Locum ASC Senior Social Worker
Temporary (3 months), Full Time
Pay: £233 PAYE/£299 Umbrella
Location: Harlow
Working Style: Community-based worker
Closing Date: 4th December 2025
We are proud to offer hybrid working options, with an expectation to be office based at Goodman House, Harlow around 2 to 3 days per week depending on business need for collaborative team working and training.
Essex County Council (ECC) is one of the largest and most dynamic local authorities in the UK, serving a population of 2 million residents, and has a very successful track record of delivering transformational change. ECC anticipated change was needed in the public sector and has worked to deliver better quality at lower cost. We have an ambitious transformation agenda – one with the scope to reach every part of the council. We are changing the way we think, the way we work, and the ways in which we deliver our services. We are committed to becoming a place where individuals, partners and communities feel proud to play their role and genuinely want to belong. We’re immensely proud of our flexible working options.
With us, you can achieve more – for yourself as well as the vulnerable adults you work to support. We’re always looking for new ways to deliver even better services, Senior Social Workers play an integral role in our preventative approach to Social Care. We encourage our multi-disciplinary teams to share their ideas and experience. We work together to get things done. Bring your positive, proactive attitude, and we’ll empower you to make the most of your experience within Essex County Council (ECC) Adult Social Care services.
About the Role
The team operates within the North and South Harlow area and forms part of a Neighbourhood approach, linking closely with our partners in health, housing and voluntary sector. The team undertakes a wide range of duties under the Care Act 2014 from assessment, reviews, mental capacity assessments and adult safeguarding. We work with adults from 18 years and over and across all specialisms. We work with adults to support independence and maximise potential, and work with people with complex needs and diverse situations.
Our team values focussed on early intervention and prevention, and a focus on recovery to support adults to achieve individual outcomes. This includes working closely with partners and building networks and community resilience.
Managing your own complex caseload, as well as supporting colleagues with theirs, you’ll be a source of specialist advice and enable the mitigation of high levels of risk. You’ll also bring your professional expertise to contribute to the development of practice standards and our four key principles of prevention, early intervention, enablement and safeguarding.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Working collaboratively across the Council, with partners and statutory and voluntary agencies, to ensure a joined-up approach.
- Taking part in a range of case conferences, court attendance, meetings and statutory reviews, pro-actively taking the lead when a social care perspective is required.
- Developing a high level of expertise in particular areas of practice, and leading on those areas
About You
To apply, you should be a qualified social worker with current Social Work England registration and be post-qualified 3 years with an in-depth knowledge of complex cases and The Care Act. We require a proactive worker who has a proven record of working complex cases and supporting other staff members. A worker who wants to develop and become part of the management Team.
You’ll bring significant experience of social work, modelling good practice and providing advice and guidance in complex situations. As, as a subject matter expert in relevant professional practice, you should have a comprehensive understanding of current legislation, regulations and guidance.
With experience of chairing meetings involving clients, family members, carers and other multi-agency professionals, we’re looking for your ability to develop strong relationships with partner agencies and the local community to provide a supportive framework for vulnerable adults.
You’ll also bring:
- Evidence of continuing professional development and capability of practice in accordance with current professional standards.
- An in-depth understanding of the financial implications of commissioned care packages.
- The ability to make clear decisions, to highlight and limit potential risks associated with intervention.
To read more about us please visit: Adult Social Care
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.
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.
What you should do next
If you are interested in finding out more about this role, we would love to hear from you. Please apply via the Working for Essex website.
Please note that Essex County Council has determined that the off-payroll working rules will apply to this assignment and where a worker elects to provide their services through an intermediary (such as a personal services company) then income tax and primary national insurance contributions will be deducted at source from any payments made to the intermediary.
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.
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If you have queries on this role or require anything further, please email essexsharedservices@essex.gov.uk