Senior Practitioner - Children in Care, Mid Essex, Chelmsford

Permanent, Full Time

£48,205 to £57,988 per annum

Location: Chelmsford

Working Style: Community-based worker

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. Essex County Council understands how important flexibility and wellbeing is for our colleagues working across children's Social Care and that we need to think differently. We have therefore developed a nine-day working fortnight for full-time frontline Social Workers within Children's services.

We are a friendly, supportive, and hard-working team where we always hold children at the centre of what we do. We have created an open, reflective and learning culture where social workers feel enabled and supported to raise issues, consider different perspectives, challenge authority, and try out different approaches in a safe and non-blaming environment. Good quality reflective supervision is provided to all social workers and senior practitioners.

The Role

We are looking for a Senior Practitioner to join our Children in Care team. In this key role, you will provide strong leadership within the team, offering support and mentoring to newly qualified and less experienced colleagues. You will facilitate reflective group supervision, oversee the team's duty service, and deputise for the Team Manager when required. You will also take responsibility for leading in a designated area of practice. This is a fantastic opportunity to further your own professional development while helping shape and develop our team and wider service.

We are seeking someone with extensive experience in:

• Report writing
• Court attendance
• Giving evidence

These skills are essential, as you will play a vital role in mentoring and supporting NQSWs within the team.

Children in Care

Our Children in Care (CIC) teams work with children and young people up to the age of 18 who cannot live at home and are placed with foster carers or in residential homes. We focus on ensuring their experiences in care are positive, that they feel supported, and that they are well prepared for their future—whether that's transitioning into adulthood or returning home to family. CIC teams receive cases in proceedings after the first hearing, visit children and young people in their placements, and develop permanency plans such as Special Guardianship Orders (SGOs) and adoption. We also undertake life-story work to help children understand their journey and support them where possible to return to their birth family. Joining Children in Care offers you the chance to build meaningful, lasting relationships with children and young people. You will gain a broad range of skills and experiences, including court work, long-term care planning, adoption, and reunification.

Skills, Knowledge 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.
• Evidence of continuing professional development, aligned to any relevant Professional Competency/Capability frameworks or Knowledge and Skills Statements.
• Significant experience of social work, demonstrating a comprehensive and up to date understanding of all relevant legislation, regulation and guidance.
• Experience of mentoring both Social Work students and newly qualified and experienced Social Work staff, being a subject matter expert in professional social work practice.
• Experience of chairing meetings involving clients, family members and/or carers and other multi-agency professionals.
• Developing strong relationships with partners, other agencies and the local community to achieve joint objectives and offer a supportive framework for children, young people and families.
• In-depth understanding of delivery of value for money interventions balanced against need.
• Proven track record of clear decision making in order to highlight and limit the potential risks associated with intervention.

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?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we're committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

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.

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. At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. 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. 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.