible employer interested in making the most of your skills and offers a great work life balance. We invest in you through our internal development programmes and training and offer a competitive salary and benefits package.