Agency Social Worker - Discharge to Assess

Temporary, Full Time

£192 PAYE/£207 Umbrella per day

Location: Colchester - Community based worker

We are looking for an experienced Social Worker for this temporary role based in Colchester for an initial period of six months with an immediate start**

Flexible Working Available: Shift Patterns can be Monday to Friday 37 hours per week (09:00 to 17:30) or compressed over four days (08:00 to 18:30). The team is currently under consultation to start a seven-day working pattern which is likely to be implemented in mid-2022. Once implemented, this will require successful applicants to be available to work one weekend (Saturday and Sunday) in six. Days off in lieu will be given to ensure hours remain within the contracted 37 per week.

The Role

We are looking for an experienced agency Social Worker with the ability to demonstrate excellent practice. Proven track record of working closely with the community is essential. We’ll give you the tools and resources you need to enable vulnerable adults to live healthily and independently. And, as you continue to grow your expertise, you’ll play a key role in the development of our North Discharge to Assess Team.

You will be supporting adults who have recently been discharged from hospital or supporting them to prevent an admission into hospital. The ethos being to support Adults to leave hospital, when safe and appropriate to do so, and continuing their care and assessment out of hospital. Wherever possible Adults will be supported to return to their home for assessment.

Your support will be focussed on enabling adults to remain as independent and self-caring as possible in their own homes. However, some Adults may have been discharged to a temporary care home environment to aid their recovery and for a period of assessment to be able to identify their short- or long-term care and support needs. You will be working in collaboration with health care professionals and care providers using a multi-disciplinary approach to ensure the adults receive the right support at the right time.

The Team

You will join a knowledgeable and supportive team, who are happy to share their knowledge and in addition you will receive regular supervision, and an opportunity to take part in regular Learning Sets and Case Discussions where we encourage the sharing of good practice.

This is a chance for an experienced Agency Social Worker to expand their knowledge and experience in working within a Discharge to Assess Model. This model of practice is ever evolving and developing and as a member within the team you will be an influencer of change and progression.

North Essex covers our offices in Colchester and Clacton. It is a diverse area to work in encompassing rural, coastal, and urban communities all with their own unique challenges. Essex County Council work closely with their partners in North Essex, those joining teams in this area are uniquely positioned to be increasingly involved in partnership projects across local authorities and the NHS.

Service/Functional Accountabilities

• Assess complex social care needs and provide support to vulnerable adults, which enable them to live healthily and independently.

• Develop support plans that gain commitment to solutions that drive the care required for each individual’s needs.

• Accountable for working within the statutory legal framework, policy and guidance and determining when the threshold for statutory intervention has been reached

• Work collaboratively building effective relationships with internal and external partnerships and stakeholders, and the voluntary sector to assist children and vulnerable people in gaining support for inclusivity from within the community.

• Accountable for conducting assessments and plan responses to vulnerable adults include intervention as required.

• Develop a client centric approach which enables early intervention and prevention and increases independence.

• Pro-actively influences in a range of planning, decision making and case discussions across a diverse range of multi-disciplinary partners.

• Work with families, communities and individuals to help people age well supporting the Council’s wider strategic aims.

• Specific individual and shared targets and objectives are defined annually within the performance management framework.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience

• Educated to degree level i.e. Diploma or degree in social work, CQSW, CSS or equivalent. Current registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a registered social worker

• Evidence of continuing professional development and demonstrable capability of practice in accordance with current professional standards e.g. professional capability framework, knowledge and skills statement.

• Experience within a social care setting with evidence of challenging social and family situations.

• Strong communication skills and an ability to develop a rapport and engage with diverse groups of individuals.

• Experience of developing strong working relationships with partners, other agencies and the voluntary sector to deliver improved outcomes.

• Developing strong relationships with partners, other agencies and the local community to achieve joint objectives and offer a supportive framework for children and vulnerable adults.

• Understand the financial implications of care packages commissioned

• Evidence of clear decision making in order to highlight and limit the potential risks associated with intervention.

• The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wider operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, transporting service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency. Driving licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential

Sorry, newly qualified social workers will not be considered. 

The role requires you to be mobile throughout a wider operational area including travelling around the county of Essex and beyond, including on occasion transporting service users and their belongings and to be able to do so in an emergency. Driving licence and car or the ability to meet the mobility requirements of the role through other means is essential.