Head of Children's Social Care
At Durham County Council, we are ambitious for our children, young people and families. We are committed to ensuring every child is safe, supported and given the opportunity to thrive. As we continue to strengthen and transform our services in line with national reforms, we are looking for an exceptional leader to join us as our Head of Children's Social Care.
This is a rare opportunity to provide strategic leadership across a broad portfolio of children's social care services and make a lasting impact on the lives of some of the most vulnerable children and young people in County Durham.
About the role
As Head of Children's Social Care, you will play a key role within Children's Services, leading high-performing teams and shaping the future direction of services that protect, support and empower children, young people and families.
Reporting at a senior level, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across a wide range of services, including:
Making an impact
This is a role for a visible and inspiring leader who can combine strategic vision with a relentless focus on outcomes.
You will:
We are looking for a passionate, credible and experienced children's social care leader who can inspire others and lead through change.
You will bring:
This is more than a leadership role. It's an opportunity to join one of the country's highest-performing children's services and help shape the future of a service that is recognised nationally for its impact, ambition and innovation.
In 2025, Durham's Children's Services were rated Outstanding by Ofsted. Inspectors praised our strong and aspirational leadership, our commitment to continual improvement and innovation, and the lasting difference our services make to the lives of children, particularly children in care and care leavers.
Our commitment to children is reflected in our Durham CARES practice approach and our belief that every child is part of the Durham Family. We strive to ensure children are listened to, valued and supported to achieve the very best outcomes, with relationships and high aspirations at the heart of everything we do.
Our success has also been recognised nationally. In 2026, Durham County Council was selected by the Department for Education as a Children's Social Care Improvement Teams (CIT) programme authority, a prestigious programme that enables outstanding councils to support improvement across children's social care nationally. This reflects our reputation for excellence, strong leadership and proven practice.
As our next Head of Children's Social Care, you'll inherit strong foundations, exceptional teams and a clear vision, while having the opportunity to lead the next phase of improvement, innovation and impact. You'll join a service that is not only changing lives across County Durham but helping to shape best practice across the country.
If you're looking for a role where you can lead exceptional services, influence national improvement and make a lasting difference to the lives of children, Durham is the place to do it.
INTERVIEWS
Interviews will be take place week commencing 1 February 2027.
OUR OFFER TO YOU
We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website
Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions.
REMOVAL AND LODGINGS
Removal, lodging and separation expenses may be available to the successful candidate if at the time of application for appointment their place of residence is outside the administrative area of County Durham and more than 30 miles in a straight line from their new administrative centre, along with several other criteria for eligibility.
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION
We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.
CONNECT WITH US
Follow us on Instagram
Like us on Facebook
Visit our website
HOW TO APPLY
Please submit a CV and include a personal statement to demonstrate that you have the essential and where possible, desirable experience, skills, and knowledge. Candidates who do not evidence that they meet the essential qualifications and experience listed on the person specification will not be short-listed.
To find out more, please contact our retained consultants at Penna: Nick Raper on 07715 690463, or Kelly Ridley on 07709 512415 for a confidential conversation, or visit this link for further information and to apply.
Important Information for Members of the Local Government Pension Scheme
HM Revenue and Customs impose controls on the amount of pension savings you can make without having to pay extra tax. These controls are known as the Annual Allowance and Lump Sum Allowance. The Annual Allowance is the amount by which the value of your pension benefits may increase in any one year without you having to pay a tax charge. You are most likely to be affected by the Annual Allowance if you receive a significant pay increase, and/or you are a high earner. Two lump sum limits were also introduced in April 2024. If the value of all lump sums taken from UK pensions is higher than these limits, you will have to pay tax on any excess at your marginal rate.
More information can be found at www.lgpsmember.org/your-pension/the-essentials/tax/
If you are successful in your application for this post and wish to find out more about these controls, please contact the Pension Section at pensions@durham.gov.uk
This is a rare opportunity to provide strategic leadership across a broad portfolio of children's social care services and make a lasting impact on the lives of some of the most vulnerable children and young people in County Durham.
About the role
As Head of Children's Social Care, you will play a key role within Children's Services, leading high-performing teams and shaping the future direction of services that protect, support and empower children, young people and families.
Reporting at a senior level, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across a wide range of services, including:
- Assessment and Safeguarding
- Family First Teams
- Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH)
- Emergency Duty Team (EDT)
- Local Authority Designated Officer (LADO)
- Children in Care and Permanence Services
- Care Leavers Services
- Fostering and Adoption
- Residential Children's Homes
- Early Help Services
- Placement Sufficiency and Commissioning Partnerships
Making an impact
This is a role for a visible and inspiring leader who can combine strategic vision with a relentless focus on outcomes.
You will:
- Drive continuous improvement and innovation across children's social care services.
- Lead the implementation of children's social care reforms and statutory changes.
- Ensure services consistently deliver high-quality practice and positive outcomes for children and families.
- Champion quality assurance, performance management and evidence-based practice.
- Lead services through inspection and regulatory requirements, maintaining strong relationships with Ofsted and other regulatory bodies.
- Work closely with elected members, including supporting the Corporate Parenting Panel and presenting to Overview and Scrutiny Committees.
- Develop and maintain strong partnerships that improve services and maximise opportunities for children and young people.
- Lead substantial budgets and resources, ensuring services remain effective, efficient and sustainable.
We are looking for a passionate, credible and experienced children's social care leader who can inspire others and lead through change.
You will bring:
- A recognised Degree in Social Work and registration with Social Work England.
- Significant senior leadership experience within children's social care and family services.
- A strong track record of leading safeguarding, looked after children, permanence and care leaver services.
- Experience of managing large, complex services, budgets and multidisciplinary teams.
- Strong knowledge of children's social care legislation, safeguarding frameworks and national reforms.
- Experience of working effectively with elected members, regulators and partner agencies.
- The ability to develop and deliver strategic plans that improve outcomes for children and young people.
- Exceptional leadership, communication and relationship-building skills.
- Political awareness, sound judgement and the ability to navigate complex challenges with confidence.
This is more than a leadership role. It's an opportunity to join one of the country's highest-performing children's services and help shape the future of a service that is recognised nationally for its impact, ambition and innovation.
In 2025, Durham's Children's Services were rated Outstanding by Ofsted. Inspectors praised our strong and aspirational leadership, our commitment to continual improvement and innovation, and the lasting difference our services make to the lives of children, particularly children in care and care leavers.
Our commitment to children is reflected in our Durham CARES practice approach and our belief that every child is part of the Durham Family. We strive to ensure children are listened to, valued and supported to achieve the very best outcomes, with relationships and high aspirations at the heart of everything we do.
Our success has also been recognised nationally. In 2026, Durham County Council was selected by the Department for Education as a Children's Social Care Improvement Teams (CIT) programme authority, a prestigious programme that enables outstanding councils to support improvement across children's social care nationally. This reflects our reputation for excellence, strong leadership and proven practice.
As our next Head of Children's Social Care, you'll inherit strong foundations, exceptional teams and a clear vision, while having the opportunity to lead the next phase of improvement, innovation and impact. You'll join a service that is not only changing lives across County Durham but helping to shape best practice across the country.
If you're looking for a role where you can lead exceptional services, influence national improvement and make a lasting difference to the lives of children, Durham is the place to do it.
INTERVIEWS
Interviews will be take place week commencing 1 February 2027.
OUR OFFER TO YOU
We offer a competitive rewards package that includes attractive salaries, a generous annual leave entitlement of 27 days (rising to 32 after five years’ continuous local government service), membership of the excellent contributory career average Local Government Pension Scheme, and a range of flexible working arrangements including hybrid working (home and office) where applicable. Explore the full range of rewards and benefits on our website
Rewards and benefits are subject to individual terms and conditions.
REMOVAL AND LODGINGS
Removal, lodging and separation expenses may be available to the successful candidate if at the time of application for appointment their place of residence is outside the administrative area of County Durham and more than 30 miles in a straight line from their new administrative centre, along with several other criteria for eligibility.
EQUALITY, DIVERSITY, AND INCLUSION
We are a proud equal opportunities employer and believe a diverse workforce brings fresh ideas and drives service improvement. We welcome applications from everyone and make employment decisions based on skills and ability. As a Disability Confident Leader, we actively encourage applications from disabled people and offer support throughout the recruitment process.
CONNECT WITH US
Follow us on Instagram
Like us on Facebook
Visit our website
HOW TO APPLY
Please submit a CV and include a personal statement to demonstrate that you have the essential and where possible, desirable experience, skills, and knowledge. Candidates who do not evidence that they meet the essential qualifications and experience listed on the person specification will not be short-listed.
To find out more, please contact our retained consultants at Penna: Nick Raper on 07715 690463, or Kelly Ridley on 07709 512415 for a confidential conversation, or visit this link for further information and to apply.
Important Information for Members of the Local Government Pension Scheme
HM Revenue and Customs impose controls on the amount of pension savings you can make without having to pay extra tax. These controls are known as the Annual Allowance and Lump Sum Allowance. The Annual Allowance is the amount by which the value of your pension benefits may increase in any one year without you having to pay a tax charge. You are most likely to be affected by the Annual Allowance if you receive a significant pay increase, and/or you are a high earner. Two lump sum limits were also introduced in April 2024. If the value of all lump sums taken from UK pensions is higher than these limits, you will have to pay tax on any excess at your marginal rate.
More information can be found at www.lgpsmember.org/your-pension/the-essentials/tax/
If you are successful in your application for this post and wish to find out more about these controls, please contact the Pension Section at pensions@durham.gov.uk
Attachments
Salary range
- £139,874 per year