Temporary Social Worker - Safeguarding & Children in Care in Oldham

People Services — Safeguarding — Social Worker

Contract: Fixed Term to cover maternity leave between 9 to 12 months

Salary: £42,839 — £46,142 per annum (Grade 8)

Hours: 36.66 per week

Closing Date: Sunday 14 June 2026

Role Overview

We’re thrilled to offer an exciting temporary opportunity to join the Children in Our Care service here at Oldham. The role for an experienced Social Worker (Grade 8) is available within one of our four dedicated Children In Our Care Teams, each comprising 56 Social Workers, supported by a Team Manager and an Advanced Practitioner. As an experienced Social Worker in this service, you will hold a caseload of children and young people in care aged up to 18 years with a variety of complexity. We aim to maintain caseloads at around 18 children, though this may vary depending on service needs and staffing levels.

Key Responsibilities

• To provide high quality interventions for vulnerable children and young people which ensure their safety, and ensure they achieve improved outcomes.
• To have a responsibility for a more complex and challenging caseload; to understand the journey and lived experiences of children and young people and to work with them to achieve identified outcomes.
• To work alongside partner agencies to undertake various assessments, co‑produce and implement plans, and lead on evaluating and assessing progress, to ensure the best possible outcomes for children, young people and their families.
• To continue to develop professionally and be accountable for the delivery of excellent social work practice.

Key Requirements

• Experience of undertaking factual, research‑informed and balanced assessments with children, young people, and their families/carers, where their situation may be complex and high risk, including consideration to historical involvement and children’s journeys.
• Ability to develop effective relationships and evidence direct work which is effective as part of an intervention with a child, young person and their family or carers.
• Detailed knowledge of the relevant legislation, safeguarding procedures, fostering regulations, codes of practice, national guidelines and Government initiatives connected with service delivery in the relevant field of social work.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave which increases after 5 and 10 years’ service.
• The option to purchase additional annual leave.
• An attractive LGPS benefit pension scheme with the option to make shared cost additional voluntary contributions.
• Discounted gym membership.
• Staff discount scheme for shopping, entertainment, eating‑out, eating‑in, travel, motoring and more.
• Salary sacrifice scheme for home and electronics and Cycle to Work.
• Wellbeing support, including a Mental Health First Aider network and an Employment Assistance Programme that provides 24 hours access to advice and support.
• Staff recognition and celebration events.
• Peer support groups.

Inclusive Recruitment

We work closely with employees to help them work at their best, including making adjustments such as flexible working, describing available working patterns, providing equipment or making changes to the workplace. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people, and vulnerable adults and therefore expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

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Important Information

Please note that should a vacancy that has been released for internal or external recruitment be deemed suitable for a current employee at risk of redundancy, it can be pulled back at any point, up to the post being formally offered to a candidate who is not at risk of redundancy.