Head of Service – Safeguarding & Care Planning (Social Care)Temporary (26 Weeks) | Inside IR35
Location: South East London
Working Pattern: Hybrid (minimum 2 days onsite)
Hours: 36 per week
Rate: £550–£600 per day (Umbrella / Ltd)
Start Date: ASAP
Ribble Recruitment is assisting a London local authority with the recruitment of an experienced Interim Head of Service – Safeguarding & Care Planning to provide senior leadership within Children’s Services while permanent recruitment is underway.
This is a senior statutory leadership role and applications are invited only from experienced Heads of Service. Aspiring candidates will not be considered.
The RoleAs Interim Head of Service, you will be a key member of the Senior Management Team, providing strategic and operational leadership across the Safeguarding West service, including oversight of two Contact Centres as part of the authority’s Front Door arrangements.
You will lead services that ensure timely, proportionate, and effective decision-making for children and families, working closely with multi-agency partners to deliver positive outcomes and support ongoing service transformation.
Key Responsibilities*Provide strategic and operational leadership across Safeguarding & Care Planning services
*Lead and manage multiple teams, including oversight of Contact Centres
*Ensure strong Front Door decision-making and timely service delivery
*Drive performance, quality assurance, and continuous improvement
*Act as a senior professional lead, embedding statutory responsibilities and best practice
*Work collaboratively with partners across health, police, education, and voluntary sectors
*Support and contribute to the council’s wider transformation and improvement agenda
Candidate RequirementsTo be considered, you must have:
*A Social Work qualification
*Current Social Work England registration
*Substantial senior leadership experience at Head of Service level within Children’s Social Care
*Strong knowledge of safeguarding, care planning, and statutory frameworks
*Proven experience of leading complex services and multi-agency partnerships
*Eligibility to work in the UK
Working Arrangements*Hybrid working
*Minimum two days per week onsite, with one day aligned to the service’s designated office day
Recruitment Process*In-person interview
*Interview dates: late January 2026 (TBC)
*One-stage process
How to ApplyRibble Recruitment is supporting the hiring organisation by managing candidate sourcing, screening, and the initial stages of the recruitment process.
Lewis Ashcroft