Children and Families Support Worker - North Essex
Fixed Term, Full Time
£24,395 to £31,131 per annum
Location: North Essex
Working Style: Community-based worker
Please note that this is a fixed term / secondment contract opportunity until the 31st of March 2025, with the possible extension.
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 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.
Support Workers work within frontline teams in conjunction with Qualified Social Workers to deliver bespoke, targeted intervention work, in accordance with the care plans, to vulnerable children and families. This also encompasses contact. This work will normally be time limited, with measurable impact and meet the assessed needs.
This particular role is part of a Department for Education (DfE) Designated Family Judge Trailblazer which is seeking to reduce the time children and families spend in court during care proceedings. The focus of this role will be working with families in the Pre-Proceedings stage of PLO supporting families to make the necessary changes and prevent the need for court proceedings.
Accountabilities
* Responsible for supporting social workers and occupational therapists to implement and monitor care plans, and write reports where required, which deliver interventions for children and families.
* Responsible for maintaining high standards of professional practice which contribute to continuous improvement across the service.
* Responsible for highlighting issues and implementing plans to safeguard a child.
* Building strong, effective relationships with the service users, providing practical advice and support, where necessary and deemed appropriate; enabling children and families to sustain change and function effectively within the community.
* Work collaboratively across the service, with internal and external professional partner agencies, to ensure improved outcomes for children and families.
* Provide information and advice in relation to involvement/accessing of third party agencies relevant to the needs of the service user (e.g. benefits agencies, immigration and housing).
* Participate in meetings, reviews, case conferences and court hearings to provide information, insight and evidence.
* Writing effective reports which could be used in professional meetings, forums and court.
The Experience You Will Bring
Essential:
* Educated to NVQ/BTEC Level 3 or equivalent experience.
* Experience of building strong, effective relationships with children and families in times of challenge and crisis.
* Experience of observing, facilitating, and reporting on contact.
* Experience of undertaking direct, activity-based work with children and families where required.
Desirable:
* Knowledge and understanding of the issues impacting children, young people and families, leading them to require support.
* Knowledge of legislative and policy guidance applicable within Social Care settings.
* Proven track record of working with partners and external agencies.
* A certificate in First Aid and/or knowledge of Sign Language.
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.
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 on this role or require anything further, please email christine.simmons@essex.gov.uk
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