Social Worker: Mental Health & Substance Use - Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre

An exciting opportunity has arisen to work within the Adult Mental Health and Substance Use Service, whose main aim is to support and achieve positive outcomes with individuals and their families who experience issues and barriers to living healthy lives in relation to substance use and/or mental health.

Working in partnership with a variety of agencies both internal and external and undertaking a wide range of tasks, both statutory and non-statutory, the people we work with are placed firmly at the centre of everything we do. We adopt a trauma-informed approach in addition to understanding how important it is to quickly form strong working relationships with others, and recognising how these relationships can impact and affect outcomes.

We welcome applications from both experienced or newly qualified social workers, and especially those who are passionate about working with people experiencing mental health or addiction issues, while acknowledging – and who are willing to appropriately challenge - the stigma and discrimination often faced by these client groups.

Edinburgh Health & Social Care Partnership is on a journey to transform the way in which Social Work delivers support and services to ensure that we support adults with multiple and complex needs, and increasing levels of frailty, to live as independently as possible. We work effectively with our health colleagues and a broad range of partners to ensure that the most vulnerable within our city get the right service in the right place at the right time. We have a key priority to shift the balance of care and promote effective early intervention and preventative supports.

We are looking for qualified Social Workers, who are committed to making a real difference to people’s lives, who are energetic, imaginative, creative, and resilient. Ideally, we are seeking experienced social workers who can join our team as council officers. Trauma informed, relationships and strengths based social work is at the heart of our practice.

You will undertake a range of statutory tasks including assessments and support planning, risk assessment and risk management and Carers’ assessments. You will work as part of a multidisciplinary team and will support adults, their families, and carers, to balance the complex areas of risk and need with choice and rights. You will also be able to provide advice, support, guidance and, if necessary, interventions, should an adult be at risk of harm and in need of protection under the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 or Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000.

You will work in a supportive, well-established teams and have regular supervision and training. Preferred candidates will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check prior to a formal offer of employment being made by the City of Edinburgh Council. You must hold a degree/diploma or equivalent qualification in Social Work. You must also be registered or in the process of registering with the Scottish Social Services Council.

This post is regulated work with children and/or protected adults under the Protection of Vulnerable Groups (Scotland) Act 2007. The preferred candidate will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check. Where an individual has spent a continuous period of 3 months or more out with the UK in the last 5 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check. An unconditional offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of both these pre-employment checks being deemed satisfactory.

We are committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce where everyone feels valued and able to be their best. We particularly encourage applications from women for senior roles, as well as people from minority ethnic backgrounds, people with disabilities or neurodivergent people, care experienced people, carers and LGBT+ people across all levels of the organisation, all of whom are currently underrepresented. All applicants will be considered fairly based on skills and experience. Disabled and care-experienced applicants who meet the minimum job criteria will be guaranteed an interview.

As part of our goal to improve organisational culture and create a great place to work together for the people of Edinburgh, we want to make sure we're recruiting the best people. We're interested not only in your skills and experience but also in your approach to work. Therefore, part of our interview process will be an assessment of how you would bring Our Behaviours of Respect, Integrity and Flexibility into your ways of working.

You can find out more on Our Behaviours web page.