Early Help Team Manager
37 hours per week
Fixed-term contract for 12 months
Hybrid role working across Council offices, community settings and home working
Are you an experienced and passionate children's services leader looking to make a real difference to the lives of children and families on the Isle of Wight?
We are seeking a motivated and skilled Team Manager - Early Help to join our Children's Services leadership team. This is an exciting opportunity to lead and develop our Early Help Service while playing a key role in the implementation of the Families First Programme and Family Help model across the partnership.
Working closely with colleagues across Children's Services, education, health and partner agencies, you will help shape integrated services that provide the right support at the right time, ensuring children are safe, supported and able to achieve their full potential.
What you'll do
- Lead and manage the Early Help Team, ensuring high-quality assessments, interventions and support for children and families.
- Support the development and implementation of the Families First Programme and Best Start Family Hub offer.
- Drive the implementation of the Family Help practice model, promoting strong partnership working and consistent practice across services.
- Develop effective pathways between Early Help, Family Help and Children's Social Care, ensuring seamless support as family needs change.
- Provide leadership, supervision and performance management to a team of practitioners, ensuring excellent practice and positive outcomes for children and families.
- Monitor service performance, analyse data and provide reports and recommendations to support service improvement.
- Chair multi-agency meetings and contribute to service governance, risk management and safeguarding arrangements.
- Represent the Council in partnership forums and contribute to local and regional development of best practice.
What you will bring
- Significant experience of managing services within Early Help, Family Help, Children's Social Care or a related children's services environment.
- Strong understanding of safeguarding, children's legislation, policy and practice.
- Knowledge of the Families First Programme and Family Help reforms, or the ability to rapidly develop expertise in this area.
- Proven experience of leading teams, managing performance and supporting workforce development.
- Excellent communication, partnership-working and relationship-building skills.
- Experience of driving service improvement and implementing change programmes.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to use performance information to inform decision-making and improve outcomes.
- A recognised Social Work qualification and professional registration.
What we offer
- The opportunity to shape the future of Early Help and Family Help services on the Isle of Wight.
- A key leadership role within an ambitious and improving Children's Services department.
- Flexible and hybrid working arrangements.
- Ongoing professional development and leadership opportunities.
- A supportive and collaborative management team.
- The chance to make a lasting difference to children, young people and families.
Join us and help shape the future of Family Help on the Isle of Wight, ensuring children and families receive the right support at the right time.
If you are an experienced and motivated leader with a passion for improving outcomes for children and families, we would love to hear from you.
For further information or an informal discussion, please contact Lauren Wicks Service Manager for Operations at lauren.wicks@iow.gov.uk
Interview Date: 20 August 2026
Interview Venue: County Hall, Newport, Isle of Wight
Join #TeamIWC and you'll receive our staff benefits package, including:
- Annual leave entitlement of 32 days p/a PLUS public holidays!
- Local Government pension scheme
- Discounted Solent ferry travel
- Island bus network discount
- Cycle to work scheme
- Staff parking permit scheme
- Discounted island sports & leisure gym membership
- National and local discounts & benefits schemes
- Relocation scheme of up to £8,000 may be available for some roles (subject to criteria)
- Travel allowance may be available if commuting from the mainland (subject to criteria)
To discover more about our careers please visit Jobs and careers - Isle of Wight
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The Isle of Wight Council currently does not have a license to sponsor overseas workers.
We actively promote the diversity of our workforce, and provide flexible working options (where appropriate) to support the different needs of our employees. We are an equal opportunities employer, proud to encourage applications from all cultures, backgrounds and abilities to better reflect the diversity within our local community.
We are a Disability Confident employer. Along with a number of commitments, this means, providing you meet the basic essential requirements of the advertised role and have declared yourself as disabled, you will be offered an opportunity for an interview within the council.
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The Isle of Wight Council’s Terms & Conditions of employment are available upon request. Please contact our recruitment team via adverts@iow.gov.uk if you would like to receive a copy.
The Isle of Wight Council reserve the right to close vacancies earlier than stated, if required. To ensure your application is considered, it is recommended to submit your application promptly.
Please note, appointment to a regulated role will require you to provide additional personal details, including full employment history, referee information, and consent for any required safeguarding checks, as part of the Council’s commitment to safer recruitment and compliance with regulatory requirements.
This council and its schools recruit according to the council’s Recruitment, Policy and Procedure and are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.
For support completing your online application or for further information on how to apply, phone 01983 823134 or email callcentre@iow.gov.uk. Only applications submitted online by the closing date will be accepted.
We often receive a high volume of applicants for our vacancies. If you do not hear from the recruiting manager within three weeks of the closing date, we regret that your application will not have been successful on this occasion. Please revisit our job page for alternate posts that may be suitable.