Service Manager for Care Leavers and UASC in Oxford

About us: Oxfordshire children's services is a family safeguarding authority dedicated to strength-based working with our children and their families, underpinned by motivational interviewing, trauma-informed and restorative practice. We received a good judgment in our last ILACS Ofsted inspection. Oxfordshire is a diverse county encompassing both market towns and rural landscapes, offering a wealth of historical sites, vibrant cultural events, and prestigious academic institutions. You will be working in an organisation that is free-thinking, supportive, flexible, and helps people achieve their ambitions. We are not afraid to do things differently, and our dynamic culture means this is a place where new ideas are embraced and innovation thrives.

About the Role: We have implemented our Family Safeguarding Model across children's services and are now shaping our response to social care reform and the Family First Government initiative in a way that strengthens better outcomes for Care Leavers and Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC). Our ambition is to develop a service that is responsive, relational, and grounded in trauma-informed and restorative practice, ensuring young people are supported into adulthood with stability, safety, and opportunity. Hence, we are in the middle of a realignment that will streamline services, make effective use of our resources, and enable Oxfordshire County Council to achieve even better outcomes for the young people.

This role will be strongly partnership-focused, working closely with housing, health, education, immigration and legal services, voluntary and community providers, and specialist national organisations. You will help us enhance multi-agency pathways that address the distinct needs of Care Leavers and UASC while co-designing our approach with young people to ensure their voice shapes how support is delivered.

Job responsibilities: Help Shape the Future for Oxfordshire’s Children. Overview of role: Oxfordshire children’s services is a family safeguarding authority dedicated to strength-based working with our children and their families, underpinned by motivational interviewing, trauma-informed and restorative practice. The service aims to be responsive, relational, and grounded in trauma-informed and restorative practice, supporting young people into adulthood with stability, safety, and opportunity. We are realigning to streamline services and improve resource use and outcomes.

Partnership focus: This role will work closely with housing, health, education, immigration and legal services, voluntary and community providers, and national organisations to enhance multi-agency pathways and involve young people in co-designing support.

Accountability: The Service Manager for Care Leavers & UASC has overall responsibility for operational leadership, ensuring adherence to legislation and statutory guidance, pathway planning, accommodation and independence support, emotional wellbeing and mental health responses, and immigration-related duties. The role leads day-to-day operations to provide high-quality support that promotes independence, safeguards, and timely interventions. You will promote practice that builds positive relationships and supports young people to thrive as they transition to adulthood. You will ensure safe, timely, and effective responses where urgent safeguarding needs or risks of harm, exploitation or homelessness are present. You will work with partners to identify risk early, intervene proportionately, and build pathways that reduce long-term dependency on statutory services and enable well-rounded development.

Leadership: As a member of the Children’s Services Management Team, you will contribute to the operational and strategic development of the wider service, ensuring inspection readiness and providing leadership across key areas of improvement. Overall, you will provide visible, collaborative leadership to ensure Care Leavers and UASC receive coordinated, high-quality support that fosters emotional wellbeing, independence, safety, and long-term positive outcomes.

About You: You will play a pivotal role in shaping Oxfordshire’s developing approach to supporting Care Leavers and Unaccompanied Asylum-Seeking Children (UASC) as part of CWCF, helping to build a service that is relational, trauma-informed and focused on young people’s rights, strengths, and aspirations. You will drive forward our commitments under the Care Leaver Covenant, ensuring meaningful access to opportunities, safe accommodation, trusted relationships, and the support needed for adulthood. We seek an inspiring, compassionate leader who understands the challenges and inequalities faced by young people transitioning to independence. You will champion high-quality practice, advocate for young people’s voices, and work across partners to create pathways that promote stability, belonging, and long-term positive outcomes across Oxfordshire.

We are looking for an enthusiastic individual to join a team of service managers delivering child-focused support and interventions for our children and families. You’ll need a full driving licence and the flexibility to work countywide. The post requires a recognised social work qualification and registration with Social Work England. You will have a proven track record in leading outcome-focused services.

Our Rewards & Benefits: Relocation expenses of up to £8,000, a good to outstanding OFSTED rating, regular training opportunities, a flexible, agile organisation, a generous Local Government pension scheme, 30 days annual leave plus bank holidays, culture of flexible working, technology to support agile working where role permits, option to buy additional holiday, 24/7 access to Employee Assistance Programme including health and wellbeing support, membership of Local Government pension scheme with employer contribution up to 19.9%, enhanced family-friendly policies, local and national discounts for shopping and travel, great learning and development opportunities to support ongoing development.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion: Oxfordshire County Council is proud of a 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 maternity/family leave. We have staff network groups providing peer support and safe spaces.

Guaranteed Interview Schemes: As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview for disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. We also guarantee interviews to care leavers who have completed further education and meet the criteria. We guarantee interviews for certain applicants transitioning from HM Armed Forces within three years of leaving service.

Safeguarding: Oxfordshire County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and adults. All employees, workers, and volunteers share this commitment. Recruitment and selection practices reflect these commitments.

Flexible Working: We are open to discussing flexible working, including flexi-time, part-time, job sharing, nine-day fortnights, and annualised hours, depending on role requirements and service needs.

Contact: If you encounter any issues with your application or would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact Judith Bennett, Assistant Director for Corporate Parenting Services.