Social Worker (SPA Practitioner) Swindon

The SPA Practitioner will play a pivotal role in delivering responsive, person-centred care to children, young people and families across Swindon. Working within a Single Point of Access model, this role will provide meaningful telephone consultations to all appropriate referrals, ensuring each contact receives timely, relevant guidance or signposting to local mental health and wellbeing services.

The successful candidate will work closely with families to provide guidance, education, and support in managing children and young people's (CYP) mental health needs. The role involves triaging and screening referrals, making informed clinical and pathway decisions, and carrying out assessments and safety calls with CYP and their families. You will hold a small active caseload, offering tailored support and providing practical resources to parents and caregivers. Working collaboratively with schools, healthcare professionals, social services, and community organisations, you will help ensure a coordinated and holistic approach to care. Responsibilities also include monitoring access and outcomes, particularly for marginalised or vulnerable groups, responding to safeguarding concerns with appropriate interventions, and contributing to service improvement. You will stay up to date with developments in child and adolescent mental health through ongoing training, participate in supervision and peer support, and engage with local communities to raise awareness of available services. The role also requires participation in an on-call rota, including evenings and weekends, and a flexible approach to support the evolving needs and priorities of the service.

Job responsibilities include:

• Assessing presenting needs, holding supportive conversations, and directing children, young people and families to the most appropriate pathways within BE U or services across the local landscape.
• Working closely with other professionals in education, health and community services to ensure a smooth and informed journey for families navigating emotional wellbeing support.
• Excellent risk assessment and management skills in relation to positive risk taking and decision making to enable safe and effective responses to CYP and their families.

Main Duties and responsibilities:

• Work closely with families as appropriate to offer guidance, education, and support in managing their child's mental health challenges.
• Triaging/screening referrals, making clinical decisions and providing assessment and pathway decisions.
• Completing assessment and safety calls to CYP & families.
• Hold active small caseload of CYP.
• Provide resources to parents and caregivers to help them understand and address their child's mental health needs effectively.
• Collaborate with schools, healthcare providers, social services, and other community organisations to coordinate care and ensure a holistic approach to each child's well-being.
• Monitor and contribute to improving local access metrics for children and young people, particularly those from marginalised or vulnerable backgrounds.
• Respond to identified safeguarding concerns, providing immediate support and intervention to children and families in need.
• Stay current with developments in child and adolescent mental health, attending training sessions, workshops, and conferences as needed.
• Participate in regular supervision and peer support meetings to ensure best practices and continuous professional growth.
• Engage with local communities to raise awareness about mental health issues and available support services for children and young people.
• Provide on-call support including evenings & weekends as part of a rota.
• Any other duties appropriate to the role to support the development of the service offer and quality of care received by CYP.

Skills & Competencies required:

• Experience in delivering phone-based assessments or support within a health, education or social care context.
• Experience of managing own caseload delivering evidence-based/CBT informed interventions.
• Knowledge of emotional wellbeing needs in children and young people.
• Strong understanding of the local support landscape or willingness to rapidly develop this knowledge.
• Ability to listen actively and communicate effectively, showing empathy and cultural sensitivity.
• Ability to assess levels of need, manage risk, and provide appropriate signposting or escalation.
• Strong documentation and record-keeping skills, ensuring accurate, evidence-based case notes.
• Proficiency with digital systems, including client management systems and Microsoft Office.
• Cultural competency and sensitivity to the diverse needs of the community.
• Confidence to work independently while contributing to a wider multi-disciplinary team.

Experience:

• Essential: Knowledge of development in MH CYP, family development and of transitions. Experience of working in an enhanced need MH multi-disciplinary team environment and with external professionals such as emergency services. Ability to work independently to assess and manage risks. Ability to recognise and respond to concerns about child protection and safeguarding.
• Desirable: Experience in quality improvement measures.

Qualifications:

• Essential: Mental Health or equivalent professional health qualification e.g. Allied Health Professional, RMN Nurse, Social Worker - Minimum of 18 months post qualification experience. Up to date knowledge of CYP emotional wellbeing / early mental health clinical evidence-based practice and support for parents/carers.
• Desirable: Relevant qualification NVQ / Uni Qualification. Mentorship qualification or equivalent. Evidence of post registration training.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.