Locum CFS Social Worker

Chelmsford, England, United Kingdom

4/17/2025

About The Role

Locum CFS Social Worker

Temporary, Full Time

£222 Umbrella

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style: Operational field-based worker

Closing Date: Wednesday 23rd April 2025

Please note that this is a Temporary Locum Term Contract for a period of up to 8 months.

The Service consists of the Children with Disabilities Teams, Young People with Disabilities Teams, Child and Family Support Services Teams, Occupational Therapy Teams and a Core Service Development support team. This is an exciting and vibrant service which is in an ongoing phase of service improvement and development to enhance positive outcomes for children and young people with disabilities (from birth up to age 17) and their families and embracing the SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) reforms.

The Children with Disabilities Team works with young people and their families from the age of 0 - 17 years.

We are currently looking for a Social Worker to work in the Young People with Disabilities Mid team, based in County Hall, Chelmsford and working in the mid Essex geographical area.

Working to the Children Act 1989 and 2004, Children and Families Act 2014, Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005, including all other relevant legislation pertinent to supporting children, young people and adults with Disabilities within the remit of Social Care.

To read more about us please visit: Children & Families

Please take a look at our ‘No Magic’ Children & Families video

The Role

Family Operations delivers direct provision of services relating to vulnerable children, young people and complex families. These services will be delivered against specifications set by the People Commissioning function in line with the County Council’s overarching outcomes. The role reports directly to a Team Manager and will be a member of a large team of children, young people & families professionals focussed on delivering excellent social work practice within given area of service including, but not limited to Assessment & Intervention, Family Support & Protection, Children in Care & Leaving Care, Fostering & Adoption. The postholder is responsible for bringing to bear the highest possible standards in Social Work practice, ability and skills, working in accordance with defined legal frameworks, Policy and Procedures.

The Opportunity

Managing a defined caseload, the Social Worker is responsible for working effectively with children, young people & families/carers to achieve positive change and improved outcomes. This includes enquiry, assessment, purposeful intervention through direct work and review in relation to Child Protection, Child in Need and Children Looked After, achieving permanency through care for Children in Care

There is an ethos of openness to the development of new ideas, particularly to reinforce our relationship-based focus, with service users, within the staff group and with partner agencies. The successful candidate will be expected to bring developed social work skills and high standards of practice to their own caseload as well as providing modelling, advice and support to colleagues. They will be committed to systemic, relationship based social work, providing effective, innovative interventions and with the ability to build good partnerships, both with our external partners and within the organisation.

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
• Write court reports and give evidence in relation to children at risk during legal proceedings
• Working with communities, families and individuals to maximise or promote their personal strengths, social networks and resources
• Hold a caseload of a level of complexity and provide case management, guidance, support and expert advice to social care staff, students and newly qualified social workers, as and when required
  
  

Accountabilities

• Understand the needs of your customers and deliver the best possible outcomes through exemplar behaviour in accordance with ECC’s Values and Core Organisational Behaviours
• Work flexibly and collaboratively across structural boundaries in support of key outcomes
• Contribute to development of organisational capability by taking ownership of your own training and development, including identifying and taking part in training and development activity and responding to feedback on performance
• Thinking creatively, challenging the norms, and constructively challenging those around them (including those more senior) to ensure continuous improvement and commercial astuteness, and inspire the same in colleagues
• Take responsibility for identifying and responding to areas of risk including Health and Safety and Business Continuity
  
  

The Experience You Will Bring

• A recognised social work qualification i.e. Diploma, degree or Masters in social work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent, with current Social Work England (SWE) registration.
• Demonstrable capability of practice in accordance with current professional standards eg 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 eg, Word, SW case recording systems
• Required to be mobile throughout a wide 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 ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential.
• Required to work flexibly as required, including evenings and weekends if necessary.
  
  

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.

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.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. As part of our team, we kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, not only during the recruitment process but also throughout your time with us. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

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

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email [email protected]