Court Progression Manager - Family Support & Safeguarding
London Borough of Barking and Dagenham
About this job
<div> <h2><strong>Court Progression Manager (PO8)</strong></h2> <h3><strong>Children’s Care & Support – Family Support & Safeguarding</strong></h3> <p>We are recruiting to an exciting and influential leadership opportunity within Children’s Care & Support. As our <strong>Court Progression Manager</strong>, you will lead and oversee the quality, performance and strategic direction of court and pre-proceedings practice across Children’s Services.</p> <p>This is a key leadership role at the heart of safeguarding, permanency planning and family justice reform. You will work closely with senior leaders, social work teams, Legal Services and partner agencies to ensure children experience timely, high-quality interventions and the best possible outcomes.</p> <p>This role offers the opportunity to shape practice, drive improvement and lead a culture of excellence across a complex and high-performing service.</p> <h2><strong>About the Role</strong></h2> <p>As the <strong>Court Progression Manager</strong>, you will provide strategic and operational leadership across court-related practice, ensuring that services are effective, compliant and focused on achieving positive outcomes for children and families.</p> <p>You will:</p> <ul> <li>Lead and manage a service area within Children's Care & Support, ensuring high-quality performance and continuous improvement.</li> <li>Provide strong professional leadership, supervision and support to managers and practitioners.</li> <li>Oversee pre-proceedings and care proceedings activity, ensuring compliance with Public Law Outline (PLO) requirements and court timetables.</li> <li>Drive excellent social work practice, quality assurance and performance management across the service.</li> <li>Lead on Family Support & Safeguarding reforms and transformation programmes.</li> <li>Chair complex legal planning, pre-proceedings and strategy meetings.</li> <li>Monitor service performance, case progression and permanency planning to minimise delay for children.</li> <li>Work collaboratively with Legal Services, the Family Court and external partners to improve outcomes across the family justice system.</li> <li>Ensure statutory responsibilities for children in need, children subject to child protection plans and children in care are delivered effectively and within required timescales.</li> <li>Provide strategic advice and performance information to senior leadership and deputise for Children’s Leadership when required.</li> </ul> <p>This role is critical in ensuring children receive timely interventions, robust legal planning and effective permanency arrangements that support them to achieve the best possible outcomes.</p> </div>
Special requirements for this post
<p><span>This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and a comprehensive screening process will be undertaken on successful applicants including an Enhanced Children’s Department of Barring Services check</span></p> <ul> <li>Hold a recognised Social Work qualification.</li> <li>Be registered with <strong>Social Work England</strong>.</li> <li>Have significant post-qualifying experience within Children's Social Care.</li> <li>Successfully complete the required Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for this post.</li> <li>Meet all safer recruitment requirements applicable to the role.</li> </ul> <p> </p>
About you
<div> <p>We are seeking an experienced and inspirational social work leader who:</p> <ul> <li>Has substantial management experience within Children's Social Care.</li> <li>Has extensive knowledge of child protection, safeguarding, court work, Public Law Outline processes and care proceedings.</li> <li>Has a strong track record of performance management, quality assurance and service improvement.</li> <li>Can successfully lead and develop managers and multidisciplinary teams.</li> <li>Demonstrates excellent analytical, strategic and decision-making skills.</li> <li>Is confident working in complex, high-pressure environments and providing professional challenge where required.</li> <li>Has experience of working effectively with courts, legal services and partner agencies.</li> <li>Is passionate about improving outcomes for children and delivering high-quality services.</li> </ul> </div>
About us
<div> <p>We are committed to putting the heart back into social work, supported by our CARES relational practice model, where the child’s lived experience is central to everything we do. We are investing in our workforce, our services and our future — and we want leaders who share our passion for making a difference.This is an opportunity to be part of a service committed to excellence, innovation and continuous improvement.</p> <p>You will:</p> <ul> <li>Lead a highly visible and influential area of practice.</li> <li>Shape and embed best practice across court and safeguarding services.</li> <li>Influence strategic developments, policy implementation and service transformation.</li> <li>Work alongside skilled professionals and committed partners across the family justice system.</li> <li>Play a key role in improving outcomes for vulnerable children and families.</li> <li>Contribute to the development of future social work practice and workforce excellence.</li> </ul> <p>You won't simply be managing a service—you will be leading improvement, influencing practice and helping to shape the future of children's social care.</p> </div>
Interview Dates
<p><strong>Interview will be scheduled for:</strong> </p> <p> </p> <ul> <li>Thursday 30th July</li> <li>Friday 31st July</li> </ul>