Social Worker - Family Support and Protection, Mid

Social Worker - Family Support and Protection, Mid Essex

Permanent, Full Time

£34,902 to £50,081 per annum

Location:

Chelmsford

Working Style:
Fixed‑base worker

Have you ever been interested in how Family Support and Protection's social work practice differs from other teams? Here in Essex, we continue to raise the bar about practice and our investment in our workforce is second to none. It's an exciting time to join us having received our 2nd Outstanding Ofsted rating in a row.

We are looking for motivated social workers, who are passionate about making a difference for children and their families, to join our team. Whether you're an experienced practitioner or a newly qualified social worker, we welcome your dedication and fresh perspective to join our supportive and dynamic team.

Essex County Council understands 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.

Family Support & Protection (FS&P)

Our FS&P teams work with families on Child in Need and Child Protection plans, focusing on creating sustainable, long‑term change. As an FS&P Social Worker, you'll build positive, trusting relationships with families using systemic and strengths‑based approaches to social work.

The role is varied and rewarding, involving work under the Public Law Outline (PLO), court proceedings (including Section 7 reports), and when necessary, initiating care proceedings. You may also be involved in Special Guardianship Order (SGO) assessments.

We believe in supporting our social workers just as much as the families we serve. That's why you'll benefit from regular reflective supervision and access to ongoing CPD and training through the Essex Social Care Academy – a BASW‑accredited CPD provider. You'll be encouraged to be creative and innovative in your direct work, helping families gain the insight, tools, and confidence they need to make lasting changes.

When we say goodbye to families, it's because they're ready equipped with the tools to thrive independently.

• Conducting in-depth assessments of complex social care needs and developing tailored support plans.
• Ensuring all interventions comply with statutory and legal frameworks.
• Collaborating with a wide range of professionals and agencies to deliver holistic support.
• Championing child‑centred approaches that promote early intervention, prevention, and long‑term independence.
• Playing a key role in inter‑agency planning, contributing to case discussions and shaping interventions.
• Clearly communicating your assessments and professional judgments – both verbally and in written reports, including court documentation.

• A recognised social work qualification and current registration with Social Work England.
• A commitment to ongoing professional development aligned with relevant competency frameworks.
• Experience navigating challenging social and family dynamics.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to engage with individuals from diverse backgrounds.
• A collaborative mindset, with the ability to build strong partnerships across communities and services.
• A clear understanding of how to balance cost‑effective interventions with the needs of families.
• Confidence in making sound decisions to manage and mitigate potential risks.

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 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…