Supervising Social Worker (Sponsorship Available) at Oxfordshire County Council

Job Summary

You will manage a caseload ensuring that foster carers, both Kinship and Mainstream, and children in their care, voices are heard, and their needs are met. You will work from 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.

Main Duties of the Job

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.

About Oxfordshire County Council

Together, Oxfordshire County Council is shaping childrens social care for the future. Every day, its colleagues are helping to transform the lives of the residents of Oxfordshire.

In the Children, Education, & Families directorate, the council is committed to delivering lasting change, by helping the children, young people, and families of Oxfordshire to thrive.

The council recognises the importance of building relationships, empowering people, and building on strengths, and this is reflected in its restorative, relational practice approach.

Oxfordshire County Council has been consistently rated as good by Ofsted, but the council is not content with that; it is ambitious and wants to do even better.

The council is a financially stable local authority which is committed to investing in Children, Education, and Families, to ensure that it has the resources needed to make a real difference to the families it works with, including successful operation of its transformational model Family Support and Safeguarding.

Job Details

• Employer: Oxfordshire County Council

• Job Title: Supervising Social Worker

• Location: United Kingdom

• Salary: £39,481 to £46,579 a year

• Job Type: Full-time

• Closing Date: 27 October 2026

Job Description

About the Role

You will manage a caseload ensuring that foster carers, both Kinship and Mainstream, and children in their care, voices are heard, and their needs are met. You will work from 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).

• Flexible working.

• Employee Assistance Programme including access to health and wellbeing support 24×7.

• 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.

Curious to learn more? Contact the friendly team for a confidential and informative chat!

Keeley Barnes – keeley.barnes@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Your office base may be subject to change as Oxfordshire County Council is currently transitioning between temporary and permanent office locations due to the closure of County Hall. If this is applicable to you, you will be notified, but no reimbursement will apply in respect of travel.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

At Oxfordshire County Council, the council is proud of its 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.

The council has a number of staff network groups which provide peer support, education and safe spaces for all.

Guaranteed Interview Schemes

As a Disability Confident employer, Oxfordshire County Council guarantees an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the job.

The council also guarantees 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, the council guarantees an interview for its apprenticeships.

The council is also committed to helping and supporting those transitioning from HM Armed Forces to civilian life and guarantees an interview for those demonstrating the essential criteria for the role, within three years of leaving the service.

Safeguarding

Oxfordshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. The council expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

The council will ensure that all its recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.

Flexible Working

Oxfordshire County Council is 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.

Follow Oxfordshire County Council on Social Media

Stay up-to-date with the latest news and featured jobs from Oxfordshire County Council by following the council on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

If you encounter any technical issues with the application system, please contact careers@oxfordshire.gov.uk.

Skills: See JD.

Qualifications: See JD.

Keywords: Supervising Social Worker.

Person Specification

General Requirements

Essential:

– Please refer to job description above.

Desirable:

– Please refer to job description above.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.

For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years.

Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement.

Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

How to Apply

If this opportunity interests you, head to the company’s official website for full details — click here to submit your application.