Please note that this position is offered as a secondment / Fixed Term opportunity - until March 2021

In this position you will be based from Harlow and Basildon

Qualified Social Worker or FGC Practitioner required (also open to suitably alternatively qualified professionals)

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 role

The Essex family group conference service is a small team of social workers and alternatively qualified practitioners who work across Essex co-ordinating and facilitating family group conferences (FGC) in which family members are supported to develop a plan which attempts to identify solutions to the difficulties currently being experienced by them.

We are seeking two co-ordinators for our FGC pilot within the Family Solutions Service. One of these roles will cover South and West Quadrants whilst the other will cover North and Mid Quadrants.

You will work closely with referring Family Workers and members of the family network as part of your role, whilst maintaining your stance as an independent co-ordinator.

The time-limited nature of the role means that you will need to have excellent communication skills and be able to engage with families with complex needs and from diverse backgrounds.

You will be involved in supporting children through direct work to share their views with their family members, ensuring that the child is kept central to the FGC process.

Good organisational skills will be essential, as you arrange and facilitate the process which culminates in a family meeting from which the family plan is produced. It will be your responsibility to type the plan and distribute as appropriate and within agreed timescales.

You will seek feedback in relation to your role and be involved in the evaluation of the service.

What you'll need to join our Social Work teams

To play a key part in transforming the lives of children and families, you'll be a DIPSW, CQSW, CSS or equivalent graduate. This will be backed up by post-qualification experience as a children's social worker. Open to change and ready to innovate, you will be keen to join an environment where you can stretch yourself professionally, make an impact individually and deliver positive outcomes collaboratively.

The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wide operational area including travelling around the County of Essex and beyond. Driving licence and car is essential.

Qualification certificates should be brought to interview.

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.

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.

Essex County Council is proud to offer an excellent benefits package to all its employees.

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.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity is key to our success.