Newly Qualified Social Worker OCC613697

Job details

Salary range: £35,745 - £42,403 per annum 

Work location: Countywide, Oxfordshire (to be discussed at interview)

Hours per week: 37 - we are open to discussions about flexible working  

Contract type: Permanent 

Vetting requirements: This role is subject to a Criminal Records Check. 

Closing date: Tuesday 30th April 2024

Interview assessment day: Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th May 2024

We are excited to invite applications for Newly Qualified Social Workers to begin their Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) in our Social Work Professional Development Centre, to start on the 2nd September, 2024! 

About us

We have created the Social Work Professional Development Centre because we know that nurturing and supporting our NQSWs to become great practitioners is crucial in developing a strong and stable workforce and delivering outstanding services to the children and families of Oxfordshire.

If you join Oxfordshire County Council you will be joining a strengths-based service that is focused on supporting families to keep their children safe and to make lasting change. We do this by keeping relationship-based practice at the core of everything we do and using motivational interviewing to engage families.

About the role

The role of a children's social worker can be challenging but is also a privilege and hugely rewarding. We know that the right support in your first year of practice will equip you with the skills you need to flourish in your career.

We are seeking newly qualified social workers to join a variety of teams across Children’s Social Care for the Assessed and Supported Year (ASYE) programme.

We want to provide you with a thoughtful, scaffolded learning experience for your Assessed and Supported Year in Employment, in which all those new to practice feel safe and well supported throughout, with a protected caseload and gradual increase in the time spent with our teams as your practice develops.

The Social Work Professional Development Centre will treat each NQSW as an individual, with a development plan based on individual learning needs and regular progress reviews, which will enable us to ensure that everyone has the best possible learning experience, tailored to their individual needs. We've designed our own competency framework for our NQSW's development, which is aligned with Oxfordshire County Council’s guiding principles for strengths-based practice.

About you

Successful applicants will:

• Be value-based practitioners with a commitment to strengths-based practice.
• Be qualified and Social Work England registered (or in process of)
• Have good communication skills, with the ability to build relationships, engage with children and families
• Have the ability to produce concise, effective and accurate written work
• Be resilient, with the ability to manage the emotional impact of the work, actively making use of appropriate support
• Be required to travel as part of the role as we cover locations throughout rural parts of the county and therefore should have access to your own transport
• Have previous experience of working with children and their families.

Here’s what some of our recently qualified social workers had to say:

"The new Social Work Development Centre has enabled me to start my social work career in a positive, supportive and protected environment. I feel grateful that I have had the opportunity to be part of this team where I can develop at my own pace and where support is available as and when required, rather than being thrown in at the deep end. Being part of this friendly team has enabled me to gain confidence, knowledge and independence without feeling overwhelmed and out of my depth" – Kirsty

"The Social Work Development Centre that is currently being run in Oxfordshire has really helped me feel safe and supported as a NQSW. The Development Centre supports all NQSWs from all backgrounds with varying levels of experience within children's statutory social work. I feel that the Development Centre can really help those whose training and qualification has been impacted by the pandemic" – Patrick

"All the people in the Social Work Development Centre are approachable and supportive, it feels like I'm part of a family. This was one of the most important things to me when looking for a job and I feel grateful to have joined such a friendly and forward-thinking organisation" – Harriet

Rewards and benefits

• Culture of flexible working
• A competitive salary starting at £35,745 per annum starting salary. Upon completion of the ASYE year there is opportunity for progression up to £42,403 per annum through our Career Progression Scheme.
• Technology to support agile working where role permits
• 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.
• Up to 33 day’s holiday p.a. plus bank holidays 
• Option to ‘buy’ additional holiday
• Employee Assistance Programme including access to health and wellbeing support
• Membership of the Local Government contributory pension scheme, with an employer’s contribution of up to 19.9%
• Enhanced family friendly policies
• Local and national discounts for shopping and travel
• Great learning and development opportunities to support your ongoing development

Would you like to know more?

We are currently recruiting across 5 departments, please click each link for the Job description to find out more about them:

- Children we care for

- Children's Disability Service

- Family Solutions Plus

- Integrated Assessment & Safeguarding Service

- Youth Justice and Exploitation Service

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact: socialworkprofessionaldevelopmentcentre@oxfordshire.gov.uk

Application Procedure

To apply, please complete an online application form by clicking either of the Apply Now buttons at the top and bottom of this advert. This includes a section asking you to explain how you meet the selection criteria, as specified in the job posting. Please attach a cover letter and CV to your application.

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