Youth Justice Service Early Help practitioner

The POWER project (Promoting Opportunities for Emotional Resilience) and the Turnaround programme are part of Essex Youth Justice Service’s Early Help team. You will work as a qualified Social Worker or an alternatively qualified practitioner, developing therapeutically-informed interventions to prevent escalation of children’s mental health needs and reduce the risk of entering the formal youth justice system.

Accountabilities

• Manage a caseload and undertake individual or family work with children or young people on the cusp of entering the criminal justice system.
• Conduct high quality assessments of young people and co‑produce comprehensive intervention plans, evidence of input from children, and liaise with partner agencies to address underlying needs.
• Deliver evidence‑based interventions (systemic practice, Signs of Safety, Motivational Interviewing, and child development theory) to build relationships and support positive change.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with partner agencies, especially schools, to promote YJS Early Help as a source of expertise.
• Ensure that the voices and views of children and young people are sought, heard, represented appropriately throughout the intervention and used to inform service delivery.
• Maintain accurate, comprehensive, up‑to‑date case records and share information appropriately according to local and national practice guidance.
• Meet specific individual and shared targets and objectives defined annually within the performance management framework.

Experience and Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent, with a recognised social work qualification (e.g., diploma, degree, masters in social work, CQSW, CSS) and current registration with Social Work England, or a minimum of 2.5 years in youth justice practice.
• Evidence of continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area.
• Experience working in a multi‑agency environment with excellent engagement skills and ability to communicate and collaborate with colleagues, partner agencies, and service users.
• Knowledge and understanding of health and safety and safeguarding of children and young people.
• Clear understanding of early help services and early interventions, values, and principles.
• Excellent understanding of strengths‑based and outcomes‑focused work, and evidence‑based problem‑solving interventions with children, young people and families.
• Proven ability in using assessment frameworks and tools to produce sound evidence‑based assessments of need, strengths, and risk, and to co‑produce individualised support plans.
• Knowledge of criminogenic factors that cause young people to offend.

Additional Requirements

The role requires you to be mobile across a wider operational area, including travelling around Essex and beyond. A driving licence and a car, or ability to meet the mobility requirements through other means, are essential.

Benefits

As part of employment with Essex County Council you will receive employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate carers’ needs.

Employment Commitments

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader and commits to interview all disabled applicants under the Job Interview Scheme who meet the minimum requirements. The Council also commits to interview all veterans and care leavers who meet the minimum requirements. We value integrity and ethical behaviour. Applicants are expected to embrace the council’s code of conduct and the Nolan principles. As part of employment, if your role requires a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service, an annual subscription that you will be responsible for maintaining. 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 have queries about this role, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk.