Social Worker – WAMHS – Bognor

Job Description

Job Category : Social Care – Qualified
Location : West Sussex County Council
Hours Per Week : 37.00
Start Date : Immediate Start
Start Time : 09:00
End Time : 17:30
Salary: £28.04

**CANDIDATES MUST HAVE EXPERIENCE IN CARE ACT ASSESSMENTS AND S117 REVIEWS **

Payrate : We are bound by the MoC, which means pay rates are capped. Whist we are able to pay up to £38, this rate is for those deemed to be at a qualified Social Worker with at least 2 years experience Please ensure your candidates are aware that the pay rate they request may not be the rate they are offered; managers are assessing skills and competency at interview. If the candidate is being offered less than requested, we will make the reasoning clear whilst providing feedback. *We can offer £35 ph plus £150 pw expenses if the candidate lives outside West Sussex ( This will need to be confirmed if submitting at this rate ) *

Working arrangements – Mix of both – office based 2 – 3 days a week and the rest from home Location – Durban House – Bognor – The staff will be required to travel across the entire county to complete Care Act assessments and s117 reviews .

Job Description :

In this challenging, but rewarding role, you will be required to act as allocated social worker responsible for delivering a statutory social work service to those people who access or need specialist mental health services, to include assessment, planning, implementing and review. This includes being responsible for leading on specialist areas of service delivery (for example peri-natal, early intervention, transitions and homelessness), ensuring that key developments are communicated to colleagues and that business change is successfully implemented. Required experience and skills (These will be used as the shortlisting criteria) Key Skills: 1. Ability to analyse and interpret complex people related information and data in order to prioritise needs and formulate plans for intervention and service provision. 2. Solution focussed with the ability to analyse a range of complex situations and provide forward thinking strategies and solutions that consider a variety of possible solutions and balance risks/resources and desired outcomes. 3. Ability to undertake direct work with those who access or need the service in order to support individuals. Ability to work in partnership with carers, colleagues and a variety of external agencies in order to deliver the most effective service. 4. Ability to work proactively as a member of the team to make an accurate assessment of needs and negotiate and implement effective plans and outcomes. Ability to be proactive in having up-to-date knowledge and understanding of changes in legislation, white papers, current research and best practice developments. 5. Highly developed communication skills in order to communicate clearly and effectively in both written and oral format, including the ability to explain complicated information to a wide range of people and negotiate and persuade others to adopt a particular course of action that they may not otherwise wish to take. 6. Ability to recognise the limits of own accountability and responsibility, and to seek appropriate support, advice and supervision. Qualifications and/or experience: • Degree in relevant professional or equivalent qualification e.g. Certificate of Qualification in Social Work or Diploma in Social Work. • Completion of relevant post qualifying training. • Registration with the relevant professional registration body and responsibility for maintaining registration with that body. • Approved Mental Health Practitioner (it is a requirement to have AMHP qualification or to be working towards the qualification to be complete within 2 years of appointment and to maintain level of knowledge). • Practice Teacher’s Award – Desirable • Full, valid driving licence. • Experience of working with service users with severe and enduring mental health problems in the community. • Advanced theoretical, practical and procedural knowledge of social work. Knowledge of current social work research, legislation, white papers and developments in best practice. Good, up-to-date working knowledge of legislation relevant to the specialist area of the post e.g. Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act. Job Description & Person Specification • Advanced knowledge of risk management within Mental Health. • Breadth of understanding of the therapeutic interventions that can be used and an excellent understanding of the partnership agencies including health, housing, learning, statutory, voluntary and independent sector. • Demonstrable experience of dealing with a wide breadth of issues and complex situations and using highly developed analytical skills to provide solution focussed and resource efficient options. • Evidence of good assessment skills, including the ability to ensure regular reviews and risk management with a variety of individuals, carers or families. Evidence of effectively prioritising work and meeting deadlines. • Experience of effective partnership working with those who access or need the service and maintaining a focus on the needs of the individual whilst handling conflict and disagreement. • Experience of forming effective working relationships within a multi-agency/ multidisciplinary setting. • Evidence of working with those who access or need the service to identify issues and identify specific action by means of creative and pragmatic solutions. • Experience of managing levels of risk within a caseload of complex safeguarding cases. • Experience of effectively coaching and supervising others, acting as a practice role model and promoting exemplary practice. • Sound and accurate IT knowledge. We will pay £35 per hour LTD plus £150 expenses per week, or £38 per hour LTD( IF THE CANDIDATE LIVES OUTSIDE OF WEST SUSSEX ). The person will need experience in working with people with mental health issues. The person will be required to travel around the County doing visits, please do not submit anyone that cannot travel

Key Skills:
1. Experience of working proactively as a member of the team to make an
accurate strengths-based assessment of needs and negotiate and implement
effective plans and outcomes (in line with relevant legislation), working in
partnership with carers, colleagues and a variety of external agencies to meet
people’s outcomes.
2. Experience of applying a risk enablement approach and using evidence-based
practice.
3. Experience of analysis and interpretation of people related information and
data to prioritise needs and formulate plans for intervention and service
provision.
4. Experience of contributing to or undertaking safeguarding enquiries.
5. Ability to provide informal supervision and develop the capabilities of less
experienced social care practitioners, and to mentor and coach students and
apprentices.

Qualifications and/or experience:
• Degree in Social Work or a recognised equivalent Social Work qualification
e.g., Diploma in Social Work.
• Registered with Social Work England
• Approved Mental Health Practitioner (it is a requirement to have AMHP
qualification or to be working towards the qualification to be complete within
2 years of appointment and to maintain level of knowledge).
• Experience of undertaking assessments and social work intervention
planning, implementation and review by means of creative and pragmatic
solutions.
• Experience of working in partnership with those who access the service and
maintaining a focus on the needs and strengths of the people, and the
outcomes they want to achieve, whilst handling conflict and disagreement
• Experience of managing risk within a risk enablement approach
• Good, up-to-date working knowledge of relevant legislation e.g. Care Act
(2014), Mental Capacity Act (2005) etc.
• Valid, full driving licence. Desirable