Team Leader

Role Responsibility

Mental Health social work  in Kent has recently undergone  really exciting transformation  which has enabled us to develop a service based on recovery and social inclusion principles, designed to be accessible to anyone needing mental health and wellbeing support in both Primary and Secondary Care including those people who fall through the gaps between services.

It provides a consistent offer of person-centred support through services which champion mental wellbeing within communities.  It forms a key part of an integrated pathway across the voluntary sector, primary and secondary health care and social care and includes public health initiatives to ensure there is appropriate, equitable, timely and cost-effective interventions for vulnerable people in the community. 
 
The service is co located with our health colleagues and is now looking to appoint a Team Leader.

This diverse and challenging role will see you managing the delivery of social care legislation and policy, ensuring we offer a consistently high quality, integrated service to people with mental health needs. As a member of the locality management team, you will contribute to overseeing the successful implementation of the integrated services strategic and operational objectives. Monitoring, recruiting and providing line management to social workers, it will be up to you to ensure the delivery of a safe and effective service for adults who are experiencing a range of mental health issues. Maintaining good relationships with the wider mental health service and external stakeholders such as the Housing Department and voluntary organisations you will also ensure quality practice learning opportunities are available for social work students.

You will provide a consultative service to other members of the multi-disciplinary team and will strive to improve the service through new initiatives and maintaining an awareness in your team of changes in legislation and related social care policies.

Registered as a social worker with the HCPC and with experience as an Approved Mental Health Professional, you will have a degree in Social Work, CQSW/DipSW or equivalent, a recognised Post Qualifying Qualification in Social Worker and a diploma in management or equivalent (or working towards this).

If you are current a practising AMHP, you will be supported to maintain your AMHP warrant.

You must also possess:

- Significant diverse post qualifying experience in working in integrated adult mental health services, and experience of complex Mental Health issues.

- Previous experience of mentoring and developing qualified Social Workers and other members of social care staff.

- Experience of research in evidence-based practice, leading to the evaluation and improvement of services and patient experience.

- A proven ability to utilise resources effectively, and excellent management skills including experience of recruiting.

- A confident manner when dealing with emergency situations, plus exceptional negotiating and interpersonal skills.

- A good working knowledge of all relevant Mental Health and Social Care legislation and Codes of Practice.

- A high-level working knowledge of KCCs policies and procedures, plus a thorough understanding of HCPC and Social Work Reform Board requirements.

- An in-depth know-how of the Social Care models of intervention, plus a solid understanding of Care and Support planning and good knowledge of national and local initiatives relating to mental health and social care services.

In return we will support you through a mentoring scheme we are developing for this post and our Social Care Academy to achieve your career ambitions.

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.

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.

Contact Details

Gareth Locke, Service Manager

03000 417506

Gareth.Locke@kent.gov.uk

About the Company

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.