Job Introduction

Empowering change - children’s social care

Together, we’re the moment makers

Social Work Apprentice

About the role

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 Children, Education, & Families 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.

We’ve been consistently rated as “good” by Ofsted, but we are not content with that; we are ambitious and want to do even better! We’re a financially stable local authority which is committed to investing in Children, Education, and Families, to ensure that we have the resources we need to make a real difference to the families we work with – including successful operation of our transformational model Family Solutions Plus (FSP).

We are offering a trainee role where successful candidates will complete a social work degree apprenticeship over three years. During this time, you will gain practical work experience while studying towards an honours degree, meeting the requirements of the apprenticeship programme. This includes:

Working towards an honours degree with Buckinghamshire New University in line with the Social Work Apprenticeship Degree Standard.
Supporting children, young people, and their families to achieve positive outcomes and promote welfare, in accordance with Oxfordshire County Council’s values, practice standards, and relevant legislation.
This is your opportunity to ensure that the child is at the heart of all interactions with children, families, other professionals, and decision-making processes. The post holder will work alongside qualified workers in the delivery of statutory interventions (e.g. Child in Need, Child Protection and Children We Care For) by assessing and supporting children and young people's needs, including taking appropriate actions to address emerging safeguarding concerns.

About us

Together, we’re the moment makers and we’re focussed on making every day the best it can be for our residents. Whatever you do here, you’ll look around and say, “I make a difference”. Because we’re all creating lasting change to people’s lives in Oxfordshire.

Every day 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.

Are you in?

About you

You’re 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.

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.

Essential Criteria:

Must be 18 or over to apply
Must have been a resident in the UK for at least 3 years
Level 2 qualification, including GCSEs in Maths and English at grade C/4 or equivalent and be in possession of the original certificates
A commitment to personal and professional development, including the ability and willingness to complete the Social Work Degree Apprenticeship Standard
Must be able to drive or access a variety of locations, such as those across Oxfordshire
Will not have started another social work degree course already and have earned credits.

Please refer to the job description for the full list of specific criteria to be assessed.

We encourage you to read the job description carefully and submit a detailed application.

Successful candidates will need to pass both our recruitment process and the selection process through Buckinghamshire New University. This will include interviews, a written task, a Disclosure and Barring Service check and an occupational health check.

Rewards and benefits

Culture of flexible working
Technology to support agile working where role permits
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.

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

penelope.fraser@oxfordshire.gov.uk or 07760167679

Further information regarding the programme can be found here: Social Worker Degree Apprenticeship (Level 6) | Buckinghamshire New University

An information briefing will be held online on Thursday 16th January 2025 (10:30-12:00). The session will be run by Daisy D’Silva Toscano, Programme Lead for the Social Work Degree Apprenticeship and Jodi Richards, Apprenticeship Partnership Manager at Buckinghamshire New University.

Please join via MS Teams

Join the meeting now

Meeting ID: 363 848 235 793

Passcode: EJ9iv7WK

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

OXFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

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Social Work Apprentice