Children's Practitioner

Oxfordshire Bus Enhanced Partnership; Banbury; On-site; GBP 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Oxfordshire County Council seeks a dedicated Child Practitioner to ensure timely, high-quality assessments and support for children, young people and families. You will identify needs, reduce risks and safeguard wellbeing, working with multi-agency partners to promote the child’s voice in planning.

You will engage with families using a strengths-based approach, attend reviews, and contribute to service development while reflecting the council’s commitment to safeguarding and flexible working.

Qualifications

• Experience working with children, young people and families in need of help and protection.
• Ability to prepare written reports and attend reviews with professionalism.
• Understanding of safeguarding and child protection principles and practices.

Responsibilities

• Provide an efficient and effective service to children, young people and families, ensuring needs are professionally supported.
• Work with families using strengths-based approaches and workbook modules.
• Prepare and submit written reports as required and attend reviews/core groups.
• Keep social workers informed of significant information related to allocated families.

Skills

Child protection experience

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Job description

About Us

Together, we’re the moment makers and we’re focussed on making every day the best it can be for our residents. Whatever you do here, you’ll look around and say, "I make a difference". Because we’re all creating lasting change to people’s lives in Oxfordshire. Everyday you’ll be challenged in a new way, supported by your team, in an organisation that is free thinking, flexible, and helps people achieve their ambitions. We’re not afraid to do things differently and our dynamic culture means this is a place where new ideas are embraced, and innovation thrives. We believe that together, our differences make us stronger, and that diversity is the foundation for innovation. Here, you can create a unique career for yourself - while raising the bar for the future of children’s social care.

About the Role

Join our dedicated team at OCC as a Child Practitioner!

You will play a crucial role in ensuring that children, young people and families in need of help and protection receive timely, high quality assessments and support. Your efforts will help identify and meet their needs, reduce risks and safeguard their wellbeing.

Key responsibilities

• To provide an efficient and effective service to children, young people and their families, ensuring that the needs of the children and their parents/carers are professionally supported, and that relevant interventions are provided where needed, in a timely way.
• To work with families using the FSP Workbook modules, and a strengths-based approach.
• To prepare and submit written reports as and when required
• To attend reviews and core groups presenting interventions undertaken clearly, with professionalism and integrity.
• To ensure the social worker is kept fully appraised of significant information about allocated families arising, seeking advice as and when necessary.
• To attend group supervision when required and to ensure that relevant updates are provided before each group supervision session.
• To proactively liaise with and work in partnership other agencies and organisations, parents and carers.
• To ensure that the child’s voice is considered in all casework and included in all assessments and plans.
• To promote the involvement of young service users and families in meetings about them, and where possible, in service development

About you

You’re free-thinking and brave, and that sets you apart. You’ll be supportive and energised; you don’t accept the norm if it can be done better - finding answers through exploration and courage. Just as importantly, you will embody our values in everything you do. Fundamentally, you’ll be passionate about delivering stand-out public services, because we’re here to make every moment the best it can be for the residents of Oxfordshire.

Our commitment 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, full time and 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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