The Children's Society
EYPDAS Practitioner (North Quadrant)
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Youth Impact Advert: Substance Misuse Practitioner (NORTH ESSEX)
Role Overview
Position: Substance Misuse Practitioner, All Age Recovery Co-ordination Service (AARCS) in partnership with Open Road Location: Colchester, Essex, with travel across north quadrant Hours: 35-hour permanent contract (funding ends 31 March 2030, potential for 2-year extension) Salary: £29,855 per annum
Summary
You will be working within The Children’s Society as part of the Youth Impact domain, dedicated to supporting children and young people facing challenges. Based in North Essex, your role in the Children and Families Directorate will focus on:
- Substance misuse assessment, intervention, and support for young people up to age 25
- Developing person-centred care plans and guiding recovery through one-to-one and group work
- Contributing to innovative service delivery in Essex
About The Children’s Society
For over 140 years, we’ve provided safe, trusted support to children and young people during moments of need. Our value-driven team achieves long-lasting impact through:
- Direct support for children, young people, parents, and carers
- Research and advocacy to influence government policies
- Training professionals in best practice
The Children and Families Directorate Ensure prompts immediate one-to-one and group support for young people in critical need. Your expertise will help us build and refine recovery-focused programs across Essex.
Key Responsibilities
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| Core Duties | Specific Examples |
|---|---|
| Individual assessments | Evaluate risk factors, substance use patterns, and holistic needs for young people (up to 25). |
| Person-centred care planning | Design tailored interventions on a case-by-case basis to address psychosocial and substance-related challenges. |
| One-to-one and group support | Provide mentoring, motivational interviewing, and recovery-coaching via peer groups or individual sessions. |
| Multi-disciplinary collaboration | Work closely with social workers, GP/SFP teams, probation services, and community agencies. |
| Travel and outreach | Use your personal vehicle to visit clients, attend Safeguarding Place-Based Review meetings, and collaborate across districts. |
Requirements
Essential Criteria
✅ Experience working with vulnerable young people – paid or voluntary sectors (e.g., YMCA, drug/alcohol charities, youth offending). ✅ Skills in group/individual interventions – evidence of successful engagement techniques (e.g., CBT-adapted plans, motivational therapy, peer-support). ✅ Working with data systems – proficiency in Microsoft Office and ability to adapt to case management tools (e.g., Target Tracker, Compass). ✅ Self-directed problem-solver – ability to manage complex cases independently while aligning with multi-agency protocols. ✅ Vehicle driver’s licence – for flexibility in reaching locations within North Essex.
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Advantageous Attributes
🏆 Deep substance abuse expertise – Working knowledge of drug and alcohol use, harm reduction, or recovery methodologies. 🏆 Prior drug/alcohol field experience – Familiarity with local/emergency services, polysubstance users, or at-risk cohorts.
Closing Dates & Safeguarding
📅 Closing date: Midnight, 20th July 2026 🗓 Interviews: Tuesday 28th July 2026 (held in-person, Chelmsford office)
Safer Recruitment Process
✔ Basic/Enhanced DBS check ✔ Five-year references ✔ Additional vetting checks
Note: We adhere to anonymised shortlisting for fairness. Please submit a fully anonymised CV (no names, dates of birth, contact details).
organization Values
Our role aligns with safer recruitment, equality, and sustainability principles. AI tools may help refine your application, but they must support transparency. Breach of authenticity at any stage may lead to withdrawal.
Additional Benefits
✨ 36 days’ annual leave (inclusive of flexible bank holidays), increasing with tenure. ✨ Enhanced maternity/paternity leave aligned with NHS policy. ✨ Pension contribution – we match up to 8%. ✨ Wellbeing support – free counselling available. ✨ Skill development – professional training opportunities. ✨ Volunteer time – 2 paid days per annum for team-building/community work.
💬 "Change begins when we start to choose love over fear, collaboration over division, and hope over cynicism." — The Children’s Team
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