Essex County Council
Senior Practitioner – Children in Care – North Essex
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Senior Practitioner – Children in Care – North Essex
Senior Practitioner – Children in Care – North Essex
About the Role
Location: Clacton on Sea Contract: Permanent, Full Time Salary: £48,205 to £57,988 Per Annum Working Style: Community-based worker Closing Date: Wednesday, 15th July 2026
Essex County Council (ECC) is one of the largest and most dynamic local authorities in the UK, serving a population of two million residents. Known for delivering transformational change within the public sector, ECC focuses on enhancing service quality while maintaining cost efficiency. With a visionary agenda, ECC aims to foster a culture where all individuals, partners, and communities are proud of their contributions and feel they belong. The organisation prides itself on its flexible working options.
Role Overview
The Children in Care (CIC) teams specialise in supporting children and young people up to the age of 18 who are unable to live at home. Services include placements with foster carers or residential homes. The primary goal is to ensure that young people in care thrive while preparing for transition out of care or reunion with their family.
Key responsibilities include:
- Developing permanency plans, including special guardianship orders (SGO) and adoptions.
- Conducting life-story work to help children understand the reasons behind their care placement.
- Supporting children in returning to their birth families.
- Collaborating with agencies such as health and education to align care plans with the child’s needs.
For more details, visit: Children & Families
The Role
The Senior Practitioner role involves providing leadership to the team, mentoring less experienced staff, and deputising for the Team Manager as necessary. This position offers excellent opportunities for professional growth, innovation, and the development of a supportive team.
Job Purpose: The successful candidate will demonstrate expertise and commitment to social work standards, delivering high-quality casework and providing mentorship, guidance, and support to peers. The role emphasises systemic, relationship-based social work, fostering effective partnerships with external stakeholders and colleagues alike.
Key Accountabilities
- Providing professional guidance and support to colleagues, as well as offering feedback to the Team Manager.
- Managing complex caseloads while collaborating with internal management and seeking supervision when needed.
- Maintaining accurate case records, drafting reports, and presenting verbally as required. Actively participating in case discussions, including:
- Legal case discussions
- Child Protection conferences
- Statutory Reviews
- Representing ECC in court proceedings.
- Engaging in quality assurance activities, such as undertaking case file audits and diagnostic evaluations.
- Critically evaluating practice standards—ensuring your own and others' adhere to best practices.
- Staying updated on legislation changes, policy developments, research findings relevant to the specialised field.
- Responsible for continuous professional development, including training and upskilling courses.
- Serving as an expert advisor for matters involving Children in Care proceedings, including:
- Risk assessments
- Legal proceedings and bifurcations
- Leading strategy meetings and team around the child/placement discussions.
- Chairing team meetings; occasionally deputising for the Team Manager to supervise day-to-day operations.
- Undertaking additional duties as needed for the role.
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Additional Requirements: Availability for occasional evening work and very limited weekends, especially in emergencies.
Qualifications and Experience
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Qualification:
- A qualified social worker, holding a Diploma or Degree in Social Work, or equivalent recognised credential such as CSSW (New Social Worker Biblidيمة), Practice Teacher or the willingness to complete training.
- Registration with Social Work England is obligatory.
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Relevant Experience:
- Considerable recent experience at Experienced Social Worker level within Children’s Services.
- Experience or willingness to train in Social Work Supervision/Education.
- Demonstrates Continuing Professional Development (CPD).
- IT/Word Processing Proficiency.
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Specific Skills and Knowledge:
- In-depth knowledge of Child Protection processes, section 47 investigations, and assessments of risk following Children’s Act 1989.
- Extensive experience in engaging with children of all ages, alongside strong partnering skills (with parents or carers).
- Proven ability in planning activities/programmes catering to children, young people, and parents.
- Experience with court work related to Child Care matters, including understanding complex Court proceedings.
- Tangible knowledge of legislation and policies applying to Children in Care and Protection, such as Children Act 1989, Adoption and Children Act 2002, Care Act Guidelines.
- Proficiency in Child Development Psychology, merging theory and practice.
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Why Join Essex?
Essex County Council offers a stimulating, results-driven work environment that prioritises community impact and innovation. As one of the largest local authorities in the UK, the role will allow you to contribute to transformative change that benefits the wider community.
Since March 2026, the Government announced a restructuring of greater Essex into five new unitary authorities by April 2028, as part of the devolution initiative. Essex is currently on the priority list for establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority.
The council is committed to supporting diverse and inclusive teams, with initiatives such as:
- Disability Confident Leader status enabling access to the Job Interview Scheme for disabled recruits meeting role requirements.
- Dedicated support for veterans and care leavers.
- Flexible working arrangements including unpaid carers’ support.
Crucial Role Requirements
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A valid driving license and access to a car are necessary, as the position involves mobile travel across Essex and beyond, including transporting service users in emergencies.
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As a registered employee at Essex County Council, certain positions may require a Detailed Background Check (known as DBS check). Employers now mandate registration with the DBS Update Service to hold current credentials readily accessible for employment purposes. If relevant to this role, you will be responsible for maintaining this registration’s validity.
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The organisation places a high priority on safeguarding children and vulnerable adults. All employees and volunteers must align with these values.
For more information on the DBS Update Service, please refer here: Government’s DBS Update Service.
Additional Support and Networking
Join our Talent Community for updates on current opportunities, blogs, events, and other selected industry-related news.
For inquiries regarding this position or further information, please reach out to: resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk.
Discover more about our organization on social media:
- Facebook – Essex County Council
- Twitter – @EssexLive
- Instagram – EssexLive
- LinkedIn – Essex County Council Careers
Explore our Careers Page for additional details.
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