About Us

This is an opportunity to lead a children’s social care team and make a direct difference to the lives of children, young people and families across Oxfordshire. You will ensure that children requiring Family Help, Children in Need or Child Protection support, those within the public law framework, children in care and care leavers receive prompt, high-quality assessment, support and intervention that responds to their needs and reduces risk.

About the Role

Reporting to the Service Manager, you will lead a team of up to 10, providing inclusive and effective leadership, supporting staff wellbeing and development, managing performance and resources, and ensuring children’s plans progress within statutory and Council timescales.

You will work closely with children, young people, families and partner agencies, promoting restorative and relationship-based practice in line with Oxfordshire’s practice models, including the Family Safeguarding approach. You will support the ongoing development, delivery and evaluation of services, drive quality assurance and continuous improvement, respond to complaints and concerns, and manage the team’s budget effectively.

Key responsibilities

In this role, you will:

• Allocate new referrals through the duty system and ensure their timely progression.
• Ensure the Council fulfils its statutory responsibilities to assess, support and safeguard children, young people and families.
• Oversee children’s plans, using group and individual supervision to support effective casework and timely decision-making.
• Lead, motivate and develop staff, maintaining effective arrangements for wellbeing, health and safety, induction and professional supervision.
• Monitor performance, quality assure casework through regular audits and address underperformance where required.
• Keep the team informed of legislative, policy and practice developments and plan service changes accordingly.
• Build strong partnerships with children, young people, families and external agencies to deliver effective and cost-conscious services.
• Promote anti-discriminatory and anti-oppressive practice, challenging discrimination and ensuring people’s needs remain central to service delivery.
• Gather and evaluate feedback, respond to complaints and concerns within required timescales, and use learning to improve services.
• Manage resources and the team’s budget effectively, including purchase orders, invoices and budgets of up to £10,000.

About you

You will be a qualified Social Worker registered with Social Work England, with strong knowledge of relevant childcare legislation, guidance and regulation, including Working Together to Safeguard Children. You will have experience of leading a social care team, managing performance, resources and budgets, and delivering high-quality statutory services.

• Excellent leadership, planning, communication and relationship-building skills.
• Experience of Family Help, child protection, Children in Need and children in care arrangements in a statutory setting.
• The ability to analyse performance information to inform service planning and resource allocation.
• Experience of developing strong multi-agency partnerships.
• Confidence using Microsoft applications and children’s social care systems such as Liquidlogic LCS.
• A proactive, adaptable and collaborative approach, with the ability to work independently and respond flexibly to service needs.
• The ability to travel independently to a range of settings, sometimes at short notice.

The post is not politically restricted and is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check, including the Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists. A full driving licence and business insurance are required. You must be able to travel across Oxfordshire, work from different office locations and provide cover for colleagues when needed. Flexible working may include evenings, weekends, bank holidays, sleep-ins, rota working and responding to emergencies, in line with service requirements. The contractual base will be stated in the contract, with flexible working available in line with the Council’s Agile Working Policy.

Rewards and benefits

Rewards and Benefits

• Relocation expenses of up to £8,000
• A good to outstanding OFSTED rating
• Regular training opportunities
• A flexible, agile organisation
• A generous local government pension scheme
• 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Culture of flexible working
• Technology to support agile working where role permits
• Option to ‘buy’ additional holiday
• 24/7 access to Employee Assistance Programme including access to health and wellbeing support
• Membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, with an employer’s contribution of up to 19.9%
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• Local and national discounts for shopping and travel
• Great learning and development opportunities to support your ongoing development.

Your office base may be subject to change as we are currently transitioning between temporary and permanent office locations due to the closure of County Hall. If thisis applicableto you, you will be notified, but no reimbursement will apply in respect of travel.

Ourcommitment to:
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Oxfordshire County Council we are proud of our diverse workforce. Everyone is accepted for who they are, regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marital status, race, faith or belief, sexual orientation, socioeconomic background, or on maternity or family leave. We have a number of staff network groups which provide peer support, education and safe spaces for all.

Our commitment to:
Guaranteed Interview Schemes

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and who meet the essential criteria for the job. For those leaving care without any further education, we guarantee an interview for our apprenticeships. We are also committed to helping and supporting those transitioning from HM Armed Forces to civilian life and guarantee an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.

Our commitment to:
Safeguarding

Oxfordshire County Council are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. We expect all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment. We will ensure that all our recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.

Our commitment to:
Flexible Working

We are open to discussions about flexible working, which can include flexi-time, part time working, job sharing, nine-day fortnights and annualised hours, depending on the requirements of the role and the service.

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