Service Manager for Care Leavers and UASC

Help Shape the Future for Oxfordshire’s Children

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’ judgement in our last ILACS Ofsted inspection. Oxfordshire is a diverse county encompassing both market towns and rural landscapes, and it offers 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.

The Service Manager for Care Leavers & UASC will have overall responsibility for the operational leadership of these services, ensuring that legislation, statutory guidance, and the Oxfordshire Partnership’s approach to early support and preventing escalation are applied consistently. This includes oversight of our pathway planning work, accommodation and independence support, emotional wellbeing and mental health responses, and our duties to young people with immigration‑related needs. This role will lead day‑to‑day operations, ensuring high‑quality support that promotes independence, safeguards young people at risk, and provides the right interventions at the right time.

You will champion practice that builds positive relationships, enhances stability, and supports young people to thrive as they transition into adulthood. You will also be responsible for ensuring that the Care Leavers & UASC service provides safe, timely and effective responses where young people present with urgent safeguarding needs or are at risk of harm, exploitation, or homelessness. Working collaboratively with partners, you will contribute to a shared understanding of emerging needs, local thresholds, and the patterns of vulnerability experienced by Care Leavers and UASC. You will support partners to identify risk early, intervene proportionately, and build pathways that reduce long‑term dependency on statutory services and enable the young people to be well rounded developed adults.

As a member of the Children’s Services Management Team, you will play an active role in the operational and strategic development of the wider service, ensuring inspection readiness and providing leadership across key areas of improvement. The role includes deputising for Assistant Directors when required. Overall, this role will provide visible, collaborative leadership to ensure that Care Leavers and UASC receive coordinated, high‑quality support that promotes 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 - CWCF, helping to build a service that is relational, trauma‑informed and firmly focused on young people’s rights, strengths and aspirations. You will be instrumental in driving forward our commitments under the Care Leaver Covenant, ensuring young adults have meaningful access to opportunities, safe accommodation, trusted relationships and the support they need to thrive in adulthood. We are looking for an inspiring and compassionate leader who is passionate about improving outcomes for Care Leavers and UASC, and who brings a strong understanding of the challenges and inequalities young people face as they transition to independence.

You will champion high‑quality practice, advocate for young people’s voices, and work collaboratively across partners to create pathways that promote stability, belonging and long‑term positive outcomes across Oxfordshire. We are looking for an enthusiastic and passionate individual to join a dedicated group of service managers to provide impactful, child focussed support and interventions for our children and their families in Oxfordshire. 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 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.

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.

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: Judith.Bennett@Oxfordshire.gov.uk