Adults Social Worker – North Essex (Older Adult Mental Health Team & Colchester Neighbourhood Team)

Adults Social Worker – North Essex (Older Adult Mental Health Team & Colchester Neighbourhood Team)

Permanent, Full Time

£36,124 to £51,834 per annum

Location: Colchester & Tendring

Working Style: Community-based worker

Please note that visa sponsorship is not available for this role. Applicants must have a current, unrestricted right to work in the UK.

Interviews will be held in person at Rowan House on 16 December 2026

We’re an adult social care service that wants to see citizens of Essex have as much choice and control over the way they live their lives as possible. We think everyone should have the chance to live a full and fulfilling life with people they love and care about, doing things that matter to them and living in a place they can call home. We’re determined that with the right support, everyone can maintain or achieve some independence and we’re proud to be working to make these ambitions a reality.

Our Social Workers work alongside people and their families and carers to help them think through what might help them get on with their lives in the way that works best for them. We do this within the framework of our statutory Care Act requirements. This means many of our conversations are framed as ‘assessments’, ‘reviews’, ‘support planning’ and ‘safeguarding’. But our aim is always to listen and understand what matters to the person and then to work with them to think through how this might be achieved.

Take a look at our short video here to get a glimpse into the role and what it’s like to be a Social Worker at Essex County Council.

About the Teams

North Essex covers our offices in Colchester and Clacton. It is a diverse area to work in encompassing rural, costal, and urban communities all with their own unique challenges. Essex County Council work closely with their partners in North Essex, those joining teams in this area are uniquely positioned to be increasingly involved in partnership projects across local authorities and the NHS.

Our teams are proud to offer hybrid working, with an expectation to be office based at our offices in Colchester or Clacton around 2 to 3 days per week, with community visits undertaken throughout the week.

We currently have Social Worker opportunities available across different teams within North Essex. This currently includes opportunities in the following teams:

Neighbourhood Team

Our Neighbourhood Teams are aligned to specific post code areas and work with people aged 18 and above across all specialisms, undertaking a wide range of duties under the Care Act 2014 from assessment, reviews, mental capacity assessments and adult safeguarding.

Working with adults who have a range of social care needs, you'll collaborate closely with health colleagues, voluntary organisations and wider multidisciplinary teams while managing a diverse caseload and contributing to high-quality, strengths-based practice. Being part of a Neighbourhood Team is a great opportunity to be part of a locality based, strengths focused service that supports adults to remain independent, safe, and connected within their communities.

Older Adults Mental Health

The Older Adult Mental Health Team support adults aged 65 years and over who have been diagnosed with a functional or organic mental illness, such as dementia, and their families both in the community and developing discharge pathways from inpatient wards in accordance with the Mental Health Act 1983, Care Act 2014 and Mental Capacity Act 2005 principles.

This is a dynamic role promoting innovative person-centred and partnership working with adults, their informal carers and in collaboration with other statutory, and non-statutory services to support and promote mental health, wellbeing and outcomes. As a member of the team, you will explore least restrictive support mechanisms such as services in the local community, assistive technology, and housing options, as well as exploring different funding sources.

This team is currently open to applications from Newly Qualified Social Workers.

Team preference can be discussed at interview.

About You

We are looking for someone who:

• Is a qualified and experienced Social Worker with current Social Work England registration.
• Has a sound understanding of the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act, and safeguarding practice.
• Has experience working with adults and families within an in adult social care organisation.
• Demonstrates strong assessment, risk management, and decision‑making skills
• Is confident working autonomously while contributing positively to a supportive team culture.
• Is committed to reflective practice, learning, and continuous professional development.
• Has experience of chairing meetings.
• Is able to develop strong relationships with partner agencies and the local community.

Our Social Worker roles involve travelling around Essex. A driving licence and car - or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means - is essential.

Essex here.

Why Join Us?

In June 2025, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) rated our Adult Social Care services as “Good” with a score of 73%

“The local authority had a good structure and processes in place to enable people to be supported successfully, and support people to remain independent and live healthy lives. The workforce was passionate about supporting people to achieve these outcomes and the local authority had good knowledge of their area, the people living there and the demographics.”

You can read the full report on the CQC website here.

Our teams are busy but warm, friendly and supportive. Our fabulous team managers will help you manage your workload and develop your practice.

We take your career just as seriously as you do, and we have a continuing professional development offer that’s second to none.

We welcome diversity because it makes us grow and we’re determined to become a fully inclusive and an anti-racist organisation.

What We Offer

We’ll support you to be your best and will offer:

• Ongoing opportunities for continuing professional development
• Flexible working options
• Employee wellbeing and counselling
• Lease Car scheme
• Life assurance of three times annual salary
• Local Government Pension Scheme. View Key Factsand FAQ’s about the LGPS.
• Volunteering leave
• 27 days annual leave (plus bank holidays), rising with service
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) - access to free and confidential information, support, and guidance from a team of highly qualified professionals.
• Employee Networks – communities to support you, connect you and help influence change at ECC
• Payment of your Social Work England registration fees!

Whatever you want to achieve in your social work career, you can do it here.

Apply now.

For more information contact Abbie.Mollison@essex.gov.uk

In March 2026, Greater Essex was 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.

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

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