Duty Senior Practitioner - Assessment & Intervention, Harlow

This is a fixed term contract or secondment opportunity for 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 2nd Outstanding Ofsted rating in a row.

Assessment and Intervention (A&I)

These teams are the gateway through which children, young people, parents/carers and other agencies gain access to Children and Families services. Assessment and Intervention undertakes incoming assessments and short-term intervention work with families, working with children from pre-birth up to a child’s 18th birthday. 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.

The Role:

As a Senior Practitioner you will provide leadership in the team, providing both support and mentoring to newly qualified or less experienced staff and deputising for the Team Manager when needed. You 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 opportunities for your 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 Experience You Will Bring:

• 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.
• You will have a practice educator qualification or on course to achieve one.
• Experience of supporting and mentoring ASYE's through their first year in practice.
• Evidence of continuing professional development.
• 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.
• Preferably with experience of Child Protection work including section 47 investigations and assessments since the implementation of the Children’s Act 1989.
• Considerable, recent experience of communicating with children of all ages and working in partnership with parents and/or carers.
• Experience in planning activities and programmes for children, young people and parents.
• Experience of Court work in relation to Child Care matters and have an understanding of the legal process.
• Detailed knowledge of current legislation pertinent to Child Protection (e.g. CA1989, CJA1991), Guidance and Regulations.
• Knowledge and understanding of child development, relating theory and practice.

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.

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.