Part Time Advanced Skills Worker

Permanent, Part Time

£34,024 to £38,898 Per Annum, Full Time Equivalent (includes allowance)

Location: Colchester

Working Style: Fixed-base worker

Closing Date: Wednesday 8th January 2025 at 11.59pm

Are you interested in working with children and young people to make a difference in their lives? If so, then this could be the right opportunity for you.

It is an exciting time to join Essex County Council as we invest in and expand our residential provision and not only have we been named Outstanding by Ofsted, we are delighted to have been crowned Social Work Employer of the Year for the second time in the last three years!

Why work with us?

• 26 days annual leave (Full Time Equivalent) plus bank holidays (normally 8 days per year).
• 18.5 hour working week. Monday to Sunday between 7am – 9.30pm on a planned rota, with every other weekend off.
• Opportunity for overtime.
• Local Authority Defined Benefit Pension Scheme. For more details please visit: https://www.essexpensionfund.co.uk/
• Use your skills to make a difference to the lives of local children and families who experience difficulties and inequalities.
• Work for a high performing team with great team morale and friendly, helpful, and supportive colleagues.
• Access high quality training and development to help develop your career within the child and family sector.

This role will be based on-site at New Farm Road, Colchester (CO3 0PG) at a newly refurbished short-term home for five 12-17 year olds. Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team around the child, you will support them to develop the skills and resilience to return to their families or onto longer-term care.

Being an Advanced Skills Worker requires a special kind of person. Day to day your main focus will be on providing nurturing therapeutic care to children who have experienced trauma, supporting and caring for them as a parent would. Each day brings unique experiences, filled with both highs and lows.

As an ASW, you will be part of the management team, responsible for the effective day to day running of the home and creating a caring, safe, and secure environment. You will line manage a team of staff, providing guidance and regular supervision to enable them to support children/young people to meet agreed outcomes and achieve their full potential.

It is important to be open minded, have a flexible and adaptable attitude, and be able to manage challenges with a calm and patient demeanor. You will have an ability/willingness to understand and manage challenging behavior, including aggression and violence, using a range of de-escalation techniques. You will also need to have effective written and verbal communication skills.

Previous experience in a Children’s Home or transferrable line management experience is essential. If you don’t already have a Level 3 Diploma, you will need to complete this within 2 years of starting employment.

We will provide you with all the training you need for the role along with good quality, regular supervision. This, together with the right attitude and access to a full in-house induction, will enable you to start your career with Essex County Council with confidence.

If shortlisted, the interview process will be a one stage process where you will attend the care home for a face-to-face interview.

Due to the nature of this role, any applicants need to be at least 21 years old in order to undertake this post.

The salary offered is made up of a basic salary of £30,931 to £35,361 per annum, pro rata, and a guaranteed allowance of £3,093 to £3,536 per annum, pro rata, paid monthly, alongside the basic salary.

If you would like to know more about this role, please contact Helen Sadler - helen.sadler2@essex.gov.uk or Marcus Gill - Marcus.gill@essex.gov.uk to arrange an informal chat.

To read more about us, please visit: Children & Families

Please take a look at our ‘No Magic’ Children & Families video

Why Essex?

Essex County Council has a location to be proud of. Our 1,300 square miles stretch from Constable Country to the Thames Estuary, from the dynamic M11 corridor to the traditional seaside resorts of Clacton and Walton. England’s oldest town, Colchester, and two of its newest – Basildon and Harlow – are right here. Along with the City of Chelmsford, the county town, they form our major population centres. It means real choice and makes Essex the ideal place for your career. Read more about us.

Essex County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Leader. We’re committed to interview all disabled applicants who choose to apply under our Job Interview Scheme if they meet the minimum requirements of the job. Please speak to our Recruiters if you require any reasonable adjustments during the process.

We’re also committed to interview all veterans and care leavers, who meet the minimum requirements of the role for which they are applying.

As part of employment with Essex County Council (ECC), should your role require a DBS check, you will be required to register with the DBS update service. The DBS update service ensures all registered DBS certificates are kept up to date and allows authorised parties to view the status of your certificate. This is an annual subscription, and you will be responsible for ensuring this is maintained. For further information on the DBS update service, please go to https://www.gov.uk/dbs-update-service

Essex County Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults, and expects all employees and volunteers to share this commitment.

If you would like to be kept up to date on other relevant opportunities, blogs, news, events, and industry-related news at Essex County Council, please join The Essex Talent Community

If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email daniel.warner@essex.gov.uk

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