Drug and Alcohol Support Worker

Essex County Council; Basildon; On-site; GBP 31,000 - 37,000; Full time

Job summary

A public sector organization in Basildon is seeking a Drug and Alcohol Support Worker to engage families and individuals facing substance misuse challenges. This role includes conducting risk assessments, providing clinical interventions, and liaising with partner agencies to ensure effective support. Ideal candidates will have substantial experience in substance misuse services and the ability to deliver impactful recovery strategies.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting adults with a history of substance misuse.
• Knowledge of evidence-based interventions.
• Ability to engage with complex presentations.

Responsibilities

• Promote family involvement to improve outcomes.
• Engage individuals with substance misuse challenges.
• Carry out risk assessments and develop recovery plans.

Skills

Strong experience of working within substance misuse services

Experience of working with high-risk families

Knowledge of local services and issues

Training in ITEP/BTEI or other structured psychosocial interventions

Education

Qualifications relating to substance misuse

Job description

Drug and Alcohol Support Worker

Fixed Term, Full Time

£31,931 to £36,423 per annum

Location: Basildon

Closing Date: 25th November 2025

Please note this vacancy is available as a fixed term contract or secondment opportunity until February 2028

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.

To read more about our business area, please visit:

Children & Families

The Team

Come and join the Multi-Disciplinary Team in Basildon, Essex!

The Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) comprises of subject matter experts specialising in housing, domestic abuse, education, drug and alcohol support, youth work and mental health for adults and children.

MDT workers bring specialist knowledge and therapeutic insight. Their expertise is instrumental in re‑engaging families, restoring hope, and fostering sustainable change. This team's work is not only impactful - it's transformative.

We are seeking an experienced, motivated and passionate individual to join our team. Being led by the Team Manager, you will be working to create the conditions for sustainable change with families.

The MDT team is based within frontline social work teams where the referrals come from. The interventions from MDT are delivered within the community or in the families' homes.

We want you to be a part of our vision and making this a reality. If you have the drive, creativity and enthusiasm to enhance and improve the lives of Children and Families, we want to hear from you.

If you think you have what it takes, we would love to hear from you.

Role Description

Working alongside Social Workers, promote family members involvement to improve outcomes for children.

Engage individuals with complex presentations and who have substance/alcohol misuse challenges and provide them with support and clinical interventions to address their substance/alcohol misuse.

Carry out risk assessments including safety plans and to contribute to the development of individual recovery plans with those who express a wish to access community treatment/support services.

Utilise interventions such as, motivational interviewing, ITEP, cognitive behavioural techniques and brief interventions to promote engagement in treatment services, encourage self-esteem, well-being, self-responsibility, enhanced motivation and therefore improve their parenting capacity.

Review ongoing care and treatment, liaising closely with partner agencies and provide support in engaging with the right services at the right time.

Accountabilities

• Work and liaise with other agencies involved with the client's broader care plan including health services, hospitals and GP's.
• In fulfilling these aims the post holder will use recognised, up to date evidence based interventions and will have specific responsibility for the development, delivery and coordination of a recovery focussed model.
• The post-holder will contribute to the service to ensure that parents / carers and their children consistently receive high quality services that adhere to best practice guidelines and achieve high professional standards.
• The post holder will be responsible for contributing to the overall performance of the service to ensure that contractual output targets are achieved and will be required to record and input client data and information in order that the service operates within contractual, administrative and financial requirements.
• The post holder will be required to work flexibly across the operational site as required and within an agreed number of hours to maintain the most appropriate level of service provision.
• The post holder will be expected to take responsibility for personal development, identifying personal training needs and participate in regular supervision and appraisal.

The Experience You Will Bring

• Strong experience of working within substance misuse services.
• Experience of working with high-risk families where children are subject to Child Protection or Child in Need Plans.
• Working effectively to support adults with a history of substance misuse with demonstrable outcomes.
• Demonstrable experience of being a catalyst for change in families' lives.
• Experience of working with challenging presentations such as resistance, minimization and denial and being able to achieve positive outcomes.
• Knowledge of local services and issues.
• Training in ITEP/BTEI or other structured psychosocial interventions.
• Qualifications relating to substance misuse.