Vacancy details

Organisation: Adopt Thames Valley (hosted by Oxfordshire County Council)

Salary Range: £37,849 - £40,760

Work Location: Swindon

Hours per week: 37

Contract type: Permanent

Closing date: Sunday 23^rd February 2020 (midnight)

Interview date: Monday 2^nd March 2020

Please note that the closing date and interview date are close together.  Shortlisting will take place on Monday 24th February, and candidates will be contacted on that day to confirm whether they have been invited for interview.  Please hold space in your diary to be available for an interview in Swindon on Monday 2nd March.   

This role is subject to a Criminal Records Check. 

Please note that under safer recruitment requirements, references will be requested prior to interview. 

Adopt Thames Valley (regional adoption agency) was launched in December 2017 to provide Permanence Services on behalf of Bracknell, West Berkshire, Windsor and Maidenhead, Wokingham, Reading, Swindon and Oxfordshire.  It is hosted by Oxfordshire County Council with offices in Oxford, Abingdon, Woodley and Swindon. 

The Permanence Support Team is a specialist team providing post-order support to adopters, special guardians, and their children, adults affected by adoption, and to birth families.  We have a newly created post for a full-time Senior Practitioner based in Swindon.

You will be joining a supportive team of aspirational, creative and committed social workers.  The team works on 'the front line' undertaking short-term crisis work and working with placements at risk of disruption.  They also undertake longer-term work with a strong preventative and therapeutic focus: we need strong assessment and support planning skills, with an interest in direct work with children and families and providing therapeutic interventions.  

You will need to be a passionate, qualified social worker with at least 2 years’ experience of working with children and families in a statutory setting. You will need knowledge and experience of adoption and permanence work.  As a Senior Practitioner you will be expected to take on additional responsibilities such as supporting colleagues, offering practice guidance and service development. You will also need to support and deputise for the management team at times. 

It really is true that every single job role here contributes to bettering the lives of the people in our county - we want to do this for our employees too. We are proud of our strong flexible working culture, including the opportunity for flexibility on working hours and the use of technology to support agile working. We offer some of the very best learning and development opportunities to support your ongoing development.

We have a generous holiday allowance which rises as you remain in employment with us up to 32 days, as well as giving you the option to buy additional holiday. You will also have access to a Local Government Pension Scheme with employer contributions of up to 19.9% of your salary; a range of local and national retail discounts; and a host of enhanced family friendly policies including carers leave and paid time off for volunteering.

Please click here to view the Job Description for this role.

We are keen to talk to all applicants, to provide more information about the organisation, the team and the senior practitioner role.  Please email or phone our team's Front Door (01865 323121 or ATV.Permanencesupport@oxfordshire.gov.uk, and ask to be put through to one of the Team Managers. 

Sam Viner, Team Manager 
Kate Elliott, Team Manager
Veronika Spykerman, Assistant Team Manager
Trefor Williams, Assistant Team Manager 
Wendy Esterhuysen, Assistant Team Manager