Essex County Council
Senior Practitioner – Children & Young People’s Placement Service – Placement Finding Team
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Senior Practitioner – Children & Young People’s Placement Service – Placement Finding Team
Senior Practitioner – Children & Young People’s Placement Service
Location: Chelmsford, Essex Working Style: Permanent, Full Time (Fixed-base worker) Salary: £48,205 to £57,988 per annum Closing Date: Thursday 9th July
About the Organisation
Children and Families is recognised as a service where social work thrives, fostering collaboration, integrity, and compassion. Its mission is to safeguard and enhance the wellbeing of children, young people, and families by delivering early help, family support, and effective social work interventions. These interventions strengthen resilience, remove barriers, and foster brighter futures.
About the Role
The Placement Finding Team within the Children & Young People’s Service (CYPPS) is responsible for providing an effective and efficient response to placement needs. Key areas of responsibility include:
- In-house placements (short breaks, respite, supported lodging carers)
- External placements (Independent Fostering Agencies/Residential and Semi-Independent Accommodation, NRPF accommodation for post-18s and families)
- Welfare Secure Accommodation
As a Senior Practitioner, you will:
- Lead and support the team’s daily operations, including a rota system balancing office-based and remote work.
- Oversee the duty team in a dynamic, fast-paced environment and manage day-to-day functions, such as:
- Handling incoming placement requests.
- Ensuring quality assurance in placement referrals.
- Allocating referrals to Placement Officers for searches.
- Assessing suitability of placement offers.
- Provide professional supervision to Placement Officers, supporting professional development and firing optimisation.
- Represent the team across bridges and building relationships with:
- Fostering services.
- Other Social Work teams.
- In-house carers through multiple engagement mediums.
- Contribute to service development, aligning with the fostering business plan and advancements for the Career Development Incentive Scheme (CIC).
- Serve as an expert resource for placement decisions in complex cases.
Stakeholder and Community Engagement
- Promote collaboration with relevant departments within Essex County Council.
- Work closely with fostering and childcare plans in designated quadrants.
Mandatory Skills & Experience
- A confident driver/thriving mobility policy essential due to frequent travel across Essex and beyond.
- Ability to operate flexibly, covering both office tasks and remote home working.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Governance
- Manage higher levels of risk in placements.
- Advise and support staff on performance and improvement priorities.
- Drive process improvements and compliance, especially with ECC’s CIC (Career Development Incentive Scheme).
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Supervisory Role
- Offer professional supervision for Placement Officers.
- Provide mentorship on complex social work matters within the placement process.
Professional Guidance
- Deliver expertise in assessing placement suitability for complex and vulnerable cases, including children/young people's needs.
Collaborative Work
- Build strong, professional partnerships with QDRs, Fostering Services, and related teams.
- Ensure alignment with business and strategic goals of foster placements and the CIC.
Accountability & Transparency
- Maintain accurate and timely data, ensuring it reflects the Placement Finding Team’s performance.
Requirements
Professional Qualifications
- Qualification: Completed a Diploma in Social Work (or equivalent) such as:
- CQSW (Management Degree Award)
- CSS (MSc Social Work)
- Registration: Must be registered with Social Work England.
- Experience: Prior higher-level social work practice within Children Services, focusing on placement work.
Domain-Specific Competencies
- Working with Children: Extensive thematic proficiency in placement searches, aligning with up-to-date practice policies.
- Recent, in-depth experience in child protection work (e.g., Section 47s) post-Act 1989.
- Community & Legal Awareness:
- Strong knowledge of Children’s Act 1989, Westminster Family Courts (2022), and associated safeguarding laws.
- Judicial Involvement: Proven ability to engage with court processes pertaining to child care responsibilities.
Personal Competencias
- Communication: Clear articulation ability when working with diverse populations, including children (all ages), parents, carers, and external professionals.
- IT & Processing: Effective word processing and information technology skills.
- Professional Development: Commitment to continuing professional development (CPD) and maintaining sector knowledge.
Why Join Essex?
Essex County Council is a top-tier public sector organisation engaging in collaborative transformation while delivering exceptional outcomes at reduced cost. Key highlights include:
- Flexible frameworks for career growth.
- Commitments to diversity, innovation, and community impact.
- Adherence to values through engaging recruitment processes.
Highlighting Initiatives:
- Essex Devonisation: Consolidation of five unitary authorities by April 2028. Fallout from reorganisation efforts will be explored in job-specific communication.
- Business Impact: Ranked among the top three county councils for quality and productivity (as per the 2023 IMPOWER assessment).
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Support Programs & Initiatives:
- Disability Inclusion: Essex is a Disability Confident Leader, and we proactively support accommodation for disabled, veteran, or care-leaving applicants meeting minimum criteria (contact recruiters for details).
- Community Contribution: Opportunities to integrate within local Essex resources linked to broader community initiatives and TEDx-talk content.
- Health-Based Support: Additional assistance for families burdened with unpaid caring obligations.
Ethical Standards
Essex County Council follows the Nolan Principles of ethical conduct, upholding integrity and impartiality in its recruitment process. Applicants are expectations of upholding equitable engagement values throughout.
Additional Notes
Transport Requirements:
- Waiting License (UK): Permanent and valid UK driver’s license required for essential travel.
- Alternative Arrangements: Availability for transportation/specific vehicle solutions for critical duties.
Safeguarding
Essex County Council operates within a robust safeguarding framework for children and vulnerable adults. All appointed staff provide assurances around their compliance with national safeguarding standards.
DBS Update Service:
- Mandatory: Appointment involves a DBS check. Should be active with the UK’s DBS Update Service (expenses borne by the appliance).
Stay Engaged
To follow real-time updates regarding opportunities, careers trends, or novelties in the public sector, follow the Essex Talent Talent Community or essex.gov.uk/development.
Uniforms
Check with the team for uniform policy requirements—temporary stipulations may apply during initial onboarding phases.
Contact & Queries
For further clarity on this role or application, email resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk.
Essential Social Media
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Application Considerations
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Additional Supports for Recruitment: It’s critical to consult hiring counsel if additional accommodations (e.g., accessibility features) need provision throughout the recruitment journey.
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Reflection of Ethical Values: Be prepared to exemplify transparency, accountability, and compassion when navigating interview discussions.
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