Social Worker - SGO and Connected Person Assessment Team, Mid Essex

About the role

Social Worker - SGO and Connected Person Assessment Team, Mid Essex

Permanent, Full Time

£32,787 to £44,826 per annum - pay award pending

Location: Chelmsford

Closing Date: 31st March 2023

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.

ECC has transformed to be far more proactive. Our new model has moved from focusing on long term care and support and is now centred on early intervention, recovery and enabling people to live independently for as long as possible. Our mission is to make the best and most sustainable use of all resources available to the adult, their families and carers; to ensure they have access to information and tools to enable them to live healthily and independently for as long as possible; and to exercise choice and control over their lives, while ensuring safety, dignity and quality of life for all the adults we work with, including those in need of long term care.

The Opportunity

This is a unique and exciting opportunity to join the new SGO and Connected Person Assessment Team which had been fully operational from the 24th April ’19.

This role brings Fostering and Frontline Child Care work together and therefore opportunities to learn new skills and gain new subject knowledge in a supportive, innovative and developing service.

A substantial investment was made to have 2 SGO assessment teams to co-ordinate, undertake and monitor SGO assessments across Essex.

Essex County Council has recently been awarded the Social Work Employer of the Year award 2018.

Accountabilities

Be the central point of contact, collation and completion of SGO and Connected Persons assessments, following a positive viability assessment

Undertake SGO and Connected Persons assessments, including Private Law assessments and out of county assessments. This would include: review case records and the assessment of the child’s needs, undertake assessment visits, observe contact, propose transition plans, referee visits for the applicants, prepare the court report and SGO support plan, and attend other associated professional meetings as required

Attending Court as directed
Act as a centre of expertise and consultation to applicants and professionals
Organise and deliver preparation workshops for prospective Special Guardians
Quality assure all SGO assessments completed
Work with Child Care Teams, Independent Reviewing Officers and fostering teams to identify potential new SGO applicants
Record details of assessments on the system; collate cohort and trend data, monitor outcomes and respond to data requests.
Fulfilling the role and responsibility of Supervising Social worker whilst assessing connected persons who are temporary approved under Regulation 24.
Preparation for Fostering Panel

Why work with us in Chelmsford?

Working in a highly motivated, innovative and supported team
A commitment to securing best outcomes for children
Essex have a flexible working policy programme that, where possible, fits with family life and work life balance
There is the opportunity to enhance your experience in court work as well as child protection and child in need practice policies and procedures
Training/Workshops on the context of SGO’s and what we have learnt to date
Support to workers to include regular supervision, group supervision, workshops and reflective practise.
To be involved in a new team from the beginning to establish best practise and a positive working environment
Based in modern, friendly and pleasant offices in Chelmsford which have good transport links to motorways.

The Experience You Will Bring

A Diploma or Degree in Social Work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent
Registration with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) as Registered Social Worker.
Be able to demonstrable capability of practice in accordance with current professional standards e.g. Professional Capability Framework (PCF), Knowledge & Skills Statement (KSS)
Experience or a good understanding of working within Children and Family/Fostering services
Court experience preferable
Analytical report writing skills are essential
Understanding impact of neglect/abuse on children and trauma in children important
Flexible working is required with occasional out of county work
Writing in-depth analytical reports.

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.

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 – SGO and Connected Person Assessment Team, Mid Essex