Three things you didn't know about working at Essex County Council

Working for Essex County Council (ECC) might not seem exciting and innovative at a casual glance. But ECC is a place where innovation, social justice and employee development are at the heart of every department. The Council is facing increasing cuts to national budget contributions. That's why it prides itself on being a place where employee ideas matter. And if you can add value to ECC, you are welcome, regardless of background. Here are three things you might not have known about working for ECC.

1) A network of autism support centres

ECC has won awards for its work promoting inclusive communities. It develops innovative ways to bring marginalised people into the mainstream. The Council opened eight new specialist autism support centres in Spring 2017. One is hosted in a primary school and another in a secondary school. The new centres enable those young people to access mainstream schooling. That means they can spend most of their time in classes alongside their peers.

The hubs provide outreach services and ensure that pupils with autism attending mainstream schools, particularly secondary schools, receive enhanced support. These, along with the Essex Specialist Teacher Service and the Educational Psychology Service, develop autism expertise across all Essex schools. For pupils with more severe autism, additional places are being created. This is part of the council’s record £85 million investment in special schools in Essex. 

2) Support for LGBT Adoption and Fostering

Sexuality is never a barrier when adopting or fostering in Essex. Last year's National Adoption Week ran from 15 to 22 October. During the week, ECC ran an 'introduce the adopters' campaign, showcasing the variety of people who have adopted. This not only busted any myths about the “perfect adopter" but also told the stories behind the adoptions.

ECC partners with Essex Pride's Summer event which is an annual celebration of LGBT life in Essex and beyond. This is an event for the whole community, and it's more than just a huge party. Pride inspires everyone to embrace equality, and invites people from all walks of life to join together and celebrate diversity. 

3) New technologies to help with dementia

One might think of venture capital firms as the natural home of technological innovation. For Essex County Council, innovation is at the heart of all it does. Challenge Dementia is a national search for products, technologies and services to help people with dementia across the UK. The goal is helping them to live enjoyable and fulfilling lives for as long as possible. ECC’s Challenge Dementia is part of the Essex Challenge Prize Programme. The programme seeks to tackle a range of social problems by discovering potential solutions, and speeding up their development.

If you're ready for a brilliant career at Essex County Council, search for current openings at our jobs database.