About this role
Job summary Assistant Team Manager - Family Support & Safeguarding
Join Oxfordshire County Council as an Assistant Team Manager and help lead the delivery of high-quality safeguarding and support services for children, young people and families.
Working within the Family Support & Safeguarding Service, you will support the Team Manager in leading a team of social care professionals to ensure children receive timely assessments, effective interventions and appropriate support to improve outcomes and reduce risk. You will provide day-to-day practice oversight, contribute to service development and help ensure the consistent delivery of Oxfordshire's Family Safeguarding approach.
The role combines leadership responsibilities with a continued focus on frontline practice. You will support staff development through supervision, coaching and guidance, help maintain high standards of practice and ensure children's plans progress effectively. Working closely with partner agencies and internal stakeholders, you will contribute to safeguarding decision-making and service improvement activity.
We are looking for an experienced and motivated Social Worker who is registered with Social Work England and has a passion for leadership, relationship-based practice and improving outcomes for children and families. This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to progress their management career while remaining closely connected to practice and service delivery.
Main duties of the job As an Assistant Team Manager within Family Support & Safeguarding, you will support the Team Manager in leading a social work team, overseeing practice, developing staff and ensuring children and families receive effective safeguarding and support services. You will help drive high-quality practice while contributing to service improvement and positive outcomes.
About us Oxfordshire County Council Children, Education & Families is committed to helping children, young people and families thrive through high-quality, relationship-based practice. Using restorative approaches and the Family Safeguarding Model, we work alongside families to build on strengths, improve outcomes and create lasting positive change.
As a consistently Good-rated Ofsted authority, Oxfordshire continues to invest in childrens services, creating opportunities for innovation, learning and progression. We believe great outcomes are achieved through strong leadership, collaborative working and a commitment to continuous improvement. Our culture encourages people to think differently, develop professionally and make a genuine difference to the lives of children and families across the county.
Job description Job responsibilities
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 safeguarding approach.About UsTogether, were the moment makers and were focussed on making every day the best it can be for our residents. Whatever you do here, youll look around and say, I make a difference. Because were all creating lasting change to peoples lives in Oxfordshire.Everyday youll be challenged in a new way, supported by your team, in an organisation that is free thinking, flexible, and helps people achieve their ambitions. Were 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 childrens social care.Are you in?About the RoleJoin our dedicated team at OCC as an Assistant Team Manager!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 include:
Assistant Team Management: Support the team manager to lead a team to deliver exceptional services to vulnerable children and families. Service Development: Support the Service Manager in the continual development, delivery and review of services to maximise life chances and implement permanency plans for children. Practice Model: Ensure adherence to Oxfordshire's Family Safeguarding practice model, including effective group supervision and timely progression of children's plans. Policy Compliance: Ensure all relevant County policies and procedures are followed, and concerns are raised appropriately.About youYoure free-thinking and brave, and that sets you apart. Youll be supportive and energised; you dont 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, youll be passionate about delivering stand-out public services, because were here to make every moment the best it can be for the residents of Oxfordshire.This is an opportunity for a proactive and passionate leader to join our team and develop our service. You will be a competent and dedicated manager who has insight and experience of the needs of care leavers. Does this sound like you? If so, we look forward to receiving your application!
To apply, you will need:
Social Work Qualification and registration with Social Work England Ability to form positive working relationships with children, families and a range of colleagues across agencies Ability to engage children, young people families who are resistant to intervention Please refer to the job description attached for a full list of essential criteria. Curious to learn more? Contact our friendly team for a confidential and informative chat!Charlotte Philip, Service Manager: [email protected] Joel Carvalho, Assistant Director Family Support & Safeguarding: [email protected]
Rewards & BenefitsIt really is true that every single job role here contributes to bettering the lives of the people in our county - we want to do this for our employees too. We are proud of our strong flexible working culture, including the opportunity for flexibility on working hours and the use of technology to support agile working. We offer some of the best learning and development opportunities to support your ongoing development.
We have a generous holiday allowance which rises as you remain in employment with us up to 33 days. Option to buy additional holiday. Access to a Local Government Pension Scheme with employer contributions of up to 19.9% of your salary. A range of local and national retail discounts A host of enhanced family friendly policies including carers leave and paid time off for volunteering.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.
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If you encounter any technical issues with the application system, please contact us at: [email protected]
Person Specification
General Requirements Essential
Please refer to job description above
Desirable
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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).
Employer details Employer name Oxfordshire County Council
Address
Oxford
OX26 6WD
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)