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- Tasks: Support adults with life-limiting illnesses in their homes through compassionate social work.
- Company: Dynamic hospice team focused on community palliative care.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, professional development, and a supportive work environment.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in people's lives during vulnerable times.
- Qualifications: Professional Social Work qualification and experience with complex health needs.
- Other info: Flexible working with opportunities for career growth and mentoring.
The predicted salary is between 53496 - 57032 £ per year.
Location: Sydenham
Department: Social Work and Welfare
Hours: 36 hours per week
Salary: £53,496-£57,032 per annum
This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Social Worker seeking to develop advanced practice within a specialist community palliative care service. We are looking for a compassionate, highly skilled practitioner who is motivated to work within a proactive, dynamic, multidisciplinary hospice team supporting adults with life-limiting illness in their own homes, and those important to them.
Our community social work team undertakes holistic psychosocial assessments, including carers’ assessments in context of palliative care needs. This post will also be responsible for safeguarding and complex mental capacity assessments. We work collaboratively with primary care, community nursing teams, acute hospitals, local authorities and voluntary sector partners to ensure coordinated, person-centred care at a time of profound vulnerability and transition.
As a Senior Social Worker, you will hold a complex community caseload, underpinning your practice with a strengths-based, trauma-informed and relationship-centred approach. You will ensure that assessments and support plans are legally literate, proportionate and responsive to the social, emotional, cultural and financial impact of life-limiting illness.
Community palliative care social work frequently involves:
- Advance care planning and future care discussions
- Complex safeguarding concerns, including self-neglect and carer stress
- Family conflict, domestic abuse and breakdown in care arrangements
- Work involving fluctuating or impaired mental capacity
- Supporting hospital avoidance and facilitating timely, safe discharge home
- Coordinating packages of care and advocating where statutory services are limited
You will demonstrate advanced skills in managing risk within community settings, often where uncertainty, compressed timescales and high emotional intensity are present. A strong working knowledge of safeguarding processes, the Care Act 2014 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 is essential.
As a senior member of the team, you will contribute to strengthening high-quality social work practice within the hospice by:
- Providing reflective supervision, professional guidance and mentoring to less experienced social workers, ASYE practitioners and students
- Leading on complex case consultations
- Contributing to case audits and quality improvement activity
- Supporting policy development in areas such as safeguarding, mental capacity, and working with individuals who are difficult to engage
- Promoting the distinctive contribution of social work within a multidisciplinary and predominantly medical model
We are particularly interested in applicants who can articulate the value of community social work in enabling people to remain at home where possible, supporting carers, reducing health inequalities, and advocating for individuals whose voices may otherwise be marginalised.
To be considered for shortlisting, your application must clearly evidence:
- Professional qualification in Social Work and current registration with Social Work England
- Substantial post-qualification experience working with adults with complex health, social care or safeguarding needs
- Applied knowledge of the Care Act 2014 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005, including experience of undertaking Mental Capacity Assessments and safeguarding enquiries
- Experience of managing complex risk in community settings and working autonomously
- Experience of providing reflective supervision, mentoring and practice guidance to less experienced Social Workers, including ASYE practitioners and students
- Demonstrable ability to work collaboratively across health, social care and voluntary sector systems
- Commitment to continuing professional development and evidence-informed practice
This role requires flexibility to travel across the local community and to work within people’s homes. A valid UK driving licence and access to a vehicle may be required depending on service configuration. Reasonable adjustments will be considered for applicants with a disability or long-term health condition.
To apply for this position, please complete click on the ‘Apply Online’ button below. Within your application, it is important that you include the following:
- Qualifications
- Employment history
- Detailed explanation of how you meet the essential criteria within the person specification
Closing Date: 1st March 2026
Interview Date: Provisional interview date 19th March 2026
Senior Social Worker employer: St Christophers
Contact Detail:
St Christophers Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior Social Worker
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the social work field, attend local events, and join relevant online groups. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews! Research the organisation and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with their values and needs. Practise answering common questions, especially around safeguarding and complex case management.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your skills! Bring along examples of your work, such as case studies or assessments you've completed. This will help demonstrate your expertise and give interviewers a clear picture of what you can bring to the team.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Make sure to highlight your qualifications and experience that match the job description, especially your knowledge of the Care Act and Mental Capacity Act.
We think you need these skills to ace Senior Social Worker
Some tips for your application 🫡
Be Thorough with Your Application: Make sure to fill out every section of the online application form. We want to see all your qualifications and experiences clearly laid out, so don’t skip any details!
Showcase Your Experience: When detailing your employment history, focus on your relevant experience in social work, especially with complex health and safeguarding needs. We’re looking for those standout moments that highlight your skills!
Connect Your Skills to the Role: In your application, directly link your qualifications and experiences to the essential criteria mentioned in the job description. This helps us see how you fit into our team and the role of Senior Social Worker.
Don’t Forget About Professional Development: We love seeing a commitment to ongoing learning! Mention any training or development activities you've undertaken that relate to social work, especially around the Care Act and Mental Capacity Act.
How to prepare for a job interview at St Christophers
✨Know Your Stuff
Make sure you brush up on the Care Act 2014 and the Mental Capacity Act 2005. Be ready to discuss how you've applied this knowledge in your previous roles, especially when it comes to safeguarding and complex assessments.
✨Show Your Compassion
As a Senior Social Worker, empathy is key. Prepare examples that showcase your compassionate approach to working with adults facing life-limiting illnesses and their families. Highlight how you've supported individuals during vulnerable times.
✨Demonstrate Teamwork
This role involves collaboration with various professionals. Think of specific instances where you've worked effectively within a multidisciplinary team. Be ready to explain how you contributed to coordinated care and advocated for clients.
✨Reflective Practice Matters
Be prepared to discuss your experience in providing supervision and mentoring to less experienced social workers. Share how you've fostered reflective practice and contributed to quality improvement within your team.