Overview
Social Worker - Children with Disabilities, West Essex. Permanent, full time. Salary £34,902 to £50,081 per annum. Location: Harlow. Working style: Fixed-base worker. Closing Date: 18 February 2026. This position is open to Newly Qualified Social Workers (NQSWs) and Experienced Social Workers. The starting salary for a NQSW is £34,902 per annum and this will rise to £37,185 per annum on successful completion of the ASYE programme.
Essex County Council offers flexible working options and is committed to supporting well-being and work-life balance for frontline Children’s services staff. The role includes mobility across a wider operational area within and beyond Essex, with driving licence and ability to travel essential.
What you’ll do / Responsibilities
* Work within the Social Care team for Children with Disabilities (CWD), providing services to children 0–16 with disabilities and their families; contribute to empowering children and young people up to 25 years old with special educational needs and/or disabilities.
* Collaborate with multidisciplinary colleagues to deliver an integrated and holistic service from offices in Basildon, Chelmsford, Colchester, and Harlow.
* Engage in assessments, planning and implementation to meet needs under the CYPWD framework and related services.
* Participate in service design and delivery, including the Supporting pathways such as Preparing for Adulthood (PFA) and related teams (OT, high-needs FE team).
* Maintain case records and documentation to professional standards.
* Demonstrate emotional intelligence, analytical skills and confidence in challenging social and family situations.
* Be flexible to work evenings and weekends when necessary to support service users.
Qualifications
* Diploma or degree in Social Work, CQSW, CSS, or equivalent qualification.
* Registration with Social Work England as a registered Social Worker.
* Ability to practice in line with Professional Standards (e.g., Professional Capability Framework, Knowledge & Skills Statement).
* Proficiency in case recording and documentation.
* Social Work skills with appropriate emotional intelligence, analytical ability and confidence in challenging situations.
* Tech-savvy with working knowledge of information technology and case recording systems (e.g., Word and SW systems).
* Flexibility to work as required, including evenings and weekends to make a positive impact.
Other requirements
* Mobility around a wider operational area including travel around the county of Essex and beyond; driving licence and car or alternative mobility arrangements are essential.
* DBS check: if required, be registered with the DBS Update Service and comply with safeguarding requirements; Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults.
* Disability Confident Leader and commitments to inclusive recruitment; ECC may interview disabled applicants, veterans and care leavers meeting minimum requirements if applicable.
* DBS update service details and responsibilities are outlined by ECC; information on the service is available from the council.
For more information about us, please visit the Children & Families page and review the No Magic video. If you have queries, please contact us via the provided email. Please note this description is for illustrative formatting purposes and may be subject to change.
#J-18808-Ljbffr