Mental Health Co-ordinator, Leaving and Aftercare, North Essex

Mental Health Co-ordinator, Leaving and Aftercare, North Essex

Permanent, Full Time

£46,574 to £56,027 per annum

Location: Colchester

Working Style: Community-based worker

Closing Date: 9th November 2025

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 the 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.

The team

Leaving & Aftercare Teams concentrate on good outcomes for young people aged 16-25 who are in – or have left – care. They are multi-disciplinary teams made up of mental health coordinators and targeted youth advisors.

The role

The Mental Health Coordinator will ensure an easy access and direct mental health service for children and young people, who are suffering emotional and mental health difficulties and for their families and carers.

The successful candidate will have an accredited professional qualification and evidence of excellent practice, participation in casework, recording and assessment. Strong partnership working is essential for this role as it will operate in a multi-agency environment.

Accountabilities

· Provide a specialist mental health assessment and treatment service for children, young people, their families and carers, using a range of therapeutic options. This post will also be involved in the assessment of fostering placement needs for both children and foster carers.

· Assess children’s and young people’s suitability for mental health and emotional wellbeing services and take part in their planning and review processes.

· Work collaboratively with C&F colleagues to offer advice, support and consultation, in their work with children and carers within the quadrant.

· Initiate and support new and innovative ways of working, projects and groups to engage carers, children, young people and their families in partnership with C&F colleagues, other frontline professionals and third sector partners.

· Raise knowledge and awareness of children and young people’s mental health issues and preventative strategies across C&F colleagues.

· Responsible for maintaining up-to-date records of activity on case files, produce reports, attend court and give verbal presentations as required. Actively participate in case discussions, professionals’ meetings, team around the child / placement meetings, Strategy Meetings and statutory reviews (as applicable).

· Build strong working relationships across the Council and with members of other statutory organisations and voluntary agencies.

· Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

· Possesses an accredited degree or diploma level, professional qualification in at least one of the following: psychotherapy / mental health youth and community, social work, special educational needs and teaching, or probation.

· Evidence of significant continuing professional development and expert knowledge in relevant professional area, delivering assurance around practice and participation in casework, recording and supervision with current membership of relevant professional order / association.

· Significant experience of working in a recognised model of therapeutic intervention with children, adults and families.

· Evidence of direct engagement with young people and adults, with successful delivery of 1-1, group and indirect interventions.

· Understanding or interest/experience working with separated and migrant young people

· Significant experience of building strong partnerships, which are collaborative and influential in their nature and engender delivery.

• Deep knowledge and understanding of vulnerability and safeguarding protocols.
• Experience of developing and delivering bespoke training and consultancy.
• Evidence of being a catalyst for change, early in young peoples’ lives.

To read more about our business area, please visit: Children & Families

Please look at our ‘No Magic’ Children & Families video

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we ensure everyone matters in Everyone's Essex . With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In February 2025 , Greater Essex was accepted onto the Government’s devolution priority programme, which will see local authorities in Essex work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority by May 2026. You can read more about devolution and local government reorganisation (LGR ) on our careers site.

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.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles , including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

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.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC) should your role require a DBS check you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

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 would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events and industry related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

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