Specialist Support Worker

Look Ahead Care and Support; Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames; On-site; GBP 27,000 - 37,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual leave up to 30 days

Pension up to 8% + life assurance

Reward Gateway discounts & Blue Light卡

Fully paid induction & training

ILM courses & Apprenticeships

Cycle to work scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Online wellbeing resources

Staff Awards

Free DBS

Job summary

Look Ahead is recruiting two Specialist Support Workers for our Forensic Mental Health service in Kingston. The role involves delivering structured, formulation-informed keywork and supporting customers stepping down from secure care.

You will build trusted relationships, monitor risk, and work with partners to support progression. We offer a comprehensive benefits package, induction and development opportunities, pension contributions, DBS paid, and staff wellbeing resources to help you thrive

Qualifications

• Experience supporting people with complex mental health, social care, supported-housing or criminal-justice needs.
• Ability to build trust while maintaining professional boundaries and to stay engaged when progress is uneven.
• Confidence contributing to risk assessment, safeguarding and safety planning and escalating concerns appropriately.
• Ability to write clear, useful plans and records and communicate well in MDT or multi‑agency settings.
• A reflective, curious approach: able to ask what may be driving behaviour rather than responding only to what is visible.
• Willingness to share learning, coach colleagues and take ownership of a specialist area of practice.

Responsibilities

• Hold a small keyworking caseload and co‑produce support, risk, crisis, relapse‑prevention and progression plans.
• Develop reliable, professionally boundaried relationships with customers who may be distressed, guarded, ambivalent or difficult to engage.
• Monitor mental state, behaviour, dynamic risk and protective factors and communicate significant changes promptly.
• Work closely with FOS, inpatient teams and other partners around transitions, reviews, statutory conditions and progression.
• Lead shifts when required and model high‑quality recording, professional curiosity, relational security and calm decision‑making.
• Provide practical support with daily living, tenancy sustainment, medication‑related work, appointments and community rehabilitation.
• Coach colleagues and develop practical tools, resources and partnerships within an agreed specialist portfolio.
• Contribute to case reviews, incident learning, audits and service development.
• During mobilisation, take or help shape a specialist lead area based on customer need, such as dual diagnosis, vocational progression, relationships/social inclusion or another agreed priority.

Skills

Experience in complex mental health

Boundary management

Risk assessment & safeguarding

MDT/ multi-agency communication

Reflective, curious practice

Coaching colleagues

Job description

Specialist Support Worker

We're looking for two curious, compassionate and resilient Specialist Support Worker's to join our Forensic Mental Health service located in Kingston.

£32,000.00 per annum, working 40 hours per week.

Want to feel like you have an exciting future? You'll feel at home here.

Making you feel at home here means helping you thrive in every way. That's why we offer a wide range of benefits, award‑winning Learning & Development and a culture that welcomes all. These aren't token gestures - we've thought long and hard about how best to support our team. After all, our people are doing something amazing: helping to transform lives every day.

• Annual leave increasing up to 30 days with length of service


• A generous pension - we will contribute up to 8% and life assurance cover up to 3x Pensionable Salary (T&Cs apply)


• Exclusive discounts and cashback via Reward Gateway® and opportunity to buy a Blue Light Card


• Fully paid induction programme and further training


• ILM courses and Apprenticeship Programmes


• Cycle to work scheme


• Employee Assistance Programme for 24-7 confidential support


• Online wellbeing resources


• Quarterly Staff Awards to reward & recognise our amazing staff's commitment and contribution


• Free DBS

All applicants must be legally eligible to work in the UK by the start of employment as Look Ahead are not able to offer sponsorship.

In this service, the Specialist Support Workers will deliver structured, formulation-informed keywork for customers stepping down from secure care, while modelling strong practice across the team and developing a specialist portfolio in response to customer needs and service priorities.

What you'll do:

• Hold a small keyworking caseload and co‑produce support, risk, crisis, relapse‑prevention and progression plans.


• Develop reliable, professionally boundaried relationships with customers who may be distressed, guarded, ambivalent or difficult to engage.


• Monitor mental state, behaviour, dynamic risk and protective factors and communicate significant changes promptly.


• Work closely with FOS, inpatient teams and other partners around transitions, reviews, statutory conditions and progression.


• Lead shifts when required and model high‑quality recording, professional curiosity, relational security and calm decision‑making.


• Provide practical support with daily living, tenancy sustainment, medication‑related work, appointments and community rehabilitation.


• Coach colleagues and develop practical tools, resources and partnerships within an agreed specialist portfolio.


• Contribute to case reviews, incident learning, audits and service development.


• During mobilisation, take or help shape a specialist lead area based on customer need, such as dual diagnosis, vocational progression, relationships/social inclusion or another agreed priority.

This is not an exhaustive list of all the duties and responsibilities that may be required from time to time and is subject to change in accordance with the needs of Look Ahead

What you'll bring:

Essential:

• Good experience supporting people with complex mental health, social care, supported‑housing or criminal‑justice needs.


• Ability to build trust without losing professional boundaries, and to stay engaged when progress is uneven.


• Confidence contributing to risk assessment, safeguarding and safety planning and escalating concerns appropriately.


• Ability to write clear, useful plans and records and communicate well in MDT or multi‑agency settings.


• A reflective, curious approach: able to ask what may be driving behaviour rather than responding only to what is visible.


• Willingness to share learning, coach colleagues and take ownership of a specialist area of practice.

Desirable:

• Forensic mental health legislation, restricted‑patient pathways and public‑protection arrangements.


• Relational security, formulation‑informed practice and structured approaches to dynamic risk.


• Specialist portfolio knowledge where this is not already your area of expertise.


• SWLSTG/FOS systems, local pathways and commissioning expectations.

The service is anticipated to open on 4 January 2027, subject to contract finalisation, successful mobilisation and confirmation of operational readiness.

About us:

Look Ahead is a leading, not‑for‑profit care and support provider in London and the South East. Our vision is to build better lives through social care and housing in local communities. As an organisation we deliver over 100 services, providing support to thousands of customers each year. Our mission is to co‑design and deliver services that offer innovative social care solutions and support people to thrive. We work across mental health, homelessness and complex needs, young people and care leavers and learning disabilities so there are plenty of opportunities to grow and progress your career with us.

We have a strong social purpose and we live and work by our values:

• We focus on Excellence and innovation.


• We are Caring and Compassionate.


• We are Inclusive and Trusted.


• We work in Partnership and are One-Team.

Look Ahead is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults at risk, and expects all employees, workers and volunteers to share this commitment.

If your application for this role is unsuccessful, but we feel that you would be suitable for another role, we may contact you to discuss alternative opportunities. If this occurs you would not need to submit another application for the alternative role.

We are committed to diversity and inclusion at work and are accredited with Silver in the Inclusive Employers Standard 2021. We are a proud member of the Employers Domestic Abuse Covenant and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants of all backgrounds.