Part Time CYPWD Support Worker Permanent, Part Time £25,395 to £32,131 per annum, full time equivalent Location: Chelmsford Closing Date: Sunday 2nd November 2025 at 11.59pm Please note that this part time role, offering 18.5 hours per week, with a working pattern of: Tuesday: Half Day - AM or PM. Wednesday: Full day Thursday: Full day Interview Date: Friday 14th November. 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. The Service: The Children and Young People with Disabilities Service supports children and young people aged between 0 and 25 years old who have special educational needs and/or disabilities, and their families. The Opportunity Children and Families is recognised as a service in which social work can develop and prosper, with a culture of collaboration, integrity, and compassion; promoting the development and wellbeing of children, young people, and their families; protecting them from neglect and abuse. Working together with partners delivering a range of early help, family support and effective social work interventions which build resilience, remove barriers, and enable children and young people to look forward to a brighter future. The purpose of this role is to work within frontline Children and Young People with Disabilities (CYPWD) teams to support the delivery of effective Children's Social Work. The CYPWD team provides a comprehensive service offer to CYPWD aged 0-15 and 16 through delivery of outcome focused; timely, targeted work. The postholder will undertake a range of activities directly with children, young people with additional needs, complex learning and/or physical disabilities, and Autism. Support will be centred on managing behaviour, promoting communication, developing independence skills, and understanding children's wishes and feelings via direct work activities. Work will also be undertaken with parents to support them in their caring role. The work can be complex, demanding, and emotionally challenging and the postholder is required to work with dedication and resilience. Accountabilities Deliver interventions recommended within assessments by the Behaviour Advisory Team (BAT) or Children with Learning Disability Service (CLDS) and/or the social workers child and family assessment which support parents/carers to learn, implement and embed approaches to managing specific behaviours. This may include supporting the family with behaviour and de-escalation strategies, boundaries and routines, sensory needs and input, relationships and puberty. This would also include bespoke programmes of work designed to respond to the needs identified within Child in Need (CIN), Children in Care (CIC) and Child Protection (CP) plans and working closely with social workers on specific time limited work such as keep safe work, social stories, and visual prompts/timetables/schedules. Undertaking sleep assessments (training provided) and subsequent programmes of work to promote sleep and evening routines. Provision of programmes of direct work with children and young people that support the individual to understand their 'Life Story' (as part of a care plan) including providing support for siblings of children with additional needs to enable them to understand their sibling relationships. This will entail using observational, direct work and other appropriate skills. Work with children, young people, and whole families to promote the child/young person's communication system within the home including PECS, Makaton, BSL and Communication Passports. Work with parents/care givers to develop existing parenting skills/capacity through teaching, mentoring and support and application of parenting programmes. Exploration into external community services that would support needs of families. Organised activities which focus on independence skills with our 16 young people such as cooking, support around behaviour and management, support with travel training, focused independence work to help equip young people to enter adulthood (money and budgeting, employment opportunities). Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework. The Experience You Will Bring Significant practical experience building strong, effective relationships with children, young people, and families in times of challenge and crisis. Experience of using positive based behaviour management strategies. Experience of undertaking direct, activity-based work with children, young people, and families. Educated to NVQ/BTEC Level 3 or equivalent level or equivalent by experience in relevant area e.g., Domestic Abuse, Substance Misuse, Education, Mental Health, Parenting etc. Knowledge of Children Act 1989 and 2004 and other legislative and policy guidance applicable within Childrens Social Care is desirable. Ability to Sign Language is desirable.