Home Adaptations Senior Caseworker in Southampton

About the Home Adaptations Service

We have an exciting opportunity to expand our delivery of adaptations in Southampton and join the Council’s newly formed Home Adaptation Service as Senior Caseworker. This role is fixed term for two years, full time. We are committed to investing in our future and strengthening our directorate to deliver high quality, person centred support for adults across the city. This is an excellent time to join us as we continue to innovate and develop our adaptation service as part of a wider transformation programme of expansion and promotion via the establishment of the new city wide Home Adaptation Service. Our goal is to provide a more robust foundation from which we can expand the reach of the service whilst also seeking more innovative, preventative, and personalised applications from the available funding.

Working with colleagues in the Home Adaptations Service, the Housing Occupational Therapy Team in Adult Social Care, and Social Care, a Senior Caseworker will support people to live independently in their own homes for longer through a strengths-based approach. One of the most important parts of a Senior Casework Officer’s role is to have oversight and manage Caseworker caseloads while also providing leadership, mentoring, and specialised advice to the Casework team. They act as a senior point of contact for clients, ensuring service quality, compliance with adaptation policy and procedures, and helping to assess and support an applicant’s adaptation needs throughout their entire adaptation journey. They also assess appropriate resources and escalate urgent matters where appropriate, ensuring prompt action working with their own allocated caseload and coordinating Caseworker appropriate case plans.

About the Team

Our Home Adaptation Service team supports both children’s and adult residents of Southampton who require an adaptation in their home to help access essential facilities and to maximise independence. We complete home visits across the city and make recommendations for:

• Major and minor adaptations funded via the Disabled Facilities Grant/ Discretionary Financial Assistance Policy
• Adaptations delivered through Southampton City Council Housing Revenue Account
• Specialist equipment and other minor works when required

You will be part of a supportive, collaborative team with strong links across housing, health, and social care services.

About the Role

As a Senior Casework Officer within the Home Adaptation Service, you will:

• Manage your own complex caseload and develop tailored action plans for an applicant requesting adaptations, from initial referral to the installation and completion of an adaptation.
• Support the Caseworkers in the delivery of adaptations, relevant equipment and processes to help meet assessed need, compile complex file preparation for senior management, and provide guidance and supervision and regular 1‑1’s to more junior Caseworkers in the team, including reviewing their work and conducting file audits.
• Supervise the Caseworker Team, assisting in offering tailored advice, information and support and help resolve high‑level complaints or contentious cases.
• Ensure all work complies with legislation (e.g., GDPR), quality standards, and service‑level agreements.
• Build relationships with external agencies, internal SCC departments, and specialised organisations for appropriate referrals.
• Analyse case data to produce reports and improve service delivery.
• Work closely with a range of internal and external partners, including Home Adaptation Service officers, Southampton City Council Home Adaptation delivery team, Adult Social Care and Housing Occupational Therapists, appropriate additional support agencies, and relevant NHS and community health teams.
• Support the delivery of safe, effective, and timely adaptation pathways.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement and development of the service.

About You

We are looking for confident and self‑motivated individuals who:

• Have excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Have relevant supervisory experience.
• Handle sensitive situations with empathy and negotiate with stakeholders.
• Can work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team.
• Are committed to delivering high quality, strengths‑based practice.
• Can demonstrate sound organisational and problem‑solving skills.
• Are adaptable and willing to contribute to a new, exciting overarching Home Adaptation Service.

Training and regular supervision will be provided.

Key Requirements

• Hold 5 GCSEs (English and Maths) and another higher‑level qualification.
• Have supervisory experience and experience of managing a complex case load as well as experience of working with vulnerable members of the public.
• Have demonstrable administrative, organisational and excellent report‑writing skills, and be an effective communicator, with the ability for critical thinking for quick decision making.
• Proficiency in IT and case management skills.
• Able to maintain accurate case files, writing and updating reports and preparing documentation.
• Able to prioritise Caseworker caseload and identify urgent cases, any potential difficulties in an adaptation application/client journey and ability to handle sensitive and high‑pressure situations with empathy and assertiveness.
• Able to negotiate with key stakeholders and build effective partner relationships.
• Able to take responsibility for complex decisions.

What we can offer you:

Salary: The salary band for this role is £37,280 – £40,778. The starting salary is £37,280 with annual progression through the salary bands. Here at SCC we have a range of different benefits, a few examples can be found below.

• Excellent local government pension with 15.2% employer contribution.
• Death in service benefit of x3 salary, and optional salary sacrifice shared cost AVC (additional voluntary contribution).
• Generous holiday 25–31 days, based on role and service.
• Flexible working options (role‑dependent).
• Family‑friendly policies – Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Shared/Unpaid Parental Leave, Time off for Dependents.
• Training and development, including coaching and mentoring.
• Health and wellbeing support – Employee Assistance Programme, Menopause Pledge, Mental Health First Aiders and access to a variety of staff networks.
• Veteran‑friendly employer with the Armed Forces Covenant.
• Retail discounts and savings through the Southampton City Council benefits platform.
• Discounted memberships at local sports and fitness centres.
• Sustainable travel benefits – low emission car scheme, cycle to work, season ticket loans.
• Employee volunteering scheme with 2 paid days leave to volunteer.

For further information on our benefits package please visit Employee benefits (southampton.gov.uk).