Interim Head of Service – Children's Services

Location: Walsall, West Midlands Pay: £475–£550 per day (subject to confirmation) Contract: Interim – 4 months, with potential to extend Start Date: 12 October 2026 Hours: 37.5 hours per week IR35 Status: Inside IR35

### About the Role

Lynx Employment Services is recruiting an experienced Interim Head of Service – Children in Our Care, Care Leavers and Disabled Children & Young People's Services for a senior leadership opportunity within a local authority in the West Midlands. This is a high-profile interim appointment, providing leadership, stability and strategic direction across key children's social care services while permanent recruitment is undertaken. The successful candidate will be an experienced, values-led senior leader with a strong track record in children's social care, safeguarding, corporate parenting and service improvement.

### Key Responsibilities

Provide strategic and operational leadership across Children in Care, Leaving Care, Corporate Parenting and Disabled Children's Services.

Maintain high standards of safeguarding, permanence planning and outcomes for children and young people.

Lead and support service improvement and transformation initiatives.

Contribute to the Families First and reunification agendas.

Strengthen partnerships with health services, education providers and other agencies.

Address complex challenges relating to placement sufficiency, SEND provision and funding.

Maintain service performance, quality assurance and effective governance.

Provide confident leadership and direction to managers and multidisciplinary teams.

Support the continued delivery of high-quality, child-centred services. ### Essential Requirements

Significant senior management experience within local authority children's social care. Proven leadership experience across Children in Care, Care Leavers and safeguarding services. Strong understanding of permanence, corporate parenting and statutory responsibilities. Experience of leading service improvement and managing complex operational challenges. Excellent partnership-working skills, particularly with health and education services. Ability to manage competing priorities, budgets and service pressures. Strong leadership, communication and stakeholder management skills. Full valid driving licence. Experience overseeing Disabled Children's Services, SEND-related challenges and placement sufficiency would be particularly valuable.

### What's on Offer

Competitive day rate of £475–£550, subject to confirmation. Four-month interim assignment with potential extension. Senior leadership responsibility across multiple children's services. Opportunity to contribute to ongoing transformation and service improvement.

### Apply Today

If you are an experienced senior children's social care leader who can provide immediate stability, strategic direction and effective operational leadership, we'd love to hear from you. Apply today with your CV or contact Lynx Employment Services for a confidential discussion. Lynx Employment Services Ltd – Celebrating 25 Years \| Est\. 2001