Social Worker - Mental Health Social Care Team

Are you a qualified Social Worker with a passion for improving mental health outcomes? Join Reading Borough Council’s Mental Health Social Care Team and help shape positive, person-centred care in a welcoming, forward-thinking environment. We’re proud to offer a workplace where development, diversity, and wellbeing are central. Whether you’re early in your career or bringing years of experience, you’ll be supported to thrive and grow.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

About the Role:
As a Social Worker in the Mental Health Social Care Team, you will carry out Care Act assessments using a strength-based approach, aiming to achieve positive, person-centred outcomes for the people of Reading.

You’ll also be responsible for completing post-discharge reviews, ensuring that care plans are accurate and that individuals\’ eligible needs are being met. A key aspect of the role includes promoting direct payments, enabling individuals to have greater choice and control over how their care needs are met.

You’ll work collaboratively with individuals, their families and carers, making sure that Carers\’ Assessments are carried out to support those with a caring role. Emphasising a reablement-focused approach, you’ll help people regain independence wherever possible. You’ll also build effective working relationships with a range of community organisations, service providers, and health professionals to ensure coordinated and holistic support.

The role involves undertaking Mental Capacity Act assessments to a high standard, along with Community Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) work and preparing documentation for the Court of Protection. As part of the wider team, you’ll contribute to a high-performing, outcome-focused service, working in line with the values and principles of TEAM Reading.

Team Objectives:
The Mental Health Social Care Team works collaboratively with other teams across Adult Services to deliver high-quality, person-centred adult social care. We support individuals through key life transitions—from adolescence into adulthood and into older age—ensuring continuity of care and positive outcomes at every stage.

We are a strengths-based, multidisciplinary team committed to promoting independence, wellbeing, and inclusion. Our shared aim is to deliver a high-performing, efficient service grounded in clear team values, while also recognising and nurturing the diverse skills of our staff and partners.

In this role, you will manage a varied caseload and play an active part in achieving positive outcomes for Reading’s residents. This is a great opportunity to develop your professional skills through high-quality, client-led interventions delivered in a supportive and friendly environment. You will work within the legal framework provided by relevant legislation, statutory guidance, and organisational policies and procedures.

You will need to have:
• A degree or equivalent in Social Work
• Registration with Social Work England
• Understanding of the Care Act 2014
• Understanding of The Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended 2007)
• Other legislation linked Mental Health

We offer excellent support, supervision and induction. You will have access to our Learning and Development programme and be supported in your career and personal growth with opportunities to learn and develop new clinical skills, helping you to build your Continuing Professional Development portfolio, extending your skills and supporting you to grow as a social worker.

You’ll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, you’ll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.

Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:

Work Together as one team – work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do
Drive Efficiency – show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential
Be Ambitious – be demanding of our own performance – striving to be even better – and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way
Make a Difference to Reading – maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed

Our offer:
A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:
• Generous holiday entitlement – 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays – rising to 33 days after 10 years\’ service, with the option to buy additional leave
• Maternity, adoption, parental and sick pay
• A wide range of flexible working opportunities
• Access to a range of training and learning opportunities to help you develop
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
• On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted,

Closing date: Applications will be reviewed upon submission
Interview date: To be confirmed

If you would like to find out more about this role and the team, please contact Penny Conroy – Mental Health Team Manager on 07580 539 875 or email Penelope.conroy@reading.gov.uk

Please note that the closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received.

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