Social Worker/Senior Practitioner - Family Support and Safeguarding - Bicester

Oxfordshire County Council; Bicester; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A local authority in England is seeking a qualified Social Worker to manage a caseload focusing on the needs of children and their families. You will ensure high-quality service delivery, conducting assessments, and maintaining accurate case records. Ideal candidates will possess strong knowledge of safeguarding, relevant legislation, and demonstrate effective engagement with partner agencies. Flexibility to travel and visit clients is essential.

Qualifications

• Experience working with children, young people, and families.
• Ability to prepare and submit written reports.
• Knowledge of relevant legislation and policies.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload ensuring families' voices are heard.
• Undertake child and family assessments.
• Utilize ICT to maintain accurate case records.

Skills

Good working knowledge of relevant services

Understanding of safeguarding

Motivational Interviewing

Education

Qualified Social Worker

Job description

About Us

Together, we’re shaping children’s social care for the future. Every day, our colleagues are helping to transform the lives of the residents of Oxfordshire.

In our Children, Education, & Families directorate, we’re committed to delivering lasting change, by helping the children, young people, and families of Oxfordshire to thrive. We know the importance of building relationships, empowering people, and building on strengths and this is reflected in our restorative, relational practice approach.

We’ve been consistently rated as “good” by Ofsted, but we are not content with that; we are ambitious and want to do even better! We’re a financially stable local authority which is committed to investing in Children, Education, and Families, to ensure that we have the resources we need to make a real difference to the families we work with – including successful operation of our transformational model Family Support and Safeguarding.

About the Role

You will manage a caseload tailored to your experience, ensuring that children’s and their families’ voices are heard, and their needs are met. You will work with families using the Family Support and Safeguarding Workbook modules, and a strengths-based approach, ensuring the Assistant/Team Manager is kept fully appraised of significant information.

Most importantly, you will ensure provision of good quality services which integrate government and local guidance and initiatives including, Children Acts 1989 & 2004, Working Together, local Child Protection and Looked After Children procedures, and the DoH, Assessment Framework 2000.

You will be well versed in preparing and submitting written reports as and when required, including child protection conference reports and legal reports for care proceedings. You will have the confidence to undertake child and family assessments for allocated families, investigate allegations of harm or neglect under s47 Children Act 1989, when required.

By efficiently using ICT, you will maintain accurate case records and will be able to record activity in line with key performance management data.

About you

As a qualified experienced Social Worker, you will possess good working knowledge of services relevant to children, young people, families, carers, groups and partner agencies. To succeed in this role, you will have a good understanding of safeguarding, relevant legislation, guidance, policy and procedures, and values and principles of FSP.

It will be hugely beneficial for you to have working knowledge of Motivational Interviewing and the cycle of change and their application in social work with children and families.

Your supportive and energised nature will also help you chair meetings and proactively engage with partner agencies.

It is essential that you are able to travel to visit clients and attend meetings over a wide area and at short notice.