Social Worker - Family Support & Protection, West Essex

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

Job summary

A public sector organization in Harlow seeks a Social Worker for Family Support & Protection. You will assess and devise support plans for families facing complex issues and ensure compliance with legal frameworks. Ideal candidates will hold a recognized social work qualification and be registered with Social Work England. This position offers a competitive salary and a flexible working model, including a nine-day fortnight.

Qualifications

• Current registration with Social Work England.
• Continued professional development in relevant competency frameworks.

Responsibilities

• Assess complex social care needs and devise support plans.
• Ensure adherence to legal frameworks for statutory intervention.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to provide comprehensive support.
• Develop child-centered approaches for early intervention.
• Influence inter-agency planning and contribute to case discussions.
• Communicate assessments clearly, including court statements.

Skills

Strong communication skills

Experience in challenging social and family situations

Ability to engage with diverse groups

Building strong relationships

Decision-making in risk management

Education

Recognised social work qualification

Job description

Social Worker - Family Support & Protection, West Essex

Permanent, Full Time

£31,931 to £36,423 per annum

Location: Harlow

Working Style: Community-based worker

Closing Date: 14th October 2025

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 understand how important flexibility and wellbeing is for our colleagues working across children's Social Care and that we need to think differently. We have therefore developed a nine-day working fortnight for full time frontline Social Workers within Children's services.

Role Overview

Join our Family Support and Protection (FS&P) teams dedicated to supporting families facing complex, long-term issues. We collaborate with families needing extended interventions, particularly when children are under child protection plans or require alternative care arrangements. Our approach involves building strong relationships and employing systemic and strengths-based methods to guide families towards positive change while managing risks.

Key Responsibilities

• Assessing complex social care needs and devising support plans for families.
• Ensuring adherence to legal frameworks for statutory intervention.
• Collaborating with various stakeholders and partners to provide comprehensive support to children and families.
• Developing child-centered approaches for early intervention, prevention, and independence.
• Influencing inter-agency planning and decision-making, contributing to case discussions and interventions.
• Communicating assessments and professional judgments clearly, both orally and in written reports, including court statements.

Requirements

• A recognised social work qualification and current registration with Social Work England.
• Continued professional development in line with relevant competency frameworks.
• Experience in challenging social and family situations.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to engage with diverse groups.
• Building strong relationships with partners and the community to achieve shared goals.
• Understanding the balance between cost-effective interventions and meeting needs.
• Demonstrated ability in clear decision-making to manage potential risks associated with interventions.

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. We're also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

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.