Consultant Social Worker

Job Overview

Our vision of delivering excellent social work across the county we see the value of having specialist subject experts to support our teams across Staffordshire Discharge to Assess teams.

This is an opportunity to progress your social work career. You'll join a group of expert leaders delivering, prestigious, high-profile initiatives & work with exceptionally talented individuals.

As a Consultant Social Worker, you'll act in an expert role advising on practice issues in your specific expert area. You will educate & support social work colleagues as well as lead on practice research & development.

The role will require you to directly support the Discharge to Assess social work teams across the county where queries arise & will provide support to deliver effective social work practice that enables adults in our communities to achieve their outcomes. You'll also work alongside other consultant Social Workers from MPFT & Staffordshire County Council delivering countywide training on specific expert areas .

You will work in a strengths-based way continuing to manage a reduced case load & supporting others where complex cases are experienced, Promoting social justice & human rights in line with core social work activities & values.

What You’ll Bring

• Excellent interpersonal skills
• Highly motivated, can-do attitude.
• Be able to motivate, mentor and support colleagues
• Have highly developed communication skills
  
  

Main duties of the job

Working collaboratively across internal and external professions and organisations, including Local Authority providers, the role will have a particular emphasis on the development of profession specific areas of practice including mental capacity (MCA/LPS), dementia care, safeguarding, mental health and physical disability. All specialised areas will be underpinned by strengths based practice.

This role oversees the provision of quality social work and social care practice throughout the organisation and externally within partnerships, involving extensive networking and liaison with service providers. The role will lead the development of professional practice in a specified and agreed area and could include one (or more) areas of interest highlighted above.

Working collaboratively within the organisation and with external partner agencies, the role will lead quality audit and processes within a defined locality and will undertake the monitoring of quality improvement processes and associated action plans for social work and social care support.

The role includes the delivery/co-ordination/commissioning (in conjunction with the SWLA and Principal Social Worker) of pre and post-registration specialist education and practice development opportunities and will monitor and develop agreed areas of staff training in order to support the development of excellent social work and social care practice.

Working for our organisation

By joining Team MPFT, you will be helping your communities and in return for this, we will support you by;

• Supporting your career development and progression
• Excellent NHS Pension scheme
• Generous maternity, paternity and adoption leave
• Options for flexible working
• Up to 27 days annual leave (increasing with service up to 33 days) and the opportunity to purchase additional leave
• Extensive Health and Wellbeing support and resources
• If you work in our community teams, we pay for your time travelling between patients
• Lease car if you complete more than 500 business miles per annum, fully insured and maintained (including tyres), mileage paid at lease car rate
• Salary sacrifice car - fully insured and maintained (including tyres), your gross pay is reduced by the cost of the vehicle before tax, NI and pension deductions are calculated, mileage paid at business rates
• Salary sacrifice bikes up to £2k
• Free car parking at all trust sites
• Free flu vaccinations every year
• Citizens Advice support linked with a Hardship Fund for one off additional support up to £250 (if the criteria is met)
  
  

And more. We are proud to be a diverse and inclusive organisation and there is a choice of staff networks that help you meet like-minded people.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

Social Work Learning Academy (SWLA)

On appointment, the post holder will be auto-enrolled in the SWLA and aligned to the appropriate British Association of Social Work Professional Capabilities Framework.  The relevant SWLA ‘stage’ (i.e. stage 1 (ASYE), 2 (Social Worker) or 3 (Advanced Social Worker) will also be agreed taking all prior Continuous Professional Development (CPD) and relevant experience into consideration. The post holder will be required to take responsibility for their own Continuous Professional Development.  

Person specification

Qualifications & Training

Essential criteria

• Social Work Degree or equivalent Practice Educator qualification (Level
• Post Graduate studies in related Social Work Practice.
• Registration with appropriate professional body.
• Modules at Masters level or equivalent courses within area of expertise.
• Post qualification courses in Social Work practice
• Good keyboard / IT skills including word processing, spreadsheets, email and PowerPoint
• An ongoing commitment to personal and professional development.
• A clear understanding of and commitment to equal opportunities and anti-discriminatory practice
  
  

Desirable criteria

• Masters qualification in relevant area that will support the delivery of the service.
• Education teaching qualification (PG Cert)
• Further study relevant to practice;
• Additional Social Work qualification – AMHP, BIA, Practice Educator,
• Coaching qualification
• Evidence of Leadership Training
  
  

Skills Knolwedge & Abilities

Essential criteria

• Evidence of expert/advanced knowledge relevant to the post.