Senior Social Care Practitioner

Integrated Care System; Trowbridge; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading organization in mental health care is seeking a dedicated Senior Social Care Practitioner. In this role, you will support adults with complex needs, focusing on person-centered approaches. Responsibilities include carrying out assessments, developing support plans, mentoring peers, and ensuring compliance with relevant legislation. If you have significant experience in social care and are ready to take on new challenges, we encourage you to apply.

Qualifications

• Significant experience working with adults with complex needs.
• Commitment to working towards NVQ Level 4 if not already held.
• Understanding of the Care Act, Mental Health Act, and related legislation.

Responsibilities

• Conduct complex assessments and reviews under Care Act 2014.
• Develop and implement support plans in partnership with clients.
• Mentor and support junior social care practitioners.

Skills

Communication

Risk Assessment

Mentoring

Interpersonal Skills

Education

NVQ Level 4 in Health and Social Care

Job description

** WE ARE CURRENTLY UNABLE TO ACCEPT APPLICATIONS VIA NHS JOBS. TO CONTINUE WITH YOUR APPLICATION, PLEASE USE THE FOLLOWING LINK TO OUR CAREERS SITE **

Hours per week:37 hours

Interview date:To be confirmed after shortlisting

Whole Life Pathways - Supporting Mental Health

We are looking for a dedicated Senior Social Care Practitioner to join our Mental Health Team.

This is a fantastic opportunity to progress into a senior role within our supportive and forward-thinking Team. This is a locality-based team supporting adults over 18 to recover from mental health challenges and live as independently as possible. Our work is person-centred, giving people choice and control in their lives.

Main duties of the job

This is a rewarding opportunity to make a real difference in peoples lives while developing your career in a supportive and forward-thinking environment.

In this role, you will carry out complex assessments and reviews, develop support plans, and work closely with individuals, families, and partner agencies. You will provide statutory support under the Care Act 2014 and Mental Health Act 1983, including Section 117 aftercare. You will also be expected to apply knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Human Rights Act 1998 in your daily practice.

We are seeking someone with significant experience working with adults with complex needs. You should hold an NVQ Level 4 in Health and Social Care (or equivalent) or be willing to work towards it. You must have a strong understanding of relevant legislation, excellent communication skills, and the ability to work independently and manage a varied caseload.

If youre ready to grow your career and make a real difference in peoples lives, wed love to hear from you.

About us

Wiltshire Council is a friendly, welcoming place to work, with a 'One Council' ethos. Thats why we focus on getting the things that matter to our people right.

Job responsibilities

Senior Social Care Practitioners are expected to work in line with the requirementsdescribed in the Workforce Quality Assurance Framework.Senior Social Care Practitioners carry out the following tasks under the Care Act 2014:- Assessment and review of complex customers needs and outcomes Co-ordination ofthe customer/carer journey in identifying eligible needs and outcomes.- Where applicable, work in partnership with the customer and other agencies incompiling an appropriate support plan.In addition, they also carry out the following tasks under the Mental Health Act 1983.- Assess and review customers aftercare needs under Section 117 of the Act.Senior Social Care Practitioners will also work under and/or be conscious of other relevantlegislation such as the Mental Capacity Act 2005, the Human Rights Act 1998 etc.Specific duties and responsibilities include:

Provide support to social care practitioners; the postholder is required to have excellentknowledge and ability in relation to supporting adults with care and support needs.

Actively engage in individual and group / peer supervision and embed learning inpractice.

Mentor Level 2 social care practitioners, to ensure they are empowered with gooddecision-making abilities.

Support quality assurance work across all social care practitioner colleagues.

To have excellent understanding of assessment, support planning and themanagement of risks for individuals and to be able to apply council policy and supportcustomers to manage risk appropriately.

To undertake person-centred work with customers and to plan for the provision ofsupport and/ or services with customers with more complex needs in order to assistthem to meet their outcomes and to live as independently as possible, givingconsideration to whether the person needs support to fully participate in theassessment and support planning process.

Providing more specialist / professional advice and guidance to colleagues where thesituation and outcome are not straightforward or well established.

Undertake review of risks within the assessment and support planning process, toensure that risk appraisal is imbedded in all interventions as required.

To consider whether there is a concern about an individuals capacity to make aspecific decision, including restrictions placed on an individual which may amount to aDeprivation of Liberty Safeguard (DoLS) or Liberty Protection Safeguard (LPS) (i.e.,they are subject to continuous supervision and control and are not free to leave.

Gathering information to support the Mental Capacity Act process, as required toensure that adults with care and support needs are supported within the correct legalframework.

Support and undertake non-complex mental capacity assessments as and whenrequired.

To take responsibility for making accurate and timely recording of all information andactivity onto the social care records database in accordance with work targets set bythe Team Manager and Supervisor.

To identify and support carers to continue in their role by identifying their needs forsupport, referring them to Carer Support Wiltshire for a carers assessment and otheraction as appropriate, giving consideration of the impact on the whole family of anycaring role and responsibilities.

To identify where adults may be at risk and to act in accordance with safeguardingpolicies and procedures.

To gather sufficient information about complex customers to be able to accuratelyassess their needs against the national eligibility criteria within the Care Act 2014 andS117 of the Mental Health Act 1983. This includes working creatively to identify sourcesof support to improve the individuals well-being and independence and making adetermination about eligibility for support.

To contribute to gathering and updating local knowledge about universally availableservices including what is available locally within the voluntary and community sector,as well as the service areas commissioned and contracted services and tosignpost/advocate for customers accordingly.

Manage complex and contentious issues in a calm and professional manner, ensuringinformation is shared when appropriate and that feedback on improvements to servicedelivery with recommendations to improve are made to ensure service delivery is of ahigh standard. The postholder will be required to make quick decisions sometimeswithout full information. They will need to draw on their past experience, strongknowledge of operational working practices and legislative guidelines.

To practice in a manner which fully complies with council corporate and service policiesand procedures at all times.

To write support plans for individuals which reflect the individuals eligible and non-eligible needs and what outcomes they wish to be achieved, in a manner whichcomplies with Care Act requirements and S117 of The Mental Health Act.

To carry out support plan reviews in a timely and person-centred way, as required andidentified by departmental targets, taking a view on whether agreed outcomes havebeen met.

To evidence need for continuing support at all times in accordance with eligibility criteriaand to work with customers and care providers to identify promotion of increasedindependence.

Demonstrate strong performance in terms of responding to demand within the team androle model expected behaviours relating to caseloads and work completed.

To represent the council and support colleagues at inter professional and interagencymeetings, for example multi-disciplinary team (MDT) meetings as required.

To fully engage and prepare for own supervision and appraisal through self-evaluation,ensuring that continual professional development is evidenced.

To be an ambassador for the council and the department at all times, alwaysrepresenting the council positively, professionally and appropriately at meetings withcustomers, external partners and agencies.

Attending Civil Emergencies when a Rest Centre is set up (happens rarely)

Person Specification

Experience

• High level of relevant and practical experience acquired on the job.
• An advanced understanding of relevant procedures and working practices.
• Advanced knowledge of specialist function relevant to service area.
• Excellent ICT skills including use of Microsoft applications and specialist systems.
• Significant experience of working with clients and client groups with complex needs.
• Proven ability to carry out client risk assessments to identify eligibility for service provision and/or
• risk of harm.
• Proven ability to advise and guide clients to encourage development and to access services to
• which they are entitled.
• Ability to build trust and confidence with clients, client groups and colleagues.
• Proven ability to interpret situations, analyse behaviours to make judgements and deliver
• interventions to achieve outcomes.
• Proven ability to deliver training.

Qualifications

• Significant experience of working with clients and client groups with complex needs.
• NVQ level 4 in Health and Social Care or Apprenticeship in Health and Social Care
• or equivalent, or the ability to demonstrate the skills required and a commitment to
• work towards a relevant qualification as defined by the council within an agreed
• timeframe.
• Up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation including the Care Act 2014, the Mental
• Health Act 1983, the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and the Human Rights Act 1998.
• Ability to utilise a range of Microsoft and electronic social care record software.
• Significant contemporary knowledge of relevant legislation and guidance in relation
• to working with, and the safeguarding of, vulnerable adults.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to effectively communicate with people in a
• variety of ways and levels.
• Proven ability to advise and guide clients to encourage development and to access
• services to which they are entitled.
• Proven ability / knowledge to carry out client risk assessments, to support effective
• appraisal of to identify risk and impact of harm.
• Ability to prioritise tasks, work on own initiative against deadlines and plan and
• organise own work. Experience of working without direct supervision and the ability
• to work on own initiative.
• Proven ability to interpret general guidelines to resolve issues.
• Ability to interpret situations, analyse behaviours to make judgements and deliver
• interventions to achieve outcomes.
• Significant experience of developing appropriate support packages and care plans
• through the accurate identification of clients needs, monitoring and reviewing the
• needs and services as required.
• Good understanding of the national agenda for Transformation in Social Care.
• Ability to work in a person centred way to meet individual outcomes.
• Fully fluent in spoken and written English.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.