Southend on Sea City Council is a Unitary local authority, providing vital services to meet the needs of the local community. We employ around 1,800 staff who are working alongside our partners and local communities to deliver the city vision and make lives better for the people of Southend.

Working for Southend on Sea City Council offers a challenging and rewarding career in local government within a collaborative and innovate environment, with the benefit of flexible working practices to support a positive work life balance. As a Unitary Authority we are responsible for all local government functions ranging from social services, transport, public health and parks through to planning, trading standards, community safety and education, so we offer a wide range of career opportunities. The diversity of our economy and communities and investment in a number of exciting regeneration projects makes our Council a great place to work, learn and make a difference.

Southend City Council have fantastic opportunities within their Prevention Service. They are currently expanding the service and looking for more Social Workers to join their teams on a full-time permanent basis.

There has never been a better time to join our teams and participate in growing our service to be innovative, creative and providing high quality support to people when they need it most. The main aim of the teams is to use a strength-based approach to support people returning home after hospital and enable people to live safely in the community, maximising their abilities to care for themselves and to support carers to continue in their caring role as long as they are able to.

The team work creatively with people and their carers to empower them and identify individual and community-based assets. You will work within the relevant legal frameworks, guidance, policies, and procedures to undertake assessments, reviews and support planning with individuals and their carers, promoting well-being, independence and safety.
You will also undertake safeguarding processes.
You will be joining one of two close-knit teams with extremely supportive and experienced managers and senior staff and excellent learning and development opportunities.

We are committed to your continuous professional development and offer regular supervision within a supportive working environment, so you are given the capacity to provide the excellent level of support and attention needed, to make a real difference to the lives of people in our community.

You will promote our Connected Southend Model.

Connected Southend is Southend’s whole service approach to community practice, personalised enablement, new models of commissioning and social care support across the city. In essence, it is our new approach to providing the very best information, advice, prevention, support and social care. Alongside this, Connected Southend has the heart of the city embedded within, through our use and support of voluntary and community groups, our arts, culture, leisure and our heritage.

Living in Southend is so much more than local identity; it is how we relate to everything around us; our history as much as our future, and our desire to remain within the communities we call home with the people that are important to us.

Bringing together practitioners, commissioners and providers, as well as our wider culture, arts and leisure services, we aim to change the way we support and enable people to live the lives they choose to live.

Connected Southend is underpinned by the core concepts of the Care Act, ensuring community opportunities, citizenship and personalised outcomes and is now core to Southend’s Social Services plans for the future. The model itself sets out standards, principles and approaches for staff delivering services. It places more emphasis on prevention and enablement, and supports people to live the life they want.

Within these positions, hybrid working is available. However, you are required to be on site at the Civic Centre a minimum of 2 days a week.

To be successful in this position you must be able to work in the UK, have a recognised Social Work qualification and be registered with the Social Work England and have completed your ASYE.

You need to have previous experience of working in the Adult Social Care sector.

You will have the ability to apply a strength-based, asset-based approach to assessment, care planning and review.

Have experience of applying the Care Act (2014), Mental Capacity Act (2005) and managing adult safeguarding enquires or have a good understanding/knowledge if no direct experience is available.

You need to have the ability to develop relationships with internal & external stakeholders including voluntary, public, private sector organisations, partners, suppliers and contractors, as well as on-going commitment to continuous professional training and self-development

When joining the council, you can enjoy a range of benefits including: 25 days annual leave, flexible working and excellent training and development opportunities. They are committed to ensuring that you are supported in this varied and challenging role with the appropriate level of training. A full list of benefits provided by Southend Council can be viewed on the "Why Work For Us?" tab.

If you are interested in this role, please click 'apply online' to forward an up-to-date copy of your CV.

If you would like a copy the Job Description please   Click here

If you are wanting further information that isn't in the JD, please contact Nathalie Nathalie.s@hays.com

Please note: Applications for this vacancy may close prior to the date advertised above so you are advised to apply as soon as you are able to.

All applicants for this role will require an enhanced DBS check.

The Council is an equal opportunities employer. We welcome applications, regardless of race, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partner status, pregnancy or maternity, age or religion or belief.