Applications from Newly Qualified Social Workers are welcomed, offering a starting salary of £28,592 per annum.

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.

Assessment and Intervention

These teams are the gateway through which children, young people, parents and carers, and other agencies gain access to Children and Families services. A&I undertakes incoming assessment and short-term intervention work with families.

They focus on children in need (CIN) and their families, offering three months' intervention. They also deal with S47 child protection enquiries, and work jointly with the police and other partners in assessing immediate risk for children that come to our attention.

A&I primarily transfer cases into Family Support and Protection Teams should families require longer-term intervention, or if the children become subject to a child protection plan or come into care of the local authority. If following an assessment and brief intervention the family do not require a social work service, they could be stepped down to Family Solutions as part of our Early Help Offer.

Role Specific Accountabilities

• Assess, plan, review and provide support to a child, 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 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 from abuse, neglect or exploitation, building effective relationships with children, adults and families as appropriate, including intervention when information or circumstances suggest there may be a need to remove a child from their parents or carers.
• Arrange appropriate alternative care (including, where appropriate a permanent home) in collaboration with children, young people and their parents/carers where the parents/carers cannot care for them.
• Accountable for making recommendations about whether a case has reached the threshold for statutory intervention.
• Promoting autonomy and development with individuals who have complex social needs and are more vulnerable as a result of disability, exclusion, or diminished capacity, for example, working with people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities or diminished capacity.
• Carry out age and human rights assessments as appropriate.
• 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, legal planning meetings, child protection conferences, statutory reviews.

What you'll need to join our Social Work teams

• Diploma or degree in social work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent.
• Registration with Social Work England as a 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.