supervising social worker

Oxfordshire County Council; Abingdon (VA); On-site; USD 53,000 - 62,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation allowance up to £8,000

Annual leave starting at 30 days

LGPS pension

Employee Assistance Programme

Family-friendly policies

Staff discounts and various schemes

Job summary

Oxfordshire County Council in Abingdon is recruiting a qualified Social Worker to manage a caseload in fostering services, ensuring children’s voices are heard and safeguarding standards are met. You’ll work with Kinship and Mainstream carers, guided by national guidance and local procedures.

This permanent full-time role requires SWE registration, strong partnership work, written reporting, and willingness to travel across Oxfordshire.

Qualifications

• Qualified Social Worker with SWE registration and safeguarding knowledge.
• Strong understanding of legislation, policy and procedures for children and families.
• Experience in fostering services and chairing meetings is desirable.

Responsibilities

• Manage a caseload for foster carers and looked-after children ensuring voices are heard.
• Prepare and submit written reports and maintain accurate case records.
• Travel to visit clients and attend meetings across Oxfordshire as required.
• Work with partner agencies and apply strengths-based, relational practice.

Skills

Social Work

SWE registration

Education

Social Work qualification

Job description

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 ensuring that our foster carers, both Kinship and Mainstream, and children in their care, voices are heard, and their needs are met. You will work withfrom 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, Care Plannng, National Minimum Standard and Fostering regulations. Please also refer to the Job Description

You will be well versed in preparing and submitting written reports as and 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, with SWE registration, 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 an awareness of practice standards.

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 as this is also utilised within the fostering service

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 both in and out of the county of Oxfordshire and occasionally at short notice.

Rewards and Benefits

• Relocation allowance of up to £8,000.
• Annual leave starting at 30 days per year (plus bank holidays).
• A comprehensive Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to health and wellbeing support 24x7.
• Range of family-friendly policies.
• Childcare vouchers, cycle to work scheme, electric car scheme, range of staff discounts including travel, holidays, insurance, food, health & leisure activities.
• Excellent learning and development opportunities.

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.

Proud member of the Disability Confident employer scheme

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, 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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supervising social worker

Company: Oxfordshire County Council Salary: £39,481 to £46,579 a year Hours: Full-time Location: Abingdon, OX14 3RG Job type: Permanent Posting date: 13 Oct 2026 Closing date: 28 Oct 2026

Keeley Barnes - [e-mail]

About Disability Confident Disability Confident is a government scheme. It encourages employers to recruit and retain disabled people and those with long term health conditions.