Return to Social Work Programme – Children’s Social Care - Oxfordshire County Council

Job Introduction

• Salary: Grade 9 while on the programme, progressing to Grade 10 (Social Worker) following successful restoration and completion

• Contract: Return to Social Work Programme, with a guaranteed  interview for a substantive Social Worker post upon successful completion
• Location: Oxfordshire (across a range of Children’s Social Care teams)
• Hours: Full-time, with flexible working arrangements considered

Rebuild Your Confidence. Refresh Your Practice. Return to Social Work with Oxfordshire.

Oxfordshire County Council is pleased to offer an established Return to Social Work Programme for qualified social workers who have taken a break from practice and are looking to return to frontline Children’s Social Care.

We recognise that returning to practice can feel daunting. Our programme is designed to support, refresh and rebuild your social work skills and confidence through a structured, supportive and flexible return to statutory practice.

About the Programme

Our Return to Social Work Programme provides a structured supervised pathway aligned to Social Work England restoration requirements, enabling you to update your knowledge, evidence your practice, and return safely and confidently to professional social work.

Depending on how long you have been out of practice, you will follow one of the following routes:

• Pathway 1 (for returners away from practice approximately 2–5 years)
• Pathway 2 (for returners away 5+ years)

What We Offer

As part of the programme, you will receive:

• A supervised practice placement within a Children’s Social Care statutory team
• Regular supervision from an experienced registered social worker
• Support from the Social Work Professional Development Centre (SWPDC)
• Induction and reflective learning programme covering safeguarding, assessment, recording and ethics
• Opportunities for direct observation and feedback
• Support to complete a professional portfolio mapped to Social Work England Professional Standards
• Guaranteed interview for substantive Social Worker post (Grade 10) with Oxfordshire County Council following successful completion of the programme and restoration of SWE registration

Who We’re Looking For

This programme is suitable for you if:

• You hold a recognised social work qualification
• You have previously practised as a registered social worker in the UK  and have experience working with Children and Families.
• You are currently not registered with Social Work England and need to restore your registration
• You are committed to returning to children and families social work
• You are reflective, motivated, and willing to engage in learning and supervision
• You meet Social Work England’s eligibility requirements for restoration

Our Commitment to You

At Oxfordshire County Council, we:

• Value reflective, relationship-based practice
• Prioritise learning, development and wellbeing
• Offer flexible working options wherever possible
• Are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion

We want you to feel supported, welcomed, and confident as you return to practice.

How to Apply

Please apply via the Return to Social Work application process on Oxfordshire County Council’s website.

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to an informal interview to explore:

• Your experience and career journey
• Your learning needs
• Your goals for returning to social work

About You

This is a key safeguarding role, and our social workers play a vital part in ensuring children and families receive a safe, respectful, and child‑focused service.

We are looking for individuals who:

• Are returning to statutory social work practice and are motivated to refresh their skills, knowledge, and confidence through a supported Return to Social Work programme.
• Hold a recognised Social Work degree and are either registered with Social Work England or eligible and willing to apply for restoration to the register.
• Demonstrate strong social work values and a commitment to strengths‑based, relational, and child‑centred practice.
• Have the ability to communicate clearly and effectively, building positive professional relationships with children, families, and partner agencies.
• Can produce clear, concise, and accurate written work, including case recording and assessments.
• Are reflective, resilient, and able to recognise the emotional demands of the role, making appropriate use of supervision, support, and learning opportunities.
• Bring previous experience of working with children and families, whether in statutory social work roles or related practice settings.
• Are able to travel across the county, including rural areas. A valid driving licence and access to a vehicle will be beneficial; please enquire if this may be a barrier.

Rewards & Benefits

• A pension package of up to 18.9% employer contribution.
• Manageable caseloads: not only is it important that you love what you do, but it's also important to be able to manage your workload and devote the right amount of attention to each family.
• A role in an authority rated 'good' by Ofsted, as a Social Worker, you get the support you need.
• Flexible working. We do all we can to ensure that every one of our employees has a healthy work-life balance. Our agile working policy means you can work across council sites or from home to suit your needs and we support flexible working hours. You will be provided with a laptop, mobile phone and MS Teams to facilitate agile working.
• Generous annual leave allowance. We know that as a social worker, you do an invaluable job. We offer a generous holiday allowance starting at 29 days per year (plus bank holidays) to help demonstrate how much we value the work you do. We also offer an annual leave purchase scheme.
• A caring and supportive culture. We are passionate about keeping people safe, well and independent, whilst making a positive contribution. We host regular listening events and have a well at work scheme, which focuses on health and wellbeing. There's also a social presence, with yoga classes, sports teams and more.
• Other benefits include a cycle to work scheme, staff discount scheme for a range of retailers, holidays, insurance, restaurants, health & leisure activities and rail travel.

Our Relocation Scheme may be available for this role. 

Please note that Oxfordshire County Council is unable to offer visa sponsorship for this post.

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

Karina Boorer, SWPDC Manager – Children’s Services
karina.boorer@oxfordshire.gov.uk
    

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