At a Glance
- Tasks: Join our team to recruit and assess foster carers, making a real difference in children's lives.
- Company: Essex County Council, recognised for outstanding social work practice.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, and support for unpaid carers.
- Other info: Opportunities for professional growth and community impact.
- Why this job: Be part of a passionate team transforming the lives of vulnerable children.
- Qualifications: Social work qualification and registration with Social Work England required.
The predicted salary is between 51834 - 51834 £ per year.
Permanent, Full Time
£38,487 to £51,834 per annum
Location: Essex
Working Style: Community-based worker
Closing Date: 12th July 2026
Interview Date: 20th July 2026
Overview
Here in Essex, we continue to raise the bar about practice and our investment in our workforce is second to none. It’s an exciting time to join us having received our 2nd Outstanding Ofsted rating in a row.
The Role
As a social worker in this countywide team the role covers all aspects of foster carer recruitment. It primarily involves:
- Responding to initial enquiries from prospective foster carers
- Undertaking initial home visits
- Undertaking fostering assessments through to panel
There are opportunities to deliver pre‑approval training as well as creative recruitment activity including face‑to‑face information events with the public. At certain times the role may include supporting the undertaking of Special Guardianship Orders and kinship assessments. Due to the nature of the role evening and weekend work is required as well as the occasional duty work. The team is therefore flexible to reflect the needs of their service users as well as their team members.
Team
We are fortunate to have a very passionate, driven, creative team consisting of social workers, enquiry workers, and an outreach worker. We work closely with our fostering ambassadors and children in care successfully to ensure that we recruit diverse foster families to meet the needs of our most vulnerable children in Essex. If you are passionate about making a difference by being part of our Fostering Recruitment Team, then this role is for you.
What you will need to join our Social Work teams
You may be an experienced social worker looking to take the next step in your career or you may be a senior practitioner open to change and ready to innovate in an environment where you can stretch yourself professionally and make an impact individually.
To play a key part in transforming the lives of children and families, you’ll be a DIPSW, CQSW, CSS or equivalent graduate. You will inspire high standards from social workers around you, and shape practice standards within the service, delivering positive outcomes collaboratively. You will be a team player enabling your team to work well together under pressure.
For this role you will need to have:
- Excellent assessment and analytical report writing skills for understanding and dealing with complex cases.
- To respond to all duty calls and initial home visits in an efficient and professional manner and record them clearly and in detail.
- To present your applicants to the fostering panel with clear recommendation and evidence to support this recommendation.
- Support and participate in recruitment activities.
- Be involved in the development of a service area that relates to recruitment of foster carers or to link with one of the quadrant fostering teams to establish up‑to‑date needs and developments relevant to that quadrant.
Knowledge, Skills and Experience
A recognised social work qualification i.e. diploma, degree or master’s in social work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent, with current 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.
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.
Disability and Veterans
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.
Employment Conditions
As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) if your role requires 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.
Safeguarding
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.
Benefits
Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.
