Social Worker - Supported Living Services

We are a Local Authority committed to serving our community and improving the lives of our residents, and we are currently seeking a motivated and talented Social Worker to join us for an exciting new 3 year project focused on developing our Supported Living Market. We’re looking for individuals with excellent communication skills and the ability to build and maintain strong relationships with colleagues, service users, and healthcare providers.

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:
You will hold a varied caseload across supported living services in and out of the Reading Borough and contribute to the team performance and positive outcomes for our residents.

You will work closely with the allocated project Occupational Therapist, care providers, Housing Services, and Health colleagues, while operating within the legal framework of relevant legislation, guidance, policies, and procedures.

The Supported Living Project:
We currently have around 380 people living in supported living services through accommodation-based services and community outreach. We work with around 50 providers to deliver a range of services from a few hours a week to multiple staff-24/7 services.

The project is designed to put people we support, innovation, and outcome-based support planning at the core of the services. We want to work with our supported living providers to improve outcomes for individuals and ensure that everyone in supported living have person centred, strengths based support plans with clear outcomes, that support the person to be as independent as they can be.

We want to work with people, their families and providers to:

Develop tech-based options
Ensure reablement/enablement approaches are core to services
Evidence Outcome based working is in every support plan and regularly reviewed
Support moves on to independence (where we can)
Ensure people are reaching their potential
Ensure services are co-produced with the people who live in them
Implement the REACH standards throughout the market

While this role is initially a 3 year project, there is a clear plan for the Social Worker to transition into another team within Adult Social Care at the end of the project, ensuring continued development and stability within the service.

About you:
You will hold a degree in Social Work and be registered with Social Work England. An interest in supported living and in exploring and developing new ways of working is important, along with being open to innovation and change—both as a participant and a leader. You will demonstrate a passion for improving services for people, strong influencing skills, and the ability to work collaboratively with team members, providers, and partner organisations.

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.

About Reading:
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 professional skills, helping you to build your Continuing Professional Development portfolio and supporting you to grow as a Social Worker.

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
Season Ticket Loan – a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work

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 Sandra Sheldon – Review Team – Team Manager – sandra.sheldon@reading.gov.ukor call 07834 802 697

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.

Visit: www.moretoreading.co.ukto find out more about Reading’s Community & Adult Social Care Services. It’s a chance to hear from the people who already work here and why they have chosen Reading as their professional destination.

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