Outreach Worker - Working for Essex

About the role

Outreach Worker

Permanent, Full Time

£23,456 to £29,933 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Closing date: 29th May 2023

Job purpose:

Children and Families is recognised as a service in which workers can develop and prosper, with a culture of collaboration, integrity and compassion; promoting development and wellbeing of children, young people and their families or carers and protecting them from neglect and abuse.Working together with partners delivering a range of early help, family support and effective interventions which build resilience, remove barriers, and enable children and young people to look forward to a brighter future.

The Outreach Worker in the Connected Fostering Service will support the stability of children’s care arrangements whilst placed with friends and family carers and help maximise the potential for children to thrive and meet their potential in care.

The post holder will work directly with children, friends and family foster carers whilst being assessed to provide practical support and guidance. The post holder will work collaboratively with others to promote better outcomes for children and support the retention and suitability of friends and family foster carers.

The role requires an awareness of the impact of trauma on children’s behaviour. The role also requires excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build strong working relationships with both children and adults.

This role will require working flexible hours to support planned work outside of usual office hours and may require occasional unplanned emergency work.

Accountabilities:

Direct work with children:

Undertake direct work with children and young people as planned by assessing social workers, mental health workers or others in the child’s network.
Undertake direct work with the sons and daughter’s of friends and family foster carers.
Attend other meetings relevant to the child as directed by the team manager
Participate when appropriate in the observation and assessment of young people
Ensure accurate records of all conversations with children and carers are kept and appropriately uploaded to the system and that relevant information is shared with the right people and recorded appropriately
Work collaboratively with statutory and voluntary partners to ensure the safety and best outcomes for children and their families
Build relationships with the child through group and / or one to one work where targeted work has been assessed as appropriate

Direct work with carers:

Participate in the training and support of carers, which may include providing parenting advice.
Provide practical support to carers in their tasks of caring for children and young people, as agreed by the carer’s assessing social worker the outreach worker’s supervisor or the team manager.

Supporting the team and wider fostering service:

Attend and contribute to staff meetings.
Support the work of the team manager through monitoring (and or undertaking if required by the manager) households Health and Safety form, DBS checks and Medicals to ensure these are processed efficiently.

Contribute to the organisation of team events.

Support the work of the wider Connected carers Service, including contributing to the organisation of countywide fostering events.
Participate, with the line manager in the development of specific individual and shared targets and objectives annually within the performance management framework.

Skills, Knowledge, and Experience:

Educated to RQF Level 2 (GCSE) or equivalent by experience, which may include specific practical qualifications.
Experience of working with children and families.
Experience of working with the public and the ability to maintain clear boundaries and open communication with clients and colleagues.
An awareness of the impact of trauma on children’s behaviour.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to act assertively and resolve conflict.
Ability to manage own workload and time effectively
An ability to work in partnership with social work colleagues and other professionals
Hold a valid driving licence and car available for business use, or access to a car and driver
Familiarity with children’s safeguarding protocols, the Children Act 1989 and the 2011 Fostering Service Regulations and National Minimum Standards for Fostering
To read more about us please visit: Children & Families

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. Read more about us here.

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. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

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 Here.

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

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