We have invested in our workforce and created a positive environment for our social workers to make a difference and achieve change for our most vulnerable children and families through direct relationship-based social work practice.

We have supported our staff to have an understanding of systemic theoretical framework and models underpinning our interventions; to have access to the right tools, equipment and resources; and also, the right supervision, training and learning opportunities they need to be strong practitioners.

The Team

We are a dynamic, passionate, supportive and vibrant team who provide intensive support to families and we ensure that family empowerment is at the heart of our interventions. You will be joining a well-established and high performing team at a time when we are growing and evolving as a service.

We would love to hear from interested and suitably experienced applicants who are committed to working with whole families to help them achieve their outcomes and improve their family lives.

The Role

The postholder will work closely with the Team Manager to enable the Family Workers to continue to deliver positive outcomes for children, young people and the families we support as well as maintaining the effective working relationships that we have developed with partners. The role will involve you supervising staff from a range of professional backgrounds, supporting them to work creatively and innovatively. It also requires you to manage new referrals via a duty system making decisions about required actions and allocating work.

What you will need

Professionally qualified in social work and registered with Social Work England. Ideally you will hold a practice educator qualification or be willing to work towards achieving one and have some supervisory experience. Demonstrable skills in staff supervision, and an ability to problem solve in crisis. Willingness to undertake observed practice with staff members and able to use this observation to promote staff practice development. Commitment to practice improvement and able to utilise the principles of effective practice to improve outcomes for young people who offend and/or are criminally exploited, are in poor mental health, and/ or are not experiencing good relationships within their families. Good presentation skills and be able to use these to represent the team (in the absence of the Team Manager) at locality strategic planning such as Children and Young Peoples Strategic Partnerships and Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnerships. At least three years post qualified with evidence of post qualification development. Knowledge of key Children's Service legislation and practice issues as well as extensive knowledge of Criminal Justice legislation and National Standards. To use this knowledge to manage a cases allocated to the supervisees, devise safety plans and take appropriate action to ameliorate risk is an integral part of this role. We are particularly informed within this service by Solutions Focused, Systemic and Trauma empirical influences. A very strong understanding of the Supporting Families Agenda, its criteria and outcomes framework to enable the service to make claims to central Government. The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wider operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, transporting service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency. Driving licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential.

Why Essex? Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England's oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest - Basildon and Harlow - are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We're committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.

We're also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

What you should do next

If you are interested in finding out more about this role, we would love to hear from you. Please apply via the Working for Essex website.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained.

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

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If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email