Locum Social Worker - Family Support & Protection, Mid Essex
Temporary, Full Time
Pay: Up to £219 PAYE/£281 Umbrella
Location: Chelmsford
Working Style:
Closing Date: 9th February 2026
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 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.
We are looking for a Locum Social Worker to join our Family Support and Protection team on a temporary basis for an initial period of 3 months. The successful candidate will be an experienced registered social worker, educated to degree level, with the ability to demonstrate practice in accordance with current professional standards.
Accountabilities
1. Assess complex social care needs and provide support to children and families.
2. Develop support plans that gain commitment to solutions that enable the child, young person and family to build resilience and look forward to a brighter future.
3. Accountable for working within the statutory legal framework, policy and guidance and determining when the threshold for statutory intervention has been reached.
4. Work collaboratively, building effective relationships with internal and external partnerships and stakeholders and the voluntary sector, to assist children and their families and carers in gaining support.
5. Accountable for conducting assessments and plan responses to safeguard a child or young person and promote their welfare, including appropriate intervention as determined by need.
6. Develop a child centred approach which enables early intervention and prevention and increases independence.
7. Pro-actively influences in a range of inter-agency planning, decision making and case discussions.
8. Communicate assessments and professional judgements clearly and succinctly both orally and in writing, including report writing and court statements.
9. Work with families, communities and individuals to help people get the best start in life and age well, supporting strategic aims.
10. Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.
The Experience You Will Bring
11. A recognised social work qualification. Diploma, degree or Masters in social work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent, with current registration with Social Work England as a registered social worker.
12. A minimum of 3 years’ experience.
13. Experience within a social work setting with evidence of challenging social and family situations.
14. Strong communication skills and an ability to develop a rapport and engage with diverse groups of individuals.
15. Developing strong relationships with partners, other agencies and the local community, to achieve joint objectives and offer a supportive framework for children and families.
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? Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England’s oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest – Basildon and Harlow – are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career. Read more about us
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.