Children and Families Advisor – C&F Hub

About the Role

Children and Families Advisor – C&F Hub (Fixed Term, Full Time)

Salary: £26,284 – £33,256 per annum.

Location:

Colchester. Working Style:
Fixed‑base worker. Closing Date:
Wednesday 1st July 2026 m.

This is a Fixed Term Contract / Secondment for 12 months, suitable for newly qualified social workers.

For more information about our business area, visit Children & Families. Please view our ‘No Magic’ Children & Families video.

Key role ensuring the Single Point of Entry is accessible to professionals, members of the public and families. Advisers work with senior staff to ensure children and families receive a prompt and appropriate response to concerns and risks, guaranteeing all contact is dealt with safely and efficiently. You will respond to enquiries and Requests for Support via telephone calls and e‑mails from professionals, members of the public and families.

You will proactively gather information and record it in line with procedures and legislation to ensure families in Essex receive the most appropriate level of support in a timely manner through robust information, advice and guidance or onward progression to the appropriate team.

• Management team of the Children and Families Hub.
• Understand the needs of your customers and deliver the best possible outcomes through exemplar behaviour in accordance with ECC’s Values and Core Organisational Behaviours.
• Work flexibly and collaboratively across structural boundaries in support of key outcomes.
• Contribute to development of organisational capability by taking ownership of your own training and development, including identifying and taking part in training and development activity and responding to feedback on performance.
• Think creatively, challenge the norms, and constructively challenge those around you (including those more senior) to ensure continuous improvement and commercial astuteness, inspiring the same in colleagues.
• Take responsibility for identifying and addressing areas of risk including Health and Safety and Business Continuity.
• Work as part of project or process teams as required under the new operating model, ensuring excellent cross‑functional output.
• Provide accurate information, advice and guidance either via telephone or e‑mail in line with the levels of need identified within the Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex guidance.
• Work closely with other team members, seeking support and advice where required to identify risk and ensure children are safeguarded by prioritising referrals when necessary.
• Ensure that appropriate information is recorded accurately and entered onto the appropriate system, taking advice where necessary, and maintaining safe and lawful recording in accordance with Data Protection legislation and ECC policy.
• Gather relevant information as required, ensuring that the appropriate level of need is identified for families and completing records to ensure consideration for further referral onto a relevant team within the Children and Families Hub.
• Act as a link adviser to a thematic area of work or geographical area, ensuring a good knowledge of local services available for the Children and Families Hub to include in the Directory of Services.
• The duties of the post may be changed and/or varied to meet changing circumstances at the discretion of the Children and Families Hub management team, allowing for a flexible approach to workflow and demand.

The role is based in Essex House, Colchester; some travelling may be required to attend training, represent the team at meetings and liaise with internal and external partners.

• Knowledge and understanding of current national and local safeguarding legislation and procedures, including the Effective Support for Children and Families in Essex guidance, the Children’s Act and Working Together Guidance.
• Good general level of education, including English at GCSE grade A‑C, or demonstrably equivalent abilities.
• Experience of communicating by telephone and electronically recording information promptly and in adherence with data protection legislation.

• Understanding of high‑quality…