Social Worker

People and Place

Social Worker

Ref: 001437

Contract: Permanent

Salary: £42,839 - £47,181 per annum (Grade 8)

Hours: 36.66 per week

Based: Spindles, Town Centre

Closing Date: Sunday 26 April 2026

Interview: TBC

Hiring manager contact details:

Tracey Lockie, Head of Service tracey.lockie@oldham.gov.uk and Lisa Spence Head of Service, lisa.spence@oldham.gov.uk

Role overview

Are you an experienced and confident Child Protection Social Worker looking for your next challenge? We’re seeking a skilled practitioner with a strong track record in child protection, court work and permanence planning to join our dedicated Safeguarding and Care Planning Service. Your work will focus on delivering highquality assessments, robust safety planning, and purposeful direct work with children and families. You’ll be supported by a stable management team who value reflective practice, professional curiosity, and strong multiagency collaboration.

Key responsibilities

• Lead on complex Child Protection cases, ensuring timely and effective interventions
• Complete highquality assessments, including Section 47 enquiries and parenting assessments
• Prepare clear, evidencebased reports for court and provide confident oral evidence
• Develop and implement Child Protection and Care Plans with families and partner agencies
• Build strong, trusting relationships with children, ensuring their voices shape all decisionmaking
• Work collaboratively with health, education, police, and other partners to safeguard children
• Contribute to a positive team culture rooted in learning, support, and professional respect

Key requirements

• Qualified Social Worker with Social Work England registration
• Significant experience in Child Protection and statutory children’s social care
• Strong understanding of relevant legislation, including the Children Act 1989 and Working Together
• Proven experience of court work, including writing statements and giving evidence
• Excellent analytical, communication, and reportwriting skills
• Ability to manage risk, prioritise effectively, and remain calm under pressure
• A reflective, resilient practitioner committed to achieving the best outcomes for children

We want Oldham to have vibrant, safe neighbourhoods where people are proud to live with opportunities for healthier, more fulfilled lives; and a sustainable, thriving economy. As we look to the future, the challenges may be significant, but so are the opportunities. We’ve identified three missions with our residents and partners, focusing on what will deliver the biggest impact:

A Great Place to Live, Healthier, Happier Lives, and Green and Growing.

We’re looking for candidates who will support us to achieve our ambitions and we encourage you to download our Corporate Plan: Ready for the Future and our Oldham Plan for further information.

Our Values and Behaviours:

By driving innovation, investing in our people, and championing our communities, we will ensure that Oldham continues to be a place where everyone can live their best life. To support this, we have three core values which define who we are and how we operate. These are ‘Proud, Ambitious, and Together’, and they shape our culture, inform our decisions, and inspire us to deliver on our commitments to the people of Oldham.

We have translated these values into five behaviours which guide our actions and are the standards we hold ourselves to, day in and day out:

• Work with a resident focus
• Support local leaders
• Committed to the borough
• Delivery high performance
• Take ownership and drive change

You can find out more about our values and behaviours on our greater.jobs Oldham page

Our Benefits Package:

At Oldham Council we offer a great benefits package for our employees, which includes the following:

• 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 with Oldham Active.
• 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.

If you have lived or worked abroad for 3 months or more in the last 5 years or 12 months or more (whether continuously or in total) in the last 10 years whilst aged 18 or over, please refer to the link below for details for how to obtain your Certificates of Good Character. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants

Unfortunately, at this time we are not able to offer sponsorship.

If you have completed the GM Elevate (Leadership Development) Programme please indicate this within the ‘About You’ or ‘Supporting Statement’ section of your application.

If you’re an applicant with disabilities and have previously been in or currently in care, a carer, someone who has served in the Armed Forces, or you’ve participated in the GM Elevate Programme, and you meet the essential criteria of the role, you are guaranteed to reach the first stage of assessment under our Guaranteed Assessment Scheme.

Data and Privacy:

For details of how we use your data please see our privacy notice.
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.

Right to Work in the UK from 1st July 2021.doc