Advanced Skills Worker

Advanced Skills Worker

Permanent, Part Time

£31,931 to £36,423 per annum

Location: Basildon

Working Style: Fixed-base worker

Closing Date: 23rd January 2026

Please note this is a part time position working should be 32 hours per week and the pro rata salary will be £27,616 up to £ 31,500.97 

The Role

The Asw role is a senior worker at Longwood Place Short break service, the successful candidate will lead shifts ensuring person centred care is delivered to everyone that access the short break service, they will also do sleep- in duties, be allocated staff to do formal supervision

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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 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 Advanced Skills Worker is responsible for effective working with children and young people in a Children’s Home environment.  Providing support and guidance to young people and their families, to ensure robust support through excellent child care practice.  It is essential that a caring, safe and secure environment is created on a day to day basis alongside specialist expertise to enhance the opportunities for development and learning to improve outcomes for children and young people.   

As an experienced and professional practitioner, this role will utilise expertise in care planning, alongside working directly with children and families to meet agreed outcome targets.  Providing day to day practice guidance to care staff and formally supervising a group of residential care staff, or others, as determined by the Registered Manager

Accountabilities

• Responsible for leading and managing shifts effectively to ensure a suitable safe and secure home environment is created and maintained for the children and young people. 
• Contributes to the safe living and working environment which balances opportunities and risks within a therapeutic culture. 
• Develops and supports trusting relationships between staff and young people to ensure holistic growth and development is provided within a children’s home and within the community. 
• Responsible for ensuring adherence to a quality and policy framework in day to day practices. 
• Work collaboratively with managers and appropriate stakeholders to ensure compliance with relevant legislation and regulations to children’s homes. 

• Responsible for ensuring outcomes for children and young people are developed on an individual basis whilst being proactive in identifying and monitoring risks and reviewing intervention plans. 
• Responsible for supporting meetings both in the home and outside to ensure they are beneficial to children and young people and supporting a positive learning culture within the home. 
• Support the development of staff across the service, ensuring the building of specialist knowledge and expertise to enhance the capability of the service. 
• Responsible for ensuring the day to day functioning of the home supports the provision of high quality service to children and young people that is outcome focused. 
• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework. 

The Experience You Will Bring

• Educated to Diploma level 3 or equivalent.  
• Evidence of continuing professional development and knowledge in relevant professional area. 
• Evidence of experience in working directly with children and young people in a children’s home environment. 
• Excellent communication and listening skills and the ability to engage with others effectively and at all levels.  
• Knowledge of a broad range of specific child care theories and practices together with relevant policies and legislative framework.  
• Knowledge and understanding of Child Protection Procedures (SET) together with an appreciation for the impact of trauma effects on child behaviour. 
• Experience of leading shifts and providing sleep-in cover at children’s homes together with experience of leading and facilitating children’s group meetings. 

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.

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.

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If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email Jamielea.wallis@Essex.gov.uk

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