In Essex County Council (ECC) we are "Serious about Social Work". Having recently won the Best Social Work Employer of the Year Award 2018 and been awarded 'Outstanding' by Ofsted this is an exciting time to join us. As if that wasn't enough, Essex has also been announced as a Partner in Practice by the Department of Education, and the Essex Social Care Academy (ESCA) is the only Local Authority team in the country to be accredited by BASW as a CPD provider. We have invested in our workforce and created a positive environment for our social workers to make a difference and achieve change for our most vulnerable children and families through direct relationship-based social work practice. We have supported our staff to have an understanding of systemic theoretical framework and models underpinning our interventions; to have access to the right tools, equipment and resources; and also the right supervision, training and learning opportunities they need to be strong practitioners.

The Role
The purpose of this role is to work within frontline Children and Young People with Disabilities (CYPWD) teams to support the delivery of effective Children's Social Work. The CYPWD team provides a comprehensive service offer to CYPWD aged 0-15 and 16+ through delivery of outcome focused; timely, targeted work including solution focused brief intervention.

The postholder will undertake a range of activity directly with children, young people with complex mental and/or physical disabilities, providing practical, personal and emotional support to the child, young person and family that meets the assessed needs and promotes improved health, physical, mental and social development and well-being.

The work can be complex, demanding and emotionally challenging and the postholder is required to work with dedication and resilience.

Role Accountabilities
* Deliver interventions crafted in response to assessments by the Behaviour Advisory Team (BAT) or Children with Learning Disability Service (CLDS) and/or the social workers single assessment which support parents/carers to learn, implement and embed approaches to managing specific behaviour strategies including routines, relationships, puberty, management of inappropriate sexualised behaviour. This would also include bespoke programmes of work designed to respond to the needs identified within CIN, CIC and CP plans and working closely with social workers on specific time limited work such as keep safe work, social stories and visual prompts/timetables.
* Provision of programmes of direct work with children and young people that support the individual to understand their 'Life Story' (as part of a care plan) including providing support for siblings of children with additional needs to enable them to understand their sibling relationships. This will entail using observational, direct work and other appropriate skills.
* Undertaking sleep assessments and subsequent programmes of work to promote wellbeing.
* Working collaboratively with Occupational Therapy colleagues, each service providing relevant early intervention support to the family to help them learn and implement new approaches to managing care/life at home.
* Work with children, young people and whole families to promote appropriate forms of communication including PECS, Makaton, BSL and Communication Passports.
* Work with parents/care givers to develop existing parenting skills/capacity through teaching, mentoring and support and application of parenting programmes.
* Facilitation of Children in Care Engagement Days (including school holiday activities) where there are no family/carer alternatives assessed as being able to meet this need. For example: trips to the seaside with parents/carers present and involved.
* Exploration into external community services that would support needs of families.

The service offer will include the following interventions which will take the specific needs of the 16+ client group into account:

* Organised small group days out which focus on independence skills such as cooking skills, low level support around behaviour and management, small pieces of bespoke travel training work, bespoke independence work helping young people to be equipped and ready to enter adulthood.
* Supporting young people to access community-based activities, access Life Skills Courses and Work Training, access employment and support around understanding of money and budgeting.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

* NVQ/BTEC Level 3 or equivalent
* Experience of building strong, effective relationships with children, young people and families in times of challenge and crisis
* Experience of undertaking direct, activity-based work with children, young people and families
* Knowledge and understanding of the issues impacting children, young people and families, and that led to them requiring support.
* Knowledge of Children Act 1989 and 2004 and other legislative and policy guidance applicable within Children's Social Care
* Desirable - First Aid Certificate/ Ability to Sign Language

The role requires you 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