Senior Social Worker - Advice and Wellbeing Hub (Homelessness)

CIH International Housing Group; Reading; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Senior Social Worker to join their dedicated team in Reading. This role focuses on supporting individuals facing homelessness through assertive outreach and tailored interventions. You will work closely with local homelessness support services, conducting assessments and facilitating best interest meetings. The position offers a unique opportunity to make a meaningful impact in the lives of vulnerable individuals while developing your skills in Adult Social Care. Join a supportive team committed to driving positive change and enhancing community well-being.

Benefits

Generous holiday entitlement

Flexible working opportunities

Local Government Pension Scheme

On-site day nursery

Season Ticket Loan

Lease car salary sacrifice scheme

Qualifications

• Strong background in social work with understanding of homelessness.
• Ability to conduct assessments and work in dynamic environments.

Responsibilities

• Manage a targeted caseload to support individuals with complex needs.
• Conduct outreach and build relationships with clients.

Skills

Social Work

Homelessness Support

Mental Health Awareness

Problem Solving

Communication Skills

Relationship Building

Education

Degree in Social Work

Registration with Social Work England

Job description

37 hours per week - Fixed term for 23 months

Are you a Senior Social Worker with experience working with rough sleepers or the homeless? We are seeking a dedicated and creative Senior Social Worker to join our team, focused on providing assertive outreach and tailored support to individuals facing homelessness.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

About the Role:

This Senior Social Worker role involves working to support individuals with complex needs, including those who are rough sleeping or residing in homelessness support services. You will be part of the Advice and Wellbeing Hub team but working in partnership with the Homelessness Teams.

This role plays a crucial part in breaking the cycle of rough sleeping, where individuals are placed in 24/7 supported accommodation (such as the Pods or Salvation Army) only to be evicted due to unmanaged behaviours like hoarding, poor personal care, aggression, or mental health issues.

By providing the right interventions, non-statutory commissioned services are able to manage these behaviours and support individuals in making progress towards a positive move-on, helping them sustain housing and work towards long-term stability.

You will need to be based within commuting distance of Reading due to the nature of the role, which involves regular outreach, in-reach, and collaboration with local homelessness support services and housing providers.

The role involves you undertaking work using the Conversation Counts model, working on prevention and early support. Using your social work expertise, you will conduct Care Act assessments, safeguarding investigations, risk assessments and Mental Capacity assessments, as well as facilitate best interest meetings.

Key Responsibilities:

• Manage a smaller, targeted caseload to offer more responsive support to individuals with complex needs.
• Conduct outreach shifts to build relationships with clients, encouraging engagement with assessments and support.
• Work in-reach within homelessness support services (Pods, Nova, Salvation Army, Launchpad, YMCA) to engage clients and build partnerships, while also upskilling staff.
• Co-locate with rough sleeping outreach services and commissioned homelessness support teams to assess and offer tailored support to clients who struggle with traditional service models.
• Explore innovative ways to assess and offer ASC support, focusing on sustaining tenancies and avoiding unnecessary reliance on ASC alternatives.
• Ensure that assessments are not closed prematurely and help clients move away from complex lifestyles by implementing appropriate ASC interventions.

This position offers an excellent opportunity to develop your skills and experience in Adult Social Care, delivering high-quality, person-centred interventions to individuals in their own homes. You will be part of a friendly and supportive team committed to making a meaningful difference in people's lives.

About You:

• A Social Work England registration and a recognised Social Work qualification.
• You'll have a strong background in social work or related fields, with a deep understanding of homelessness, mental health, and substance use challenges.
• You'll be comfortable working in dynamic, fast-paced environments and will use your creativity and problem-solving skills to engage with clients who have traditionally struggled to access services.
• Your communication and relationship-building skills will be key to success, as you work alongside housing providers, support services, and healthcare professionals to achieve the best outcomes for vulnerable individuals.

You will work within the legal framework provided by the statute, guidance, policies and procedures. We offer excellent support, supervision and induction.

You will need to have:

• A degree or equivalent in Social Work
• Registration with Social Work England
• Understanding of the Care Act 2014

You will have access to our Learning and Development programme and be supported in your career and personal growth with opportunities to learn and develop new clinical skills, helping you to build your Continuing Professional Development portfolio, extending your skills and supporting you to grow as a social worker.

We work closely with our colleagues in Reading Borough Council, Health Professionals, Voluntary and Charity colleagues to facilitate the best possible outcomes for those people we support.

You'll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you'll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.

Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do.

Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential.

Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance - striving to be even better - and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way.

Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed.

Our offer:

A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:

• Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave.
• Maternity, adoption, parental and sick pay.
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities.
• Access to a range of training and learning opportunities to help you develop.
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).
• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted.
• Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work.
• Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax.
• Salary sacrifice scheme for Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) to help you save for your retirement.

If you would like to find out more about this role please contact Caroline Marsh - Team Manager on 0118 937 3672, [e-mail]

Closing date: Applications will be reviewed upon submission
Interview date: TBA

Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

Visit: www.moretoreading.co.uk to find out more about Reading's Community & Adult Social Care Services. It's a chance to hear from the people who already work here and why they have chosen Reading as their professional destination.