Social Worker

Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust celebrates diversity and promotes equal opportunities; we are committed to challenging and eliminating racism and other forms of discrimination and advancing and promoting equality of opportunity in the provision of services and creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We believe that everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. We take positive action to support disadvantaged groups and also particularly encourage applications from ethnic minorities, disabled and LGBTQIA+ people that are under-represented in our workforce. Furthermore, we welcome applications from reservists and ex-armed forces personnel as we recognise the benefits of the values, skills, training and experience that they bring to their work with us. We encourage all applicants to share their equality information with us.

As a Social Worker, the post holder will provide a specialised role in the development and implementation of services and care pathways for children and young people with mental health (CYPMH) problems within the THRIVE Framework for service delivery. The post holder will be expected to provide specialist assessment/interventions with CYP and families alongside advice, consultancy and supervision to both colleagues and external partner agencies in line with THRIVE. As the post is identified within the CYPMH strategy, it is expected the role will continue to develop in line with national and local initiatives. The post holder will demonstrate an attitude which respects and values service users and their carers.

Main duties of the job

• To provide direct specialist therapeutic interventions, including assessments, formulation and therapeutic input into children, young people and families referred into the service.
• To support the getting risk support quadrant of the THRIVE model across the local system in particular to support admission avoidance and crisis as well as multiagency care planning.
• To work with local authority colleagues as well as system partners to support safe pathways.
• Undertake risk assessments and care plans accordingly, in line with the THRIVE framework.
• To be responsible for the authorising of referrals to children and Young People’s services, including urgent referrals.
• To participate directly in the teams duty rota’s and provide support and guidance to other colleagues undertaking the role.
• To exercise responsibility and autonomy, within supervisory, managerial and accountability structures, for the assessment, treatment and discharge of clients.
• To deliver care co-ordination, ensuring effective assessment, care planning and risk management processes are maintained.
• Involve the views of children, their families, referring agents and other professionals involved in the network of care including organising multi-agency meetings.
• To produce a clinical formulation and intervention plan founded on evidence-based practice in co-operation with the child, young person and carers.

Working for our organisation

Mersey Care is one of the largest trusts providing physical health and mental health services in the North West, serving more than 1.4 million people across our region and are also commissioned for services that cover the North West, North Wales and the Midlands. We offer specialist inpatient and community services that support physical and mental health and specialist inpatient mental health, learning disability, addiction and brain injury services. Mersey Care is one of only three trusts in the UK that offer high secure mental health facilities. At the heart of all we do is our commitment to ‘perfect care’ – care that is safe, effective, positively experienced, timely, equitable and efficient. We support our staff to do the best job they can and work alongside service users, their families, and carers to design and develop future services together. We’re currently delivering a programme of organisational and service transformation to significantly improve the quality of the services we provide and safely reduce cost as we do so. Flexible working requests will be considered for all roles.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• To receive and engage in regular clinical supervision in accordance with Trust Clinical Governance Standards and the Code of Practice and ethical guidelines of professional body.
• To contribute to the development and maintenance of the highest professional standards of practice through active participation in internal and external CPD training in consultation with the post holder's service manager to meet professional body requirements for CPD and registration.
• To contribute to the development of best practice in the service by taking part in regular supervision and appraisal and maintaining awareness of current developments in the field.
• To maintain professional body registration.

Person specification

Qualifications

• Recognised qualification in Social Work at certificate or Diploma level e.g., DipSW, CQSW or CSS
• Social Work England Registration
• Masters (MSW), postgraduate (PGDipSW) or equivalent level of experience
• Qualification in clinical supervision

Knowledge and Experience

• Post registration experience or equivalent experience in relevant first profession including multi-disciplinary experience of working with children, adolescents, families and groups
• Knowledge and application of professional standards, codes of conduct and HCPC standards of proficiency
• Ability to assess and manage complex cases in a multidisciplinary team setting
• An understanding of diversity and how it affects practice
• Experience of supervising others
• Experience of working within CYPMHS
• Experience of representing a team or the profession at a local level or business stream level

Skills

• Advanced knowledge and skills in using the complete range of approaches as required to meet the needs of different patients and settings
• Advanced level of knowledge of the mental health needs of children and adolescents
• Advanced knowledge and skills in providing consultation to other professionals and non-professional groups
• To be able to practice safely and effectively within scope of practice
• To be able to practice within the legal and ethical boundaries of Social Work profession
• Be able to draw on appropriate knowledge and skills to inform practice
• Develop written documents including report writing relevant for practice
• To be able to practice as an autonomous professional
• To be able to build compassionate and effective relationships
• To be able to maintain records appropriate
• Ability to take full clinical responsibility for patient care and treatment, both as a care coordinator and within the context of a multi-disciplinary team
• Interpersonal skills of the highest level to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, in order to convey complex and clinically sensitive information to family members of all ages and to a wide range of lay and professional persons, within and outside of the NHS
• Knowledge of legislation and strategic frameworks and their implications for both clinical practice and professional management in relation to the full range of client groups
• An ability to manage time, prioritise work and meet deadlines, coordinating areas of work that are complex and demanding
• Ability to identify and provide appropriate means of support to carers and staff exposed to highly distressing situations and severely challenging behaviours
• Ability to identify and employ as appropriate clinical governance mechanisms for the support and maintenance of clinical practice

Values

• Accountability
• Support
• High professional standards
• Responsive to service users
• Engaging leadership style
• Transparency and honesty
• Discreet
• Change oriented