Adult Social Care Practice Lead - Quality Assurance Team

Overview

Experience the best of both worlds with our flexible hybrid working arrangements. Enjoy the freedom to work from home while still benefiting from in-person collaboration at our Chelmsford office, typically around 2 to 3 days per week dependent on business need.

We have an exciting opportunity for an adaptable, motivational and innovative qualified Social Worker who has a passion for delivering excellence to join our Quality Assurance Team.

The ASC Practice Lead role directly influences how Social Work practice is delivered across Adult Social Care services. Sitting within the Quality Assurance team, this role will work alongside all of our Adult Social Care teams. This is a varied role, with lots of opportunities to work closely with a wide range of colleagues, taking learning from practice and finding different ways to embed this in service delivery.

You will have excellent communication skills, be creative and inspiring and able to engage effectively with colleagues at all levels. We can offer you an excellent opportunity to gain valuable experience and develop professionally.

To read more about our business area, please visit:
Adult Social Care

• Work within the statutory legal framework and organisational policy, ensuring full compliance with the Care Act 2014, the Mental Health Act 1983, and subsequent amendments, including Mental Capacity Act, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and Continuing Healthcare. Provide authoritative advice on legislation, policy, and best practice guidance.
• Demonstrate expert practice, offering professional advice and support to colleagues through assisted fieldwork, audits, reflective practice and case reviews, contributing to continuous improvement in service delivery.
• Contribute to Adult Social Care research and development, participating in projects that inform service planning, innovation, and the creation of effective practice responses and support networks.
• Lead and undertake audits, investigations and quality reviews, translating findings into actionable improvements to drive consistency, quality and accountability across operational teams.
• Support service improvement activity, acting on inspection outcomes, audit findings and evaluation evidence to implement changes that lead to better outcomes for the people of Essex.
• Build and maintain strong collaborative relationships with internal teams, external partners and multi‑agency networks, taking a lead role in developing integrated approaches to practice.
• Develop, implement and oversee quality assurance and evaluation systems, ensuring that reviews of policy and practice remain aligned with current legislation, national developments and local priorities.

• Qualified Social Worker, with Social Work England (SWE) registration.
• Evidence of continuing professional development and demonstrable capability of practice in accordance with current professional standards e.g. professional capability framework, knowledge and skills statement.
• Substantial experience with the ability to carry out reviews, investigations and audits, communicating recommendations into programmes of work and ensuring these are implemented in practice.
• Deep understanding of delivery of high-quality practice aligned to achievement of high-quality outcomes, as measured through the application of the ASC Quality Assurance Framework.
• Experience with in a social care setting with evidence of demonstrating exemplar standards of practice.
• Developing strong influential relationships with partners and other agencies to maintain and develop best practice and achieve joint objectives.

Please note that the job role requires you to be mobile throughout an operational area. Therefore, the post holder will need to have a driving licence and access to a vehicle, or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means.

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…