At a Glance
- Tasks: Support families facing challenges and help them create positive change.
- Company: Join Essex County Council, a dynamic local authority committed to community transformation.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, flexible working, and support for professional development.
- Other info: Be part of a supportive team dedicated to innovative solutions for families.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives while growing your career in social work.
- Qualifications: Qualified Social Worker with experience in children's services and strong communication skills.
The predicted salary is between 51834 - 51834 £ per year.
Fixed Term, Full Time £38,487 to £51,834 per annum
Location: Braintree
Working Style: Community-based worker
Closing Date: 20th September 2026
Interview Date: 29th 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.
This is a 9-month Fixed Term or Secondment Opportunity.
We’re recruiting for a Social Worker (Link Family Workers) to join our high-performing Family Solutions team based in Mid Essex. This is a fantastic opportunity to work within a service described by Ofsted as “exceptional”, delivering early help to families facing multiple and complex challenges. Family Solutions is part of Essex’s Children & Families service, working holistically with disadvantaged families to help them make meaningful and lasting changes. You’ll be part of a supportive, multi-disciplinary team that values collaboration, innovation, and professional growth.
The Opportunity
- Join a highly experienced team of practitioners from a range of professional backgrounds and qualifications, each bringing valuable expertise to support families facing multiple and complex needs.
- Contribute specialist social work expertise alongside colleagues from a range of professional backgrounds, including through joint visits and collaborative work on complex cases.
- Manage your own caseload and assess safeguarding risks.
- Work in partnership with the team manager, practice supervisor and wider Family Solutions team to review referrals and support effective decision-making.
- Build strong, trusting relationships with families to promote positive change.
- Facilitate complex family meetings and coordinating additional support services.
- Offer emotional and practical support in homes and community settings.
- Work closely with your manager or Practice Supervisor through regular supervision.
- An opportunity to support the further integration of Family Solutions and Children Social Care as part of the Family First Partnership Programme.
Accountabilities
- Responsible for supporting manager and practice supervisor to undertake screenings of new contacts, understanding threshold.
- Responsible for determining the direction and actions required in order to progress cases forward on a day-to-day basis; recognising when key decisions regarding risks/concerns need to be referred to the Team Manager or Practice Supervisor.
- Responsible for contributing social work knowledge and expertise alongside colleagues from a range of professional backgrounds to support effective work with complex cases.
- Responsible for undertaking holistic assessments of family needs to help create intervention plans and identify how outcomes can be achieved that fully reflect the family and young person’s views and aspirations, delivering interventions, including group work programmes, to support families to make change.
- Responsible for facilitating complex family meetings, managing the potentially competing views of families and professionals, in order to find achievable solutions.
- Responsible for undertaking individual and group programmes of work to enable children and families to develop their skills to resolve issues and problems themselves; providing information and accompanying families to help access other local services.
- Responsible for providing specific practical, personal and emotional support to families in their homes or other settings as part of an agreed plan in order to achieve agreed and sustainable family outcomes.
- Responsible for actively participating in regular supervision in order to review work and ensure effective interventions for families.
- Responsible for ensuring that the principles of effective practice are fully embedded in service delivery; working collaboratively with staff and partners to ensure effective risk management in line with the thresholds of the Effective Support and Guidance document to ensure that the Family Solutions team understands and follows the SET child protection procedures.
- Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.
The Experience You Will Bring
- Qualified Social Worker, registered with Social Work England, and post-ASYE.
- Recent experience in frontline children’s services, experience of completing assessment and managing CIN and or CP Cases.
- At least two years’ experience post qualifying.
- Willing to work towards Practice Educator Qualification.
- A strong commitment to uphold the standards and values of the social work profession.
- Evidence of continuing professional development with good knowledge in relevant professional area and commitment to the principles of evidence-based practice.
- Significant practical experience of working with families with multiple and complex needs.
- Effective communication skills, good problem solving and assessment skills with a demonstrable track record of building and sustaining positive professional relationships with individuals and families with multiple and complex needs.
- Experience of applying a solution focused approach and providing practical advice and support to families to enable them to achieve positive and sustainable outcomes.
- Ability to work in partnership with others to maximise outcomes for families in line with the Family Solutions operating principles.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a team and to use supervision appropriately.
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.
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 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 resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk.
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. Further details can be found on our careers page.
Social Worker Family Worker (Link Role) in Witham 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.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Social Worker Family Worker (Link Role) in Witham
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Essex County Council.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Essex County Council!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Essex County Council, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Essex County Council or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Social Worker Family Worker (Link Role) in Witham
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Essex County Council:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Essex County Council! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Essex County Council
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
