Experienced Social Worker

Role Responsibility

About the team

The Out of Area Treatment Service (OATS) is a small team, which is part of the ASCH Directorate within KCC. OATS work closely with the Integrated Care Boards, Kent and Medway Partnership Trust, Review and Resettlement practitioners and KCC commissioners to provide a joined -up approach to assessing people’s care needs under relevant legislative framework.  

The service provides a county wide social work service for adults who are admitted to an out of area psychiatric hospital. Our service is based on recovery and social inclusion principles and is designed to be accessible to anyone who is an inpatient on any of the Out Of Area adult psychiatric wards needing mental health and well-being support from a social care perspective. Our service provides a consistent person-centred support through services which champion mental well-being for people within families, network and communities.

We are looking for dynamic, creative, and motivated individuals to join our friendly and supportive team.

Role Responsibility

The role will offer you plenty of opportunities to undertake in-house core training courses and to acquire skills and knowledge to enhance your progression. We are committed to working in co-production with service users and carers, within a recovery approach which maximises self-determination and empowerment. Working alongside multi-disciplinary colleagues and with other agencies, including Acute and Community Trusts, Primary Care Services, and the voluntary sector you will support service users and carers to develop personalised care and support plans which draw on community resources to achieve the most positive outcomes. This gives us the opportunity to provide social care intervention quickly and effectively to those who need it most. You will be responsible for assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating appropriate discharge plans.

In your role as an OATS Social Worker, you will be working collaboratively with our service providers and stakeholders, and taking a strength-based approach, you will undertake complex assessments, support individuals to set personal goals and outcomes, support people to take positive risk whilst aiming for the least restrictive interventions. and review their effectiveness. Whilst putting the person’s wishes at the heart of every decision, you will explore the community and commissioned services that will best meet their eligible needs, working within budget to make the best use of resources.

You must possess:

• Good working knowledge of all relevant Mental Health and Social Care legislation, policy, guidance, and Codes of Practice. You must also have a good understanding of SWE requirements.
• Be registered with Social Work England, have a degree in Social Work, CQSW/Dipsw or equivalent 
• Competency to operate at the Experienced Social Worker level of the Social Care Capability Framework.
• Robust working knowledge of mental health conditions and treatments, and approaches to social work intervention.
• Significant post qualification experience, in Social Services, Health related agencies or related private or voluntary organisation, of a magnitude that enables the post holder to have achieved the relevant level of the Capabilities Framework.
• Evidence of experience of safeguarding practice and the application of the Care Act and Mental Capacity Act in practice.
• Being able to work in a multi-agency environment/partnership.
• Good computer literacy and report writing skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and mediation and negotiation skills.
• Have effective communication skills, with the ability to write reports and meet deadlines. 
• Be willing to travel across a wide geographical area, you will be a motivated, flexible practitioner with a passion for working with people with mental health problems.

Our offer

• Salary £36,866 - £43,011 per annum
• Relocation packages up to a maximum of £8,000
• Full induction and comprehensive professional learning and development
• Starting annual leave allowance of 29 - 30 days
• A minimum of 5 day's training each year
• Excellent local government pension scheme.
• You will receive regular professional supervision and have the opportunity to critically reflect on your practice.
• You will be supported to develop your practice and progress your career.

This post is subject to an Enhanced Disclosure application to the Disclosure and Barring service and registration as a qualified Social Worker with Social Work England.

This post is considered by KCC to be a customer-facing position. The Council therefore has a statutory duty under Part 7 of the Immigration Act (2016) to ensure that post holders have a command of spoken English/Welsh sufficient for the effective performance of the job requirements. The appropriate standards are set out in the Job Description/Person Specification.

If you are an experienced social worker and you are interested in the post, we look forward to hearing from you.

Contact Details

For more information about the role, please contact Szilvia MacKenzie – Team Manager Early Discharge Planning szilvia.mackenzie@kent.gov.uk (tel:03000422953 ) or Christine Lynn, Advanced Practitioner Christine.lynn@kent.gov.uk (tel:03000416165)

About the Company

KCC is committed to building a workforce which reflects the diversity of the county’s working residents, encouraging applications from people of all ages, abilities, genders, sexual orientations, ethnic backgrounds, faiths and those with caring responsibilities, and aspires to create an inclusive workplace where everyone can be themselves at work.

Please note – if you are interested, please apply as soon as possible as the closing date for this advert may be earlier than stated should a number of suitably qualified candidates apply.