Social Worker - Adult Contact and Assessment Team

You will work as part of a cohesive team of social workers, community assessment officers and occupational therapists, under the supportive guidance of the team manager and senior practitioners. The team deliver two functions:

• a front door element responding to initial contacts into Adult Social Care, such as requests for assessment of need, enquiries regarding safeguarding issues, advice and information about local services, and responding to urgent and crisis situations.
• a short-term casework element, enabling the provision of short-term social work for up to 16 weeks with adults aged 18+ with a range of complex needs in the Darlington area, working proactively with service users, their families, carers, and other relevant professionals.

You will be committed to strength-based practice, focusing on enabling people as much as possible to build on their own networks and strengths as a means of meeting their needs. You will be skilled at gathering relevant information from initial contacts and making appropriate and sound decisions as to what action needs to be taken and refer appropriately. You will have demonstratable assessment and care management skills and drive and passion to make a difference in a dynamic and fast paced multi-disciplinary team.

Do you want to be part of a council where senior managers are visible and understand the challenges of social work and where ingenious and innovative social work is welcome? Joss Harbron, our Assistant Director for Adult Social Care says \”Darlington has an established and successful track record in adult social care, where high challenge comes with high support. There is strong engagement with citizens and strong partnerships and collaboration across the directorates. I believe we deliver strong visible leadership, with clear governance, accountability and in a culture which welcomes active contributions from the teams whilst delivering high performing services\”.

Darlington Adult Social Care has undergone a significant transformation over the last few years, with an emphasis on maximising independence, delivering personalised outcomes, promoting a cost effective and stable market. Our priorities are focused on supporting reducing isolation, delaying where possible the onset of support needs, providing an intermediate care offer, supporting carers, as well as ensuring people are safe from harm. We have a culture of working together across all directorates with the ambition to grow and develop partnerships. Darlington has a stable provider market and excellent collaborations with stakeholders and partners.

As a social worker, you will form collaborative relationships with key partners including acute, primary and community health care, voluntary and independent sector to promote health and well-being and preventing, reducing and delaying need in line with the Care Act. Through strength-based assessments and interventions and a focus on the whole person and person centred care, you will support adults with care and support needs and their carers to achieve their desired outcomes and well-being. To achieve this, you will be experienced in delivering personalised care and support plans in line with national legislation, Care Act principles, Mental Health Act, and ensuring people are safe from harm.

As an adult\’s social worker in Darlington, you can expect to be fully supported on your development journey by robust caseload management, regular supervision and appraisal, outstanding training and development opportunities, and excellent total reward package including competitive salary and a wide range of employee benefits promoting well-being. Our career and pay progression scheme offers a clear growth and development pathway accompanied by competitive pay at each progression level, which reflects the increased complexity of the role and the experience required from our social workers. The rewards of working in Darlington Borough Council go beyond the salary you will receive; we have numerous additional benefits such as:

• 32 days Annual Leave, plus Bank Holidays, with option to purchase additional Annual Leave (pro-rata for part time working)
• Access to the Local Government Pension Scheme with option to make Additional Voluntary Contributions
• Flexi-time scheme
• Flexible working
• Generous Maternity, Paternity and Adoption Leave schemes
• Staff equality forums
• Green Car Leasing scheme
• Access to a wide range of training, learning and development
• Physiotherapy service
• Confidential counselling service
• Great well-being offer
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Dolphin Centre Fit for Life discounts
• Local and National retailer discounts
• Vivup employee benefit app and Lifestyle Savings
• Arriva Employee Travel Club