Experienced Social Worker - Home First Team

Dorset Council; Sherborne; Hybrid; GBP 36,000 - 45,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government organization is seeking an experienced social worker for its Home First Team in Sherborne, North Dorset. The role focuses on delivering community-based care post-hospital discharge, ensuring client independence through collaborative assessment and support. Candidates should have a degree in social work, be registered with Social Work England, and possess a dynamic approach to practice. Flexible working options and a generous relocation package are included.

Benefits

27 days holiday, rising to 32 after 5 years

Local Government Pension scheme

Wellbeing support services

Access to mentoring and coaching

Qualifications

• Passionate about working with learning disabilities.
• Confident in legal frameworks related to practice.
• Registered with Social Work England and HCPC.

Responsibilities

• Conduct strengths-based assessments and support planning.
• Work collaboratively with health colleagues and professionals.
• Complete Mental Capacity Assessments.

Skills

Dynamic social worker

Person-centred practice

Excellent communication skills

Team collaboration

Knowledge of Care Act 2014

Creative problem solving

Continuous professional development

Education

Degree in social work

Job description

We are currently looking to recruit a dynamic and experienced social worker to our Home First Team located in Sherborne, North Dorset. Home First is a partnership approach to provide more community-based care in Dorset and reduce unnecessary hospital stays. We promote a discharge to assess model of working with adults who have been discharged from hospital either to their own home or to an assessment bed, working collaboratively with and alongside our health colleagues and other partners to achieve this. We work with adults and their families/carers who have more complex needs within hospital settings to support and facilitate discharge. We are a supportive and nurturing service with strong leadership who are focused and available and have a clear vision to embed quality of practice across the County. We offer hybrid and flexible working, supporting working from home. For an informal chat about or to find out more about working within our Home First Team please contact [email protected] and we will get straight back in touch.

What’s in it for you:

• We are an organisation with a strong commitment to a strengths-based approach in our relationships with customers and employees alike.
• We offer regular, reflective supervision that supports Continuous Professional Development.
• We are an organisation that is proud of its robust learning and development offer to develop your practice in a culture of trust and respect. This includes mentoring and coaching, various external training including BIA, AMHP, access to RIPFA courses, Community Care Inform and internal training to support development in specific areas of practice.
• We promote and encourage career development.
• We offer access to wellbeing support and other support services.
• You will have access to the Local Government Pension scheme.
• We offer a minimum of 27 days holiday and the option to purchase more, rising to 32 days after 5 years of continuous service.
• We proudly offer hybrid and flexible working options, supporting a harmonious work-life balance.

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What you can expect to be doing:

You will be undertaking strengths-based assessments, support planning and reviews to support customers to achieve their outcomes and promote their independence. You will be working as part of a busy team with multi-disciplinary practice being and working collaboratively with our health colleagues and other professionals integral to the role. You will be completing Mental Capacity Assessments and Court of Protection.

Key Responsibilities and Skills:

• You will be a dynamic social worker, passionate about working with learning disabilities with a strong value base and sense of person-centred practice.
• You will be creative and passionate about enabling people to be as independent as possible.
• You will have the ability to work and contribute to a team.
• You will have excellent innovation skills with a flexible approach when needed.
• You will have excellent communication skills, enjoy working in a fast-paced environment, have a flexible approach and be able to work closely with a range of professionals.
• You will need to be confident with the legal basis for practice and be able to demonstrate a good understanding of the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005, Mental Health Act 2007, Human Rights Act 1998 and Equality Act 2010.
• You will embrace continuous professional development.
• You will embody our behaviours responsibility, respect, recognition, and collaboration. https://intranet.dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/about/our-behaviours/
• You must have a degree or equivalent in social work and be registered with Social Work England and be able to fulfil the travel requirements of this position.
• Be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) or Social Work England.
• Be able to fulfil the travel requirements of the post.

Relocation Package

A generous relocation package is payable, of which up to £8,000 (of HMRC eligible elements) are free of tax. We can offer you help to move whether you are looking to buy or rent, depending on your circumstances.

Our Relocation Package includes:

• An initial advance of up to £2,500 payable when you start.
• Help towards fees associated with buying/selling (up to £6,500).
• An option to receive help towards your rent or mortgage in the first two years.

Why work for us?

• Provide more than 450 services to over 300,000 residents.
• Have ambitious aspirations.
• Be excited about our future.
• Care about Dorset and all the people who live here.
• Know that all roles make a difference and that our employees are key to our success.

Additional benefits for you

• Have access to a range of employee benefits.
• Be part of an organisation that supports each other to grow and succeed.
• Have access to a range of training opportunities which will help with your personal development and career progression.

We are challenging ourselves to become a more diverse and inclusive organisation. We recognise that recruitment and inclusion of individuals with diverse skills, perspectives and backgrounds will bring real strength to the council and our communities. We have a commitment to equality and welcome applications from everyone. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. We offer an interview to everyone who declares a disability and meets the essential criteria for the role. We are keen to make our interviews accessible. Let us know on your job application if you have a disability and need any reasonable adjustments.

This role is UK based and we will need to establish your Right to Work as part of the appointment process. We use generic job descriptions and person specifications. This means the job title on any attachments may differ from the job title in the advert. We may provide specific information in a context statement if relevant.