Youth Justice Team Manager

Job Description – Youth Justice Team Manager Location: Waltham Forest Town Hall, Forest Road, Walthamstow, E17 4JF
Directorate: Families Directorate – Safeguarding & Family Support
Team: Youth & Family Resilience Service (YFRS)
Contract Type: Temporary (12 weeks initially, with potential extension)
Hours: 35 hours per week
Rate: PAYE £29.98 p/h | Umbrella £40.21 p/h (paid weekly via umbrella company


Purpose of the Role The Youth Justice Team Manager will provide operational leadership for the Youth Justice Service (YJS) within the Youth & Family Resilience Service (YFRS), ensuring high-quality delivery of both Out of Court and statutory Court disposals. This includes management of Referral Orders, Youth Rehabilitation Orders, and Custody cases. The role will focus on performance improvement, service development, and embedding trauma-informed, child-first practice in collaboration with statutory partners.


Key Responsibilities

• Lead operations for YFRS in partnership with managers, statutory agencies, and partners for all Out of Court and statutory Court disposals.
  
  
• Drive continuous service improvement and performance management in line with Council objectives and legislative requirements.
  
  
• Ensure operational management strengthens responses to children and young people’s needs, enhancing family resilience and well-being.
  
  
• Work collaboratively with police, education, social care, and partner services to embed systemic, trauma-informed, and child-first practices.
  
  
• Take a holistic approach to meeting the needs of vulnerable children across YFRS and partner provision.
  
  
• Manage, develop, and oversee service delivery to meet professional, legal, and Council standards.
  
  
• Lead preparation work for HMIP inspections, ensuring readiness and compliance.
  
  
• Support an evidence-led, urgent, and rapid response to emerging safeguarding and youth justice concerns, including out-of-hours provision where required.
  
  

Essential Qualifications, Skills & Experience

• Qualified Social Worker with valid Social Work England registration.
  
  
• Proven operational leadership experience within Youth Justice, Youth Offending Services, or a similar statutory setting.
  
  
• Strong knowledge of youth justice legislation, statutory court disposals, and best practice in working with vulnerable young people.
  
  
• Demonstrated ability to work in partnership with statutory and voluntary sector agencies.
  
  
• Experience in managing performance, service improvement, and quality assurance processes.
  
  
• Skilled in trauma-informed and child-first approaches.
  
  
• Strong organisational, analytical, and decision-making skills.
  
  

About the Youth & Family Resilience Service (YFRS) The YFRS works with children and young people from early risk indicators—such as poor school attendance and disruptive behaviour—through to those involved in serious violence or the criminal justice system. The service offers evidence-led, rapid interventions, including support for young people on the edge of care, at risk of gang involvement, or engaged in offending behaviours.


Apply Now Service Care Solutions is proud to assist in this recruitment campaign. If you meet the above criteria and would like to be considered, please apply now or reach out directly to discuss the role in more detail.
 
Harry Greenhalgh
Specialist Recruiter – Youth Justice
Service Care Solutions
harry.greenhalgh@servicecare.org.uk
01772 208962