Family Solutions - Social Worker (Mid Essex)

Permanent, Full Time

£30,300 to £41,425 per annum

Location: Maldon & Chelmsford

Please note this role is open to Qualified Social Workers who have minimum of 2 years post qualification experience with Children and Families.

In ECC we are "Serious about Social Work". Having recently won the Best Social Work Employer of the Year Award 2018 and been awarded 'Outstanding' by Ofsted this is an exciting time to join us. As if that wasn't enough, Essex has also been announced as a Partner in Practice by the Department of Education, and the Essex Social Care Academy (ESCA) is the only Local Authority team in the country to be accredited by BASW as a CPD provider.

We have invested in our workforce and created a positive environment for our social workers to make a difference and achieve change for our most vulnerable children and families through direct relationship-based social work practice. We have supported our staff to have an understanding of systemic theoretical framework and models underpinning our interventions; to have access to the right tools, equipment and resources; and also the right supervision, training and learning opportunities they need to be strong practitioners.

The role

Family Solutions was established across Essex to work holistically with disadvantaged families, with complex needs to enable them to make significant and sustainable positive changes to their lives.
The Family Worker (Link Role) Social Worker is a key role within the service and will work closely with families to build strong relationships, based on respect and positive regard.

• The postholder will be required to provide specialist advice and support about their link role area, and co-ordinate provision of support from other services and partner agencies, as required.
• The post holder will be expected to have or be able to develop considerable knowledge of their link role area and act as a source of advice, guidance and support to team colleagues, through (for example) one-one support, leading subject matter development sessions and being the main link within the team to organisations relating to the thematic role they hold.
• Family Worker (Link Role) Social Workers will be expected to be able to share their extensive generic knowledge around working with families with multiple and complex needs with colleagues, support in case discussions and mentor and guide colleagues in the team with less experience. This will include sharing theoretical perspectives and underpinning social work policy and practice with colleagues / in teams.
• Family Worker (Link Role) Social Worker will feel confident to make appropriate decisions about the direction and actions required to move a case forward on a day to day basis and have the ability to recognise when key decision regarding risk/concerns need to be discussed/shared with supervisor or manager.
• The postholder will be expected to operate flexibly, working out of normal office hours and at weekends when required, to best meet the needs of the family.
• Working alongside children, young people and their families to change areas of their lives which may mean they have reduced life chances. Provide both practical and specialist advice as well acting as a lead coordinator for additional support services where appropriate.
• Working as part of a Family Solutions team undertake holistic assessment of family needs and help identify how outcomes can be achieved, ensuring that assessments and intervention plans fully reflect family and young person's views and aspirations.
• Provide specific practical, personal and emotional support to families in their homes or other settings as part of an agreed plan, which will be reviewed jointly with families, leading to achievement of agreed and sustainable family outcomes.
• Undertake programmes of work to support children and families to develop their skills to resolve issues and problems themselves, provide them with information and accompany them when needed to help them access other local provision
• Lawfully share information and work with colleagues and partners to ensure effective planning and delivery of services to families.
• Participate actively in regular supervision to review work and ensure effective interventions for families. As part of this, take part in regular professional development sessions designed to ensure that the principles of effective practice are fully embedded in service delivery.
• Follow SET Child Protection procedures, ensuring that swift discussion takes place with Practice Supervisor or Team Manager when child protection or other public protection concerns arise.
• Maintain a high standard of practice reflecting a value-based approach to working with children and their families.
• You will be based in Mid (Chelmsford & Maldon) within the four quadrants of Essex but may be required to work flexibly and provide support in a neighbouring team or quadrant if business needs require this.
  

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.

Essex County Council is proud to offer an excellent benefits package to all its employees. For more information please use the following link: https://www.workingforessex.com/benefits/