Job Description
Discover yourself in Lewisham where what you do makes a difference to our vibrant and culturally diverse communities!
We have a rich history of welcoming people from all over the world and are proud to be recognised as the UK’s first Borough of Sanctuary, for our work in championing the rights of refugees and migrants.
Introduction
Lewisham Council works within an alliance framework with South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and voluntary sector partners to provide a comprehensive range of integrated mental health services for working age adults. Our social workers are deployed in multi-disciplinary teams alongside colleagues from other agencies.
We are currently looking to recruit a highly skilled Advanced Practitioner to support our students and newly qualified social workers. If you are an experienced mental health social worker with a track record of enabling the development of others and a passion for improving outcomes we want to hear from you.
Lewisham is committed to developing talent and to building a culture of continuous improvement in which strengths-based practice can flourish. We have a strong CPD culture and offer:
- a robust career development pathway and an in-house mentoring programme
- support to pursue specialist pathways including Practice Education, Adult Safeguarding, and AMHP training
What’s the role? ……
This exciting new role is pivotal to our vision of growing and retaining a highly skilled social care workforce with a commitment to continuing professional development. The Advanced Practitioner will work alongside operational managers to support and supervise newly qualified social workers and will assess their practice during their Assessed and Supported Year in Employment.
The Advanced Practitioner will undertake a highly complex mental health casework, including court work, and will hold a small caseload. They will act as a practice educator for social work students and will coach and support experienced social workers undertaking more advanced casework.
The right candidate will positively promote a culture of excellence, creativity, strengths-based practice and professional accountability. They will contribute to the development of a cohesive Adult Social Care workforce by collaborating closely with colleagues across services to share evidence-based learning and good practice.
What’s in it for you?
Excellent training and development opportunities, plus a range of benefits including:
- Generous holiday allowance
- Local Government Pension scheme
- Flexible working and family friendly policies
- Season ticket and bicycle loans
- A range of staff discounts including local subsidised gym memberships
- Supportive staff networks
What We’re Looking For
We are looking for an energetic and enthusiastic team player who wants to make a real difference. The Advanced Practitioner will be a qualified and registered social worker with substantial experience of adult mental health casework and adult safeguarding.
The right applicant will:
- inspire and motivate those they work with
- be passionate about the development of others
- be professionally curious and authentically interested in our community
- commit to delivering excellent service
- adopt a strengths-based approach to empower service-users to optimise independence and achieve the best outcomes
- model integrity and professional accountability
- demonstrate a high level of legal literacy
In return, we will offer excellent development opportunities plus a range of benefits that includes: a career average pension scheme; flexible working; generous annual leave and ‘special leave’ entitlements; a childcare voucher scheme; Proud to Care Scheme; interest-free loans; long service awards; keyworker housing; a broad Wellbeing programme to support our diverse workforce; a diverse workforce development strategy.
Location
The job is primarily based in the Ladywell Unit, University Hospital Lewisham, but we operate a hybrid approach where you will be required to work both in the office and from home on a regular basis.
Special conditions
- Applications from non social work qualified staff will not be considered
- The job is subject to an enhanced DBS check
The recruitment process is anonymous and we don’t accept CV’s.
Applicant handbook - please read the guidance in this handbook when applying. It is essential that you complete the application fully and that your supporting statement covers how you meet each of the person specification criteria listed.
For further information about this role contact Thomas Mulrenan, Lead Operational Manager for Adult Mental Health Safeguarding on 07546561052 or
[email protected],uk, or Evelyn Semple, Head of Service Adult Mental Health) on 07525 237096 or
[email protected]The Council reserves the right to close adverts early if there is a large response.
Lewisham Borough Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share in this commitment.
This post is subject to a Disclosure Barring Service check.
Please click here to view the Job Description and Person Specification
Salary
£55,710 - £57,726 per annum (P06)
N.B: All appointments will be offered at the minimum spinal column point (SCP) for the grade of the role. The only exception to this will be when matching current salary (up to the maximum of the scale), which is subject to evidential proof.
Diversity
Lewisham Council is a Disability Confident employer. We welcome and encourage job applications of all abilities. If you require any reasonable adjustments in the application or interview, please contact the lead contact on this advert. We will make reasonable adjustments to make sure our disabled applicants and those with health conditions are supported throughout our recruitment process. We support the access to work scheme, further details are available at www.gov.uk/access-to-work/apply
The Council has a dedicated employment support service, Lewisham Works , which offers Lewisham residents guidance in relation to applying for jobs. If you want to join Lewisham Works, please email
[email protected] and an advisor will be in touch with you.
The Council reserves the right to close adverts early if there is a large response.
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