Senior Practitioner - Children and Families Hub, North EssexPermanent, Full Time48,205 to 57,988 per annum Location: ColchesterWorking Style: Fixed-base workerClosing Date: 22nd September 2026
Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role.
Applicants must have a current, unrestricted right to work in the UK.We currently also have Fixed Term/Secondment Opportunities for up to 12 months
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 2 nd Outstanding Ofsted rating in a row.
The Role
The Children and Families Hub is the single point of access for Children's
Social Care. Its primary purpose is to ensure that children and young people
and their families receive early help, advice and support to assist in
protecting them from significant harm and promoting their development and
wellbeing. The Children and Families Hub does this by identifying the lowest
appropriate level of support needed to bring about change, support good
parenting and boundaries and promote children's emotional wellbeing. The
Children and Families Hub play a critical role in engaging parents and
professionals in interventions that can bring about change in families and
we aspire to deliver an outstanding service to children and families in
Essex.
The Senior Practitioner role provides leadership in the team, providing both
support and mentoring to newly qualified or less experienced staff and
deputising for the Team Manager when needed. They will oversee the review of
some child in need plans particularly prior to closure and will have
responsibility to lead in a practice area. There will be good opportunities
for their own professional development and for being part of developing our
team and service. There is an ethos of openness to the development of new
ideas, particularly to reinforce our relationship-based focus, both with our
service users and within the staff group.
The successful candidate will be expected to bring skill and high standards
of social work 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.
Skills and Knowledge
· A diploma in Social Work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent and registration with
Social Work England as a registered Social Worker and be post-qualified 2
years, with an in-depth knowledge of complex cases and application of key
legislation / guidance.
- The ability to make clear decisions, to highlight and limit potential risks associated with intervention.
- Proven record of supporting staff members with complex decision making, as well as a desire to develop and become part of the Management Team, as well as modelling good practice, being open to change and ready to innovate.
- Evidence of recent practice at an experienced social worker level, supported by comprehensive working knowledge and experience within the field of practice in Children Services and understanding of related legal processes.
- Knowledge and understanding of child development, relating theory and practice.
- Evidence of continuing professional development and capability of practice in accordance
To read more about our business area, please visit:
Children & Families
Please take a look at our
'No Magic' Children & Families video
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.
In March 2026, the Government announced that councils in Greater Essex will
be reorganised into five new unitary authorities from April 2028. In
addition to this, Greater Essex has been accepted on to the devolution
priority programme, where we will work towards establishing a Mayoral
Combined County Authority. You can read more about these changes, and what
this may mean for this role, on our
careers site
.
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. For further information on the DBS update
service please go to
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
resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk
Follow us on
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and
. Further details can be found on our
careers page
.
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Senior Practitioner - Children and Families Hub, North Essex employer: Essex County Council
Essex County Council is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive and flexible work environment for Social Workers dedicated to making a difference in the lives of young people with disabilities. With a strong focus on employee wellbeing, innovative practices, and professional development, our team enjoys a nine-day working fortnight and numerous opportunities for growth within a dynamic local authority. Join us in Chelmsford, where your contributions will be valued, and together we can empower the next generation to thrive.
