Adults Social Worker – Harlow North & South Neighbourhood Team

Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role. Applicants must have a current, unrestricted right to work in the UK. This advert is open to Experienced and Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSW). The starting salary for a NQSW is £36,124 per annum, rising to £38,487 per annum upon successful completion of the ASYE programme.

We’re an adult social care service that wants to see citizens of Essex have as much choice and control over the way they live their lives as possible. We think everyone should have the chance to live a full and fulfilling life with people they love and care about, doing things that matter to them and living in a place they can call home. We’re determined that with the right support, everyone can maintain or achieve some independence and we’re proud to be working to make these ambitions a reality.

Our Social Workers work alongside people and their families and carers to help them think through what might help them get on with their lives in the way that works best for them. We do this within the framework of our statutory Care Act requirements. This means many of our conversations are framed as ‘assessments’, ‘reviews’, ‘support planning’ and ‘safeguarding’. But our aim is always to listen and understand what matters to the person and then to work with them to think through how this might be achieved.

About the Team

We are looking for a passionate and proactive Social Worker to join our West Essex Neighbourhood team. The team predominantly operate across North and South Harlow and form part of a Neighbourhood approach, linking closely with our partners in health, housing and the voluntary sector. The team work with people aged 18 and above across all specialisms, undertaking a wide range of duties under the Care Act 2014 from assessment, reviews, mental capacity assessments and adult safeguarding. This role offers hybrid working, with an expectation to be office based at Goodman House in Harlow around 2 to 3 days per week depending on business need for collaborative team working and training.

About You

If you share our vision, enjoy meeting people and hearing their stories you might be interested to find out more about what we do. If you’re also a Social Worker and registered with Social Work England with that winning combination of creative thought, reliability and practical ability to get things done, we’d really love to hear from you! You’ll have a broad understanding of our statutory responsibilities and a commitment to meeting these in a person‑centred way. You may have experience of chairing meetings, and you’ll have an ability to develop strong relationships with partner agencies and the local community to provide a supportive framework. Our Social Worker roles involve travelling around Essex. A driving licence and car – or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means – is essential.

Why Join Us?

In June 2025, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated our Adult Social Care services as “Good” with a score of 73%. The local authority had a good structure and processes in place to enable people to be supported successfully, and support people to remain independent and live healthy lives. The workforce was passionate about supporting people to achieve these outcomes and the local authority had good knowledge of their area, the people living there and the demographics.

Our teams are busy but warm, friendly and supportive. Our fabulous team managers will help you manage your workload and develop your practice. We take your career just as seriously as you do, and we have a continuing professional development offer that’s second to none. We welcome diversity because it makes us grow and we’re determined to become a fully inclusive and an anti‑racist organisation.

What We Offer

• Ongoing opportunities for continuing professional development
• Flexible working options
• Employee wellbeing and counselling
• Lease Car scheme
• Life assurance of three times annual salary
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Volunteering leave
• 27 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), rising with service
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) – access to free and confidential information, support, and guidance from a team of highly qualified professionals.
• Employee Networks – communities to support you, connect you and help influence change at ECC
• Payment of your Social Work England registration fees!

Whatever you want to achieve in your social work career, you can do it here. For more information contact Abbie.Mollison@essex.gov.uk

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.

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.

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