Social Worker - Leaving and Aftercare, South Essex

About the role

Social Worker - Leaving and Aftercare, South Essex

Permanent, Full Time

£31,161 to £46,751 per annum

Location: Basildon

Closing Date: 31st May 2023

In line with our Skills and Capability Framework, for an experienced Social Worker the basic salary is between £34,712 and £46,751 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

Essex County Council (ECC) is one of the largest and most dynamic local authorities in the UK, serving a population of 2 million residents, and has a very successful track record of delivering transformational change. ECC anticipated change was needed in the public sector and has worked to deliver better quality at lower cost. We have an ambitious transformation agenda – one with the scope to reach every part of the council. We are changing the way we think, the way we work, and the ways in which we deliver our services. We are committed to becoming a place where individuals, partners and communities feel proud to play their role and genuinely want to belong. We’re immensely proud of our flexible working options.

The Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen to work as a social worker within the Leaving and After Care Team in South Essex. 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 Team

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: Children & Families

Please take a look at our ‘No Magic’ Children & Families video here

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. 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.

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

To view our Organisational Behaviours information please follow this link.

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 resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

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Social Worker – Leaving and Aftercare, South Essex