The posting
Job Purpose
To provide professional supervision and/or leadership of staff, working in partnership with the manager, staff and others and contribute towards an effective an efficient team service. To be responsible for both the assessment of individual needs and the initiation and coordination of a range of outcomes to meet them, promoting the principles of a strength-based approach, personalisation, rights based social work practice, choice and control, to ensure that people can assess and manage their own needs, risks and uncertainties.
Key Responsibilities
1. Provide a lead practitioner role in the team: supporting the development of good, evidence-based practice particularly in the key areas of risk enablement, safeguarding, the Mental Health and Mental Capacity Act.
2. Promote a Strength Based Approach which embeds the ethos of promoting independence and wellbeing at every opportunity to ensure people can manage their own needs, risks and uncertainties to meet their short- and long-term goals, delaying the need for long term care and support.
3. Undertake the role of AMHP or BIA, relevant to service area.
4. Lead on professional development issues; including the encouragement of the professional development of staff through reflective supervision, mentoring and coaching, identifying and developing learning and development needs within the context of the service.
5. Provide regular and appropriate professional supervision to support, mentor and develop staff in line with approved professional standards, service and team plans.
6. Carry a reduced caseload of highly complex and specialist work, initiate and coordinate a range of outcomes to meet need.
7. Ensure effective completion of annual reviews, management and allocation of cases to staff.
8. Plan, manage and prioritise workload.
9. Resolve service delivery issues within available resources.
10.Prepare and present clear concise reports as necessary
11.Chair meetings effectively and represent the department in a professional and effective manner.
12.Improve customer satisfaction levels for the service and inform managers of changes to the operational environment including customer satisfaction issues.
13.Communicate effectively and appropriately at all levels.
14.Liaise effectively within the department and other agencies and work effectively as a member of a multidisciplinary team.
15.Have regard at all times for the confidential nature of the work and not discuss or disclose information to unauthorised parties
Key Accountabilities
1. Providing case work supervision and professional mentoring for social care staff within their area of responsibility.
2. Alert Team Manager of issues that could affect performance or budget
3. Provide leads in specific key areas in order to meet service requirements.
4. Develop and maintain appropriate partnership arrangements in their area of responsibility.
5. Ensure the principles of continuous improvements and best value are adopted and maintained at a team level
Person Specification
Education and Knowledge
1. A Social Work Qualification recognised by Social Work England
2. Registered with the Social Work England.
3. Approved Adult Mental Health Practitioner (AMHP) or Approved Mental, Capacity Professional (AMCP) Best Interests Assessor (BIA) or Practice Educator or evidence of relevant post graduate study is essential.
4. Knowledge and experience of safeguarding of adults work within multi-agency procedures.
5. Knowledge and experience of staff supervision, training and development.
6. Knowledge and understanding of relevant legislation relating to Adult Social Care, including knowledge of national and local policy and procedures in relation to children and families.
7. Evidence of Continual Professional Development (CPD) meeting the standards of the professional regulator
Personal skills and general competencies
1. Sets an excellent example of customer care for other staff.
2. Effectively sets direction for a team providing motivation for all to deliver high performance.
3. Anticipates customer needs to provide excellent service continually striving to improve efficiency and effectiveness
4. Sets challenging targets for performance for the team as well as delivering a high degree of personal effectiveness
5. Ensures the Councils policies for fairness and respect are delivered including setting high personal standards
6. Takes an active role in managing risk, health and safety and safeguarding issues.
Experience
1. At least 2 years working as a qualified experienced Band B Social Worker or equivalent.
2. Experience of complex casework responsibility including safeguarding and Mental Capacity Act, Mental Health Act, Continuing Healthcare and risk enablement.
3. Experience of supporting and mentoring qualified, newly qualified and unqualified staff
4. Experience of facilitating complex multi-agency meetings together with sound decision making skills.
5. Experience of multi-disciplinary working especially with health agencies, independent sector and other agencies
6. Experience of supporting people in relation to risk enablement, outcome planning and multi-disciplinary working
Role Dimensions
1. Providing effective professional support and leadership and reflective practice mentoring to teams in their service area.
2. Undertake some delegated tasks as required such as approving assessment & support plans as appropriate.
3. Support the team to deliver the Adult Social Care Strategy.
4. Support the manager in managing systems in accordance with County Council policy and procedures.
5. Acting as a professional lead in specific service areas as required by the post.
6. Participate in countywide rotas for AMPH or BIA /AMCP as relevant.
7. Support the team in workload management, time management and case management within their area of service.
8. Participate in and present relevant continuous professional development opportunities across service area.
9. Providing support to managers in connection with the recruitment, appointment, induction of staff, capability and performance issues.
10. Act as Safeguarding Manager within adult safeguarding policy and procedure when required.
11. Contribute to and support the manager in the development and implementation of team plans.
12. Contribute to and support the manager in the identification and development of service improvements
