Senior Practitioner - Children with Disabilities, West Essex

Senior Practitioner - Children with Disabilities, West Essex

Secondment opportunity / Fixed term contract, 12 months

Full Time, 37 hours per week

£46,574 to £56,027 per annum

Location: Harlow

Working Style: Community-based worker

Closing Date: 29th March 2026

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.

Looking to make a real impact in the lives of children and families facing challenges? Join our team where collaboration, integrity, and genuine care define our approach. We're all about supporting the well-being of children, young adults, and families, ensuring they're shielded from neglect and abuse while promoting their growth and resilience.

We have a specialised service supporting Children and Young People with Disabilities across Basildon, Chelmsford, Colchester, and Harlow. We operate through four teams:

• The 0–15 Social Care team
• The 16–25 Social Care team
• Occupational Therapy (OT)
• Preparing for Adulthood (PFA)

As a Senior Practitioner with Children with Disabilities you'll play a crucial role within the team, offering support and guidance to both new and experienced staff. Your responsibilities will include overseeing the review of child plans, stepping in for the Team Manager when needed, and taking the lead in a specific practice area. Your expertise will drive the development of the service and your own professional growth.

We're seeking someone who not only holds the necessary qualifications but is passionate about making a real difference. Your background in social work, dedication to ongoing development, and ability to mentor and make critical decisions will be pivotal in this role.

Join us in this journey of care, where innovation, relationship-building, and the well-being of our community are at the core. If you're looking for a role where your skills and compassion intersect to create meaningful change, this is the place to be.

Skills and knowledge

• A recognised social work qualification i.e diploma, degree or masters in social work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent, with current registration with Social Work England (SWE) as a registered social worker.
• Evidence of continuing professional development, aligned to any relevant Professional Competency/Capability frameworks or Knowledge and Skills Statements.
• Significant experience of social work, demonstrating a comprehensive and up to date understanding of all relevant legislation, regulation and guidance.
• Experience of mentoring both social work students and newly qualified and experienced social work staff, being a subject matter expert in professional social work practice.
• Experience of chairing meetings involving clients, family members and/or carers and other multi-agency professionals.
• Developing strong relationships with partners, other agencies and the local community to achieve joint objectives and offer a supportive framework for children, young people and families.
• In depth understanding of delivery of value for money interventions balanced against need.
• Proven track record of clear decision making in order to highlight and limit the potential risks

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

Please take a 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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