About this role
Job summary Senior Practitioner - Emergency Duty Team
Join Oxfordshire County Council's Emergency Duty Team and play a leading role in delivering critical out-of-hours safeguarding services for vulnerable children, families and adults across Oxfordshire.
As a Senior Practitioner, you will provide emergency social work responses and interventions outside normal office hours, ensuring safeguarding concerns are addressed promptly and risks are effectively managed until daytime services resume. You will act as a key decision-maker, providing professional advice and guidance to partner agencies, colleagues and members of the public while coordinating responses to complex situations requiring immediate support.
Working within a fast-paced environment, you will be the first point of contact for emergency referrals involving children, young people, families and vulnerable adults. You will assess risk, determine appropriate interventions and ensure decisions are made within the relevant legislative and safeguarding frameworks.
This role requires an experienced practitioner who can work confidently and independently, using sound professional judgement to make critical decisions in challenging situations. You will work collaboratively with emergency services, health professionals and partner agencies while contributing to the delivery of high-quality safeguarding responses across the county.
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced social work professional seeking a varied and rewarding role with additional responsibility, autonomy and the opportunity to make an immediate impact during emergencies.
Main duties of the job As a Senior Practitioner within the Emergency Duty Team, you will provide out-of-hours safeguarding advice, emergency interventions and risk management for vulnerable children, families and adults. You will lead responses to urgent situations, support partner agencies and make critical decisions that protect people and promote their wellbeing during times of crisis.
About us Oxfordshire County Council's Emergency Duty Team (EDT) provides a vital out-of-hours service to children, families and vulnerable adults across Oxfordshire. Operating outside normal office hours, the team responds to emergency situations where immediate intervention, safeguarding action or professional advice is required.
Working evenings, nights, weekends and bank holidays, the EDT plays a critical role in protecting vulnerable people, coordinating emergency responses and providing professional support when other statutory services are unavailable. The service works closely with partner agencies to ensure risks are managed effectively and individuals receive the help they need during times of crisis.
Job description Job responsibilities
About UsThe Emergency Duty Team is a critical part of our service to children, families and vulnerable adults in Oxfordshire. Our team covers all hours of the week that fall outside of the standard office hours and offers staff a dynamic, fast-paced role responding to those in our communities who require immediate help and support during emergencies out of hours. We are located at Barton Children's Centre, Oxford and there is office based working for evening and weekend day shifts
About the role
To ensure the provision of an out of hours emergency response and/or intervention to, children young people and families, vulnerable adults, other agencies to address safeguarding concerns and reduce risks until normal office hours resume. To provide out of hours advice and guidance to professionals working with vulnerable adults, children, young people, and families. To be the first point of contact for professionals, children, families and vulnerable adults or members of the public who have a concern and are making an emergency out of hours referral to statutory services To contribute to and apply the Councils strategy to support vulnerable adults, children, and families through the provision of out of hours emergency responses. To provide service delivery in line with Oxfordshires principles and values of working with partners, vulnerable adults children, and families and within the relevant legislative framework.About You
To ensure the provision of an out of hours emergency response and/or intervention to, children young people and families, vulnerable adults, other agencies to address safeguarding concerns and reduce risks until normal office hours resume. To provide out of hours advice and guidance to professionals working with vulnerable adults, children, young people, and families. To be the first point of contact for professionals, children, families and vulnerable adults or members of the public who have a concern and are making an emergency out of hours referral to statutory services To contribute to and apply the Councils strategy to support vulnerable adults, children, and families through the provision of out of hours emergency responses. To provide service delivery in line with Oxfordshires principles and values of working with partners, vulnerable adults children, and families and within the relevant legislative framework.
Rewards and 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 very 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 32 days, as well as giving you the option to buy additional holiday. You will also have 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; and a host of enhanced family friendly policies including carers leave and paid time off for volunteering.Due to the nature of this role, the salary also attracts a 15% uplift for working unsociable hours.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 this is applicable to you, you will be notified, but no reimbursement will apply in respect of travel.Our commitment to: Equality, Diversity and InclusionAt 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 SchemesAs 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: SafeguardingOxfordshire 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 WorkingWe 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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Person Specification
General Requirements Essential
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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
OX3 8DD
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)