Social Care Officer in London

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a newly created Social Care Officer post within the Mental Health Adult Social Care Access Team (MHASCAT). MHASCAT is the front door service for all new referrals into mental health social services which sits within the Primary Care Networks (PCN) space in conjunction with our health colleagues.

We are looking for a Social Care Officer who wants to develop their skills with case work under the Care Act 2014, undertaking assessments of need, completing support plans and working with residents and carers to maximize independence and improve well-being, ascertaining the level of need and signposting as appropriate.

Other duties include daily screening of all new referrals that come through our Duty system. This includes referrals from health (including GP’s and hospitals), other teams within LBN such as Children’s Services and housing, out of borough cases that may require thorough background research, and self-referrals from residents and their carers and families. You will also take phone calls from the general public, giving advice to residents and families about what support is available to them within LBN social services as well as having knowledge of charities and other partner organisations within Newham.

As a Social Care Officer, you will need to be able to make judgement calls with your line manager on the appropriateness of the referral, the type of support that you feel the resident requires, and signpost accordingly. Most of the role will be over the telephone and virtually, however you may be asked to undertake emergency home visits if and when required.

There is a strong commitment to supporting professional development, to improve services and outcomes for vulnerable people. As a Social Care Officer, we know that you want to make a difference and working in Newham you will be given support and opportunity to do so.

We are looking for a passionate, dedicated and curious team member, who is happy to work autonomously while knowing when to escalate in a busy and fast-paced team, and has the ability to effectively prioritise. An understanding of the social determinants of mental health issues is desirable along with the complexities that may go with it including physical health, drug and alcohol issues, forensics issues, antisocial behaviour, and housing issues that may impact on a person’s well-being.

You will have strong IT skills, strong communication skills both verbal and written, and be flexible and adaptable to the needs of the team. You will also have an understanding of the Care Act 2014, Mental Health Act, and Mental Capacity Act which are the statutory legislation used to undertake decisions about care needs.

The successful post holder must be willing to work within a hybrid model (home and workplace), be doubly vaccinated against Covid-19 and have a current DBS.

We are committed to creating an inclusive, anti-racist environment for all. When you apply for a job at Newham, your application is considered on its merits regardless of your age, disability, ethnicity, faith, gender identity or sexual orientation. If you share our vision and values, and you bring the experience and skills we need, that’s all that matters to us.

The London Borough of Newham has important responsibilities for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults. If you are appointed to a job that involves working with these groups, you may be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

We practice anonymised recruitment. Please ensure that you remove all personal information from any documents that you upload. Please note that we reserve the right to close this advert early once a sufficient number of applications have been received.

The personal information we have collected from you will be shared with Cifas, who will use it to prevent fraud, other unlawful or dishonest conduct, malpractice and other serious conduct. Your personal information will also be used to verify your identity. Further details of how your information will be used by us and Cifas, and your data protection rights, can be found at.

If you would like more information about this post, please contact Nnenna Ezeogu.