Social Worker – Therapeutic Fostering Team

Permanent, Full Time

£38,487.00 to £51,834.00 Per Annum

Location: Essex

Working Style: Community-based worker

Closing Date: 17th November 2026

Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role. Applicants must have a current, unrestricted right to work in the UK.

Here in Essex, we continue to raise the bar about practice and our investment in our workforce is second to none. It’s an exciting time to join us having received our 2nd Outstanding Ofsted rating in a row.

The Role

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.

To read more about our business area, please visit: Children & Families

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

The Opportunity

The function of the Therapeutic Fostering Team is to provide intensive trauma informed therapeutic intervention to foster carers who wish to provide placements for children who are moving from residential children’s homes, or to children who have had multiple placement break downs.

In addition to this, the Therapeutic Fostering Team provide intensive trauma informed therapeutic intervention to existing foster placements where there is a risk of these placements breaking down. 

As a Social Worker in the Therapeutic Fostering Team, you will be working intensively with foster carers and their families, using Therapeutic models to support and develop them in caring for vulnerable looked after children. In accordance with the Fostering Regulations 2011 and the National Minimum Standards of Fostering. You will be managing a defined caseload and will be working closely with Clinical Psychologists and other teams such as the Children in Care, Leaving and After Care, Children with Disabilities, Assessment & Intervention and the Family Support and Protection Teams. 

The Therapeutic Fostering Team delivers a county-wide service across Essex, supporting foster carers, children, and young people throughout the county.

Accountabilities

• Assess, plan, review and provide support to a child, family or carer with complex family or social care needs, taking full account of appropriate legal frameworks, policy and guidance
• Work collaboratively, building effective working relationships with other professionals, internally and externally to help children, young people and families improve and gain control of their lives when safety or ability to participate in their community is restricted.
• Promoting autonomy and development with individuals who have complex social needs and are more vulnerable as a result of disability, exclusion, or diminished capacity, for example, working with people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities or diminished capacity.
• Maintain up to date, accurate and high quality records of activity on cases. Participate in a range of planning and decision making forums including case discussions, Team Around the Placement Meetings, Strategy Meetings, Legal Planning meetings, Child Protection Conferences, Statutory Reviews.
• Act as Practice Educators for social work qualifying course students on practice placements (as appropriate) or Assessor for Newly Qualified Social Workers completing their ASYE
• Hold a caseload of a level of complexity and provide case management, guidance, support and expert advice to social care staff, students and newly qualified social workers, as and when required

The Experience You Will Bring

• Diploma or degree in Social Work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent
• Registration with the Social Work England as registered Social Worker
• Demonstrable capability of practice in accordance with current professional standards eg Professional Capability Framework (PCF), Knowledge & Skills Statement (KSS)
• Case recording
• Demonstrate ability in the application of SW knowledge, using emotional intelligence, analytical skills and act with confidence in challenging social and family situations.
• Demonstrate a good understanding of social work theoretical models and trauma perceptive practice, and an ability to apply these in your practice with children and families.
• A good working knowledge and ability to use information technology and related systems eg, Word, SW case recording systems
• Required to work flexibly as required, including evenings and weekends if necessary.

The proposed interview dates are 14th and 17th December 2026

Why Essex?

As one of the largest and most dynamic UK local authorities, Essex offers a stimulating public service environment. Covering over 1,420 square miles and serving 1.8 million residents, we’re committed to transformational change and delivering better quality at lower cost. Recognised in the top three of the latest IMPOWER index for productivity, we are dedicated to making a positive difference for residents, communities and businesses across the county. With flexible working options and a focus on innovation, whether you are looking to develop your career or contribute to the local community, Essex is the ideal place for you.

In March 2026, Greater Essex was accepted on to the devolution priority programme, where we will work towards establishing a Mayoral Combined County Authority. You can read more about these changes, and what this may mean for this role, on our careers site.

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.

Once you’ve secured your role within Essex County Council you will receive many great employee benefits, including support for unpaid carers and flexible working arrangements to accommodate their needs.

At Essex County Council, we value integrity and ethical behaviour. We kindly ask that you embrace our code of conduct and the Nolan principles, including throughout the recruitment process. Your commitment to these standards helps us maintain a positive and respectful workplace for everyone.

 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.

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 resourcing.team@essex.gov.uk

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