Assistant Team Manager - Children's Assessment Service

Job Introduction

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 Early Help, Assessment and Prevention 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. 

Everyday you’ll be challenged in a new way, supported by your team, in an organisation that is free thinking, flexible, and helps people achieve their ambitions. We’re 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 children’s social care. 

We’ve been consistently rated as “good” by Ofsted and we continue to strive to do better! Are you in?

About the Role

Are you passionate about making a difference in the lives of children, young people, and families in need of help and protection? We have exciting Assistant Team Manager opportunities within the Children's Assessment Service 

As one of our Assistant Team Managers, you will be responsible for co-ordinating and overseeing the social work response for children referred to us at the Front Door.  You will line manage a pod of Social Workers, acting as Duty Manager, overseeing allocations for incoming section 17 and section 47 referrals, provide case and individual supervision to Social Workers and QA their completed work.   Making threshold decisions is part of daily life in the Children's Assessment Service and you will provide clear advice and proportionate decisions in how we respond.

The role is face paced and your energy and enthusiasm will be key! You will be part of a wider management team, and with the support of your Team Manager and our skilled social workers, you will be at the forefront of safeguarding our most vulnerable children and families.

About you

The post holder will be free-thinking and brave, and that sets you apart. You'll be supportive and energised; you don't 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: always learning, be kind and care, equality and integrity in all we do, taking responsibility and daring to do it differently. 

Fundamentally, you'll be passionate about delivering stand-out public services, because we're here to make every moment the best it can be for the residents of Oxfordshire. 

To apply, you will need: 

• A Social Work qualification and current registration with Social Work England
• Considerable direct experience of frontline safeguarding Social Work, including assessment team working, and developing safe plans and interventions.
• You will be able to work with autonomy and ideally will have management experience gained from a statutory child protection service.  Experience of supervising of student social workers, family support staff, and/or social workers may also be considered.
• You will be able to manage competing demands, be reflective and analytical, and proportionate in your decision-making whilst maintaining a clear focus on the best interests of children and vulnerable adults.
• Working knowledge of the Family Safeguarding Model and Motivational Interviewing

Please refer to the job description attached for a full list of selection criteria. We would love to hear all about your relevant experience and achievements in your application. 

Curious to learn more? Contact our friendly team for a confidential and informative chat! Nicola Harper, Team manager - North. Nicola.harper@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Rewards and benefits

It 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.
 
Some of the things you can enjoy:

• Annual leave starting at 30 days per year (plus bank holidays).
• Culture of flexible working  
• Technology to support agile working where role permits 
• Membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, employer’s contribution of up to 19.9%
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to health and wellbeing support 24 x7.
• 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.
• Explore more here

Link to our Children's Services benefits site: * Benefits of working for children's services *

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