Overview
Senior Practitioner – Fostering Recruitment – OX5 2BP
Number of Positions: 1
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary: £46142 – £49282
Working Hours: 37
Location: Oxfordshire
Business Unit: Children’s Services
About Us
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a full time Senior Practitioner to join the Countywide Fostering Recruitment Team. We are seeking an experienced, passionate, and dedicated Social Worker to be part of a dynamic team, driving the recruitment of foster carers and contributing to the ongoing development of the service.
About the Role
We are seeking a passionate and experienced Senior Practitioner to support prospective foster carers through recruitment, assessment, training, and beyond championing the vital role of foster carers across Oxfordshire.
Our team is friendly, supportive, and committed to high quality practice, consistently receiving excellent feedback from the fostering panel. This is a fantastic opportunity for someone dedicated to the recruitment and retention of foster carers to grow their career. You will contribute to service development, lead new initiatives aligned with departmental policy, and manage your workload independently within legal and procedural frameworks.
About you
We are seeking a qualified Social Worker with at least three years’ post-qualifying experience, ideally within Children’s Services or Family Placement.
A solid understanding of the recruitment and assessment process for foster carers, whether in a Local Authority or Independent Agency setting, is essential along with knowledge of frameworks, legislation, and guidance, and a willingness to further develop your skills.
You should be confident working independently, leading practice areas or projects, and modelling positive leadership within the team.
Experience in supervising or mentoring staff is desirable, and computer literacy is required.
As a Senior Practitioner, you will manage more complex cases and carry a heavier workload than basic grade Supervising Social Workers, with the potential to step into a development role.
Rewards and benefits
- Generous annual leave entitlement (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.
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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IMPORTANT: Before applying for this role, please make sure you have the right to work in the country where the role is based. Unless it clearly stipulates within in the job advert above that the hiring company is looking to or able to sponsor applicants it is deemed that the hiring employer will only consider applications from those able to comply with and work in the country where the role is based.
