Job Description

Assessing Social Worker - Fostering Recruitment , Countywide

Permanent, Full Time

£38,487 to £51,834 per annum

Location: Essex

Working Style: Community-based worker

Closing Date: 12th July 2026

Interview Date: 20th July 2026

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 2 nd Outstanding Ofsted rating in a row.

The Role

As a social worker in this countywide team the role covers all aspects of
foster carer recruitment. It primarily involves responding to initial
enquiries from prospective foster carers, undertaking initial home visits,
and undertaking Fostering Assessments through to panel. There are
opportunities to deliver pre-approval training and well as creative
recruitment activity including face to face information events with the
public. At certain times the role may include supporting undertaking Special
Guardianship Orders and Kinship assessments. Due to the nature of the role
evening and weekend work is required as well as the occasional duty work.
The team is therefore flexible to reflect the needs of their service users
as well as their team members.

We are fortunate to have a very passionate, driven, creative team consisting
of social workers, enquiry workers, and an outreach worker. We work closely
with our fostering ambassadors and children in care successfully to ensure
that we recruit diverse foster families to meet the needs of our most
vulnerable children in Essex. If you are passionate about making a
difference by being part of our Fostering Recruitment Team, then this role
is for you.

What you will need to join our Social Work teams

You may be an experienced Social Worker looking to take the next step in
your career or you may be a Senior Practitioner open to change and ready to
innovate in an environment where you can stretch yourself professionally and
make an impact individually.

To play a key part in transforming the lives of children and families,
you’ll be a DIPSW, CQSW, CSS or equivalent graduate. You will inspire high
standards from Social Workers around you, and shape practice standards
within the service, delivering positive outcomes collaboratively. You will
be a team player enabling your team to work well together under pressure.

For this role you will need to have:

• 
  Excellent assessment and analytical report writing skills for
  understanding and dealing with complex cases.
• 
  To respond to all duty calls and initial home visits in an
  efficient and professional manner and recorded clearly and in
  detail.
• 
  To present your applicants to the Fostering Panel with clear
  recommendation and evidence to support this recommendation.
• 
  Support and participate in Recruitment activities.
• 
  Be involved in the development of a Service area that relates to
  Recruitment of foster carers or to link with one of the Quadrant
  Fostering Teams to establish up to date needs and developments
  relevant to that quadrant.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• 
  A recognised social work qualification i.e. Diploma, degree or
  master’s in social work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent, with current
  registration with the Social Work England as a registered social
  worker.
• 
  Demonstrable capability of practice in accordance with current
  professional standards e.g. 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.
• 
  A good working knowledge and ability to use information technology
  and related systems e.g., Word, SW case recording systems.
• 
  Required to be mobile throughout a wide 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 ability to meet the mobility
  requirements of the role through other means is essential.
• 
  Required to work flexibly as required, including evenings and
  weekends if necessary.

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

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

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 ensure everyone matters in
Everyone's Essex
. 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, the Government announced that councils in Greater Essex will
be reorganised into five new unitary authorities from April 2028. In
addition to this, Greater Essex has been 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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Facebook
, Twitter,
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and
LinkedIn
. Further details can be found on our
careers page
.

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