Adult Social Care
Welcome to Adult Social Care
“We are a dynamic and varied service who work collaboratively across our own organisation and external partners, driven by our vision for every adult to be able to live as independently as possible and to enjoy a good and meaningful life.
We recognise social care can be challenging and multifaceted, but a very rewarding sector to work in. With Essex County Council you can develop a career that enables you to achieve your goals in a range of roles across Adult Social Care.
I am very proud of our service and the great work we are doing across all our partners, we do hope you apply for one of our roles.”
Nick Presmeg, Executive Director of Adult Social Care
With us you can
Find out more from our staff what it is like working for Essex County Council.
With us you can develop an impressive career
Whether you are looking for the next step up in your career, seeking a better work life balance, wanting to develop your practice in one of the largest county councils in the country or simply want to apply your experience to help us make a difference to the residents of Essex. With us you can.
The scale, expertise and commitment that exists at Essex County Council means we have a wide variety of services to offer the community. And that means a wide variety of career opportunities for professionals like you.
-
Social Work
Essex County Council provides a robust and supportive framework for those seeking to progress their social work career. We offer opportunities across a variety of service areas, with Social Care teams operating within our localities – North, Mid, South, and West Essex, as well as across countywide specialist teams.
-
Occupational Therapy
What sets our Occupational Therapy teams apart is the sheer diversity of the work. Join us and you could find yourself making an impact in housing, community sector coalition, commissioning, provider quality, organisational safeguards, mental health or learning disabilities, to name a few.
-
The Approved Mental Health Professional Service
This team plays a critical role in ensuring compliance with the statutory responsibilities outlined in the Mental Health Act. They manage the Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) rota and carry out statutory assessments and initial enquiries in accordance with legal requirements. Joining Essex County Council as an AMHP offers a challenging yet highly rewarding career path, with our commitment to supporting both qualified professionals and those aspiring to achieve AMHP status.
Watch this short video to learn what it’s like to work as an AMHP at ECC.
-
Adult Residential Care Services
Joining our residential care services team will see you play an integral role providing support for adults who have a range of care needs. The service is based in Bridgemarsh Residential Home (Chelmsford), Longwood Place (Basildon), Magdalen Close Hostel (Clacton-on-Sea), and Tudor House (Colchester). Whether you have a wealth of experience or just a genuine passion to make an impact, we can help you develop a rewarding care career.
-
Commissioning
Commissioning is a key function. Join us here and you’ll be part of a team working across the system to improve outcomes for Essex residents, while bringing about significant change that helps us manage future challenges.
Our commissioning teams work proudly and collaboratively with external organisations. This approach promotes long-term thinking, inspires innovation and delivers the best outcomes for the most vulnerable in our county.
-
Integration and Partnerships
Working in Integration and Partnerships will give you the opportunity to be part of a team at the forefront of social care reform. You’ll operate across social care and in partnership with other authorities. Our roles in this area focus on joint commissioning and the integration of health and social care, including the design and development of new delivery models and ways of working.
-
Safeguarding & Quality Assurance
Our highly skilled teams play a vital role in maintaining service quality and leading investigations into safeguarding concerns. With a range of roles available, these teams are often multidisciplinary, bringing together diverse expertise. By joining this service, you will contribute to supporting frontline staff and delivering key projects that protect the most vulnerable members of our community.
-
Adult Social Care Connects
As the first point of contact for individuals seeking access to adult social care services, the Adult Social Care Connects team offers a dynamic, public-facing environment with varied responsibilities. We provide opportunities for both qualified and unqualified social care professionals to contribute to this fast-paced and impactful service.
Make a difference in Wellbeing, Public Health & Communities
-
Specialist Public Health Service
Health Promotion / Health Improvement. Improving health behaviours over the life course as well as improving the wider determinants of health. This includes:
- Drug & alcohol interventions
- Health & justice services
- Housing-related support
- Sexual health services
- NHS Health Checks
- Smoking cessation support
- 0-19 nursing services
Health Protection – The control of infectious diseases, managing health emergency responses and environmental health hazards.
Healthcare Public Health – Ensuring services are high quality, evidence-informed and value-based. Addressing issues of effectiveness, efficiency and equity.
-
Trading Standards
Supporting legitimate business activity by providing advice and support, encouraging economic development and prosperity. This includes:
- Animal health & welfare
- Disease control prevention
- Food safety & standards
- Ports & Borders
- Product & consumer safety
- Age restricted products
- Doorstep crime and fraud
- Safety at sports grounds
- Business advice
-
Gypsy & Traveller Service
Co-ordination of outreach programme with other agencies to improve Gypsy, Roma & Traveller outcomes.
- Management of unauthorised encampments
- Management of 12 ECC owned traveller sites
-
Active Essex
Focusing on increasing people’s participation in, and enjoyment of, physical activity.
- Designated Active Partnership for Greater Essex by Sport England
- Leads on the delivery of a 10 year strategy “Fit for the Future”
-
Strengthening Communities Service
Lead and develop key strategies to deliver self-sustaining strong communities to support Essex residents to enjoy long and healthy lives and fulfil their potential.
- Create conditions to enable communities to respond to societal challenges
- Commission the development of community infrastructure
Get inspired by voices from Adult Social Care
Discover what it’s really like to make a difference in Adult Social Care. Meet our people, hear their stories and explore the roles where you can build a meaningful, people‑focused career.
Join us as a Social Worker
In this video, our Social Workers share the realities of supporting individuals and families through complex challenges, highlighting the empathy, professionalism and teamwork that underpin every decision. If you’re driven by making a meaningful difference and ensuring people receive the support they need to thrive, this is your chance to hear directly from those already doing the work.
Join our Residential Services team
Hear our teams share their experiences in this video, the impact they make every day, and the rewards of supporting people to live safer, more independent lives. Whether you’re exploring a new path or ready to take the next step in your career, this is your chance to hear directly from the people who do the job.
Join us as Community Support Worker
Get an inside look at what it means to be a Community Support Worker with us. In this video, our team members share how they help adults live more independent, fulfilling lives, providing practical support, encouragement and meaningful human connection. If you’re someone who enjoys being out in the community and making a direct, positive impact every day, this is the perfect introduction to the role.
Recognised as providing high‑quality care
In June 2025, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated our services as ‘Good’, recognising strong leadership, passionate staff, and effective support.
The report highlights our commitment to putting people at the heart of our Adult Social Care services, with inspectors summing up their findings by saying:
“…the local authority had good structure and processes in place to enable people to be supported successfully, and support people to remain independent and live healthy lives. The workforce was passionate about supporting people to achieve these outcomes and the local authority had good knowledge of their area, the people living there and the demographics. They were also planning to the future to sustainably be able to support their population.”
Essex Social Care Academy (ESCA)
The ESCA is dedicated to our social care colleagues across the organisation. We’re passionate about all aspects of continuous professional development in social care, investing in a holistic approach to learning and development, and impact in the county’s social care services.
ESCA provides a framework that promotes and enables a professional learning culture, improving professional excellence and driving up standards to deliver high-quality practice.
We’ve won multiple awards at a national level. ESCA is recognised as truly innovative and ahead of the curve.
If you don’t see a role that matches what you’re looking for right now, please join our talent pool. Tell us about the type of roles you are interested in and we’ll notify you if they become available. Please keep checking our website, though, as new roles we won’t have recruited for will appear often, and they may be of interest.
