Senior Support Worker - DBIT West

Permanent, Full Time

£26,284 to £33,256 per annum

Location: Harlow

Closing Date: 19th May 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 2nd Outstanding Ofsted rating in a row.

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 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.

D-BIT

The Divisional Based Intervention (D-BIT) Service was established in 2012 and has a proven evidence base of improving outcomes for young people and their families, addressing areas of difficulty in the relationships that exist between family members, so that young people can continue to live safely within their homes and family networks.

D-BIT teams are secondary teams working within the Children and Families Service across the four quadrants. The teams work with children and young people, aged between 8 and 17, and their families where there are family relationship difficulties and there is a risk of the child or young person entering care due to relationship breakdown. We primarily use a Solution Focused intervention to support families to communicate with each other about how they want their relationships to be, building on families’ strengths, and what is already working well so that children and young people can continue to live safely within their homes and family networks. DBIT intervention seeks to enable families and their networks to strengthen their relationships and resources.

DBIT teams work with the whole family utilising a solution focused methodology to support them in developing and implementing sustainable, long-term solutions based on their own unique family context. Intervention is intensive and time limited and therefore, caseloads are comparatively small and offer the opportunity for direct and frequent engagement at the heart of families. Evaluation from families and partners speaks to the positive outcomes from the work of the team/service.

This role with the D-BIT Service is Mon- Fri, but as a Senior Support worker joining the team you will work flexibly with children and their families, mostly within their homes and in their communities. We work with families at times that are helpful for them, most Solution Focused sessions therefore take place with families in their homes in the afternoons and early evenings. You may be required to undertake planned work on occasional Saturdays where it is a best fit for families.

Accountabilities

To undertake Solution Focused intervention with whole families, whilst working jointly with DBIT colleagues, in order to support families to stay together wherever possible and safe to do so.
To liaise and maintain close links with other agencies/services working with a family ensuring consistency of approach and avoiding duplication of response.
To write reports for relevant meetings for families and as part of the DBIT intervention.
To attend relevant meetings, including Child in Need meetings and Child Protection meetings in order to positively contribute to an overall understanding of the family and to help plan future intervention.
To maintain high standards of professional practice and personal behaviour to develop confidence for the family and individual child/young person in the effectiveness and value of the social work service.
To work collaboratively with DBIT colleagues, frontline Social Workers, Managers and other professionals to contribute to the overall work of the organisation and improved outcomes for children.
To participate in professional supervision in accordance with Children and Families policy and DBIT supervision processes.

The Experience You Will Bring

NVQ Level 3 – Caring for Children and Young People or equivalent qualification or work-based experience.
Familiarity with the Children Act 1989, 2004.
Ability to work in line with Essex Safeguarding Childrens Board procedures.
Experience/Knowledge/Interest in the Solution Focused approach.
Experience of working in a supportive relationship with children, young people and families
Experience in planning activities for children, young people and parents.
Knowledge of Child Development.
Have an understanding of issues that can impact on children and families – e.g., poverty, disability and bereavement.
First Aid Certificate, desirable but not essential.

To read more about us please visit: Children & Families

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

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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