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Senior Social Worker - Unaccompanied Children and Young People's Team
Location: Oxfordshire
Salary: Up to 47,754 per annum (plus excellent benefits)
Hours: Full-time, 37 hours per week
Contract Type: Permanent
Ackerman Pierce is delighted to be recruiting for a Senior Social Worker in Oxfordshire's Unaccompanied Children and Young People's (UCYP) Team. This exciting opportunity offers a leadership role where you'll provide expert guidance, mentorship, and support to your colleagues while continuing to deliver high-quality social work to children and young people in care.
About the Role
The UCYP Team supports unaccompanied children who are usually cared for under Section 20 of the Children Act and care leavers transitioning to adulthood. As a Senior Social Worker, you will:
- Hold a reduced caseload of complex cases while providing professional supervision and advice to Social Workers and other team members.
- Guide and oversee assessments, care planning, and risk management to ensure compliance with statutory requirements and best practices.
- Lead on team duty systems, including supporting colleagues with the assessment of newly arrived children.
- Collaborate with multi-agency partners, including health, education, and the Virtual School, to meet children's holistic needs.
- Support and implement trauma-informed and culturally sensitive interventions.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, guidance, and best practices relevant to unaccompanied children and asylum processes.
- Act as a key point of contact for escalating complex cases and supporting team development.
- Promote excellent record-keeping and quality assurance standards.
- Provide leadership in team meetings, training, and reflective supervision sessions.
This role offers an opportunity to shape practice, influence positive outcomes for young people, and develop your leadership skills within a supportive and collaborative environment.
What We're Looking For
To succeed in this role, you will need:
- A recognised Social Work qualification (B.A. Hons Degree, DipSW, or CQSW) and registration with Social Work England.
- Substantial post-qualification experience, ideally in a role supporting unaccompanied children or care leavers.
- Experience supervising or mentoring other social workers or team members.
- Strong communication and analytical skills, with the ability to assess risk and make sound decisions.
- A commitment to safeguarding, anti-oppressive practice, and putting the child at the centre of all decisions.
- The ability to build positive relationships with children, families, foster carers, and multi-agency partners.
- A full driving licence and the ability to travel independently within and
Why Join Us?
- Supportive Team Environment: Be part of a team that values collaboration and shared learning.
- Professional Development: Access specialist training to enhance your knowledge and skills.
- Work-Life Balance: Benefit from hybrid working arrangements and flexible hours.
- Impactful Work: Make a real difference in the lives of vulnerable children and young people.
How to Apply
For further details or to apply, contact Callum Parr at Ackerman Pierce on (phone number removed) or
Join us and help create brighter futures for unaccompanied children and young people in Oxfordshire.
