Overview

Location: Bridgwater • Full time, 37 hours per week • 30 days annual leave entitlement

Responsibilities

• Working as part of a small, supportive Learning Disability and Autism service in the East of Somerset, supporting a team of up to four Social Workers and two Adult Social Care Practitioners. You will have a close working relationship with the Service Manager, who will provide regular supervision and guidance in your role and expectations and plans for the Service and Department.
• Providing supervision to the Social Workers and informal support, advice and guidance to the team. We operate a duty system in both sides of the County that everyone in the team participates in and Advanced Practitioners share the responsibility of managing the duty system and rota. This offers different ways of working with the people we support including motivational interviewing, crisis intervention, and positive risk management.
• Contributing to decision making as part of weekly Peer Forum discussions to enable a “critical friend” approach to requests for increases to personal budgets and packages of care.
• Collaborating with other specialist teams in the Authority (Preparing for Adulthood, Commissioning, Occupational Therapy, the DOLS team, Mental Health, Safeguarding, CHC) and with Somerset Foundation Trust LD Health colleagues for partnership working.
• Advocating a strength-based and personalised approach, operating under the three conversations model to enable people to live more independent and fulfilling lives with positive outcomes.
• Guiding the team to support residents to remain independent for longer in their communities, tailoring solutions to citizens’ needs and promoting continuity of support and intervention.
• Working alongside Health and Social Care colleagues and liaising with key partners to facilitate improved provision of services, team training and recruitment.

Qualifications and experience

• Be an accomplished social work professional with considerable experience since qualification.
• Have access to/use of a vehicle is an essential requirement for this role.

What’s in it for me?

• 30 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) with option to request to buy up to 2 weeks additional annual leave pro rata.
• Hybrid working options where the role allows.
• A clear career pathway with apprenticeships, professional, leadership and academic programmes, regular CPD opportunities and a corporate coaching and mentoring scheme.
• New comprehensive induction programme supported by Practice Development Advanced Practitioners, plus a confidential and impartial welcome call to ensure smooth induction.
• Ongoing support & development opportunities – regular CPD events by the Adult Social Care Learning and Development team, including an annual Carnival of Practice event with key speakers and Advanced Practitioner – Practice Development roles, plus personalised development plans and mentoring schemes.
• Local Government pension scheme.
• Employee support networks and diversity & equality initiatives.
• Guaranteed Interview Schemes – Disability Confident, Veterans, Care Leavers.
• Employee assistance and wellbeing services and events to support work/life balance, including a free online gym offer and Mental Wellbeing Ambassadors.
• Relocation of up to £8,000 (subject to eligibility).
• Blue Light Card discounts, My Staff Shop discounts, cycle to work scheme and other福利.

Salary and contact

This is a Grade 9 post with a current salary of £41,771 to £46,142 per annum. Appointments are normally made at the bottom of the salary scale.

How to apply and other information

For questions, contact Helen Readdy, Recruitment & Engagement Officer, at 01823 355166 or 07977 410483 or email Helen.Readdy@somerset.gov.uk. We reserve the right to close this advert early if we have received a sufficient number of applications.

We are a socially active council and run webinars, team away days, volunteering opportunities, and regular staff Q&A sessions. We encourage professional development and training and welcome applications from diverse backgrounds and experiences. Please provide your full employment history on the application, and explain any gaps. When applying, start with your current or most recent employment.

Seniority level: Mid-Senior level • Employment type: Full-time • Job function: Health Care Provider • Industries: Government Administration

DBS information: This post requires a criminal background check via the Disclosure procedure.