Family Centre Worker

Children and Families is recognised as a service in which social work can develop and prosper, with a culture of collaboration, integrity and compassion; promoting the development and wellbeing of children, young people and their families; protecting them from neglect and abuse.  Working together with partners delivering a range of early help, family support and effective social work interventions which build resilience, remove barriers and enable children and young people to look forward to a brighter future.

The Family Centre Worker will contribute to the running and development of the Family Centre, providing a range of options for families, individuals and groups, making a positive difference to the lives of children, and meet the Function’s policies and priorities.

With experience of assessing, planning and delivering targeted work for children and their parents. The role will work closely with volunteers and professionals so will need the ability to build strong partnerships.

Accountabilities

• Undertake direct work in partnership with children, young people, their families and other professionals, with clear plans, timescales, review and evaluation processes.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues, other agencies and professionals, contributing to comprehensive and multi-agency assessments of children and families, responding to assessed needs, planning, facilitating and leading group work programmes.
• Support Social Workers in the observation and assessment of the family functioning, with planned work designed to alleviate identified difficulties for both parents and children.
• Work in partnership with parents to develop their practical parenting skills and abilities as parents to support and maintain the family. Offering childcare services to enable parents to attend one to one and group sessions, to address identified concerns.
• Develop and deliver programmes of work for children and families which support the development of their physical, intellectual, emotional and social potential.
• Develop and contribute to delivery of training for social workers around creative ways of engaging and working with children.
• Provide play opportunities that help children meet their emotional and developmental needs and which assist parent/child relationships.
• Undertake outreach work with families in the community, supporting them in crisis and assisting them in developing skills to cope with their daily lives and promote confidence and independence from professional support.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• A recognised RQF level 3 (A level) qualification in child care or equivalent by experience.
• Evidence of continuing professional development, with knowledge in relevant professional area.
• Experience of working with children, demonstrating a comprehensive and up to date understanding of all relevant child care legislation, regulation and guidance.
• Experience of assessing, planning and delivering targeted pieces of work for children and their parents, with the ability to provide non-judgmental support and challenge.
• Experience of working closely with volunteers, professionals from other fields, outreach work and joint working with fieldwork teams.
• Experience of leading group work with children or families and parenting skills with parents.
• Knowledge of child development and understanding of effective interventions appropriate to assessed needs for parents, children and families.
• Ability to work with children across all age ranges, empowering them and their carers to enable full participation in the services of the family centre.

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 ami.fosker@essex.gov.uk

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