Job Description

Social Worker - Leaving and Aftercare, Mid Essex

Permanent, Full Time*

\xc2\xa334,712 to \xc2\xa346,751 per annum**

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style:

Closing Date:

*Essex County Council understand how important flexibility and wellbeing is for our colleagues working across children\'s Social Care and that we need to think differently. We have therefore developed a nine-day working fortnight for full time frontline Social Workers within Children\'s services. If you would like more information on this, please follow this .

**This position is open to Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs) and Experienced Social Workers. (The starting salary for a NQSW is \xc2\xa331,161 per annum and this will rise to \xc2\xa334,712 per annum on successful completion of the ASYE programme). In line with our Skills and Capability Framework, for an experienced Social Worker the basic salary is between \xc2\xa334,712 per annum and \xc2\xa346,751 per annum with 9 entry points across the range.

Here in Essex, we continue to raise the bar about practice and our investment in our workforce is second to none. It\'s an exciting time to join us. Not only have we been named Outstanding by Ofsted, we are delighted and at the same time humbled to have been crowned Social Work Employer of the Year for the second time in the last three years!

The Role

An exciting opportunity has arisen to work as a social worker within the Leaving and After Care Team in Chelmsford. The social worker role affords opportunities in the team. The successful candidate will hold a caseload of children in care, dependent on needs at a particular time. There will opportunities for professional development and being part of a team that embraces innovative ideas and practice. There is an ethos of openness particularly, to reinforce the team\'s relationship- based focus, both with service users and within the staff group.

The Opportunity

Leaving Care teams work with young people from 16 up to the age of 25. The social worker within the team, complete needs assessments and pathway plans for young people and oversee their allocated case load.

The leaving and aftercare teams are all committed to high quality work and engagement with all young people to maximise their potential. We work collaboratively with agencies including health, education and housing to ensure that plans support the best outcomes for our young people.

Accountabilities

• Assess, plan, review and provide support to a young person, family or carer with complex family or social care needs, taking full account of appropriate legal frameworks, policy and guidance
• Assess family functioning, providing help and support, when relationship breakdown threatens to impair the health or well-being of children/young people at risk of abuse or neglect
• Work collaboratively, building effective working relationships with other professionals, internally and externally to help children, young people and families improve and gain control of their lives when safety or ability to participate in their community is restricted
• Carry out an assessment or enquiry and plan responses to safeguard a child/young person from abuse, neglect or exploitation, building effective relationships with children/young person adults and families
• Arrange appropriate alternative care in collaboration with young people and their parents/carers where the parents/carers cannot care for them
• Promoting autonomy and development with young people who have complex social needs and more vulnerable because of disability, exclusion, or diminished capacity, for example, working with people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities or diminished capacity
• Support young people to access ETE, education, training and employment
• Work with housing providers to access appropriate accommodation for young people in a range of settings
• Maintain up to date, accurate and high quality records of activity on cases. Participate in a range of planning and decision making forums including case discussions, Strategy Meetings and Statutory Reviews
• Work with communities, families and individuals to maximise or promote their personal strengths, social networks and resources
• Hold a caseload of young people some of whom have a complexity of needs

The Experience You Will Bring

• Diploma or Degree in Social Work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent
• Registration with Social Work England as Registered Social Worker
• Demonstrable capability of practice in accordance with current professional standards e.g. Professional Capability Framework (PCF), Knowledge & Skills Statement (KSS)
• Case recording
• Demonstrate ability in the application of SW knowledge, using emotional intelligence, analytical skills and act with confidence in challenging social and family situations.
• A good working knowledge and ability to use information technology and related systems e.g., Word, SW case recording systems
• Required to work flexibly as required, including evenings and weekends if necessary.

To read more about us please visit:

Please take a look at our \'No Magic\' Children & Families video

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.

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. Read more about us

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.

Essex County Council is proud to offer an excellent benefits package to all its employees. More information can be found here

To view our Organisational Behaviours information please follow this

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. For further information on the DBS update service please go to

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.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community .

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

Essex County Council