Employer Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust Employer type NHS Site Blackberry Hill Hospital Town Bristol Salary £38,682 - £46,580 per annum, pro rata (pay award pending) Salary period Yearly Closing 05/04/2026 23:59
Band 6 Forensic Social Worker - Bristol
Band 6
Job overview
We are in a position to offer a part‑time, 12‑month secondment for a Social Worker in the Forensic Social Work Service at Fromeside Medium Secure Unit and Wickham Low Secure Unit.
This is an exciting time for the Social Work team as we develop new ways of working within the team and the wider service. It is a fascinating area of forensic mental health where Social Workers are able to make a real difference to the lives of service users and their carers.
The Forensic Social Work team is committed to meeting the needs of service users detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. They help to embed the social model within a medicalised environment and use their skills, values, knowledge, and expertise to improve the experience of some of society’s most vulnerable people.
The Forensic Social Work team works with service users, their carers, and multi‑disciplinary teams across two units located at Blackberry Hill. Fromeside is an 81‑bed Medium Secure Unit, and Wickham is a 31‑bed Low Secure Unit. The post holder may work across both units or be allocated to one, depending on their caseload.
A Social Work qualification is essential, as is registration with Social Work England.
Right to Work in the UK This position is not eligible for Skilled Worker visa sponsorship. Applicants must already hold the legal right to work in the UK at the time of application, as the organisation is unable to support sponsorship for this post.
Main duties of the job
The post-holder will have a commitment to a social care perspective, whilst balancing the service user's rights against the protection of the public. There is a requirement to work in an anti-oppressive manner, challenging any discrimination appropriately and safeguarding the vulnerable. You would have a valuable role in using your skills, values, expertise and knowledge to improve the lives of service users and their carers in what can often be an isolated and stigmatised existence.
For full details, please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification.
Working for our organisation
We are AWP (Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust):a diverse organisation with over 5,000 dedicated staff providing inpatient and community-based mental health care.
We provide services from a range of locations to approximately 1.8 million people living in Bath and North East Somerset (B&NES), Bristol, North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Swindon, across the county of Wiltshire and in parts of Dorset.
Our outstanding people promote mental health and wellbeing. The expertise and resources within AWP are dedicated to a person-centred approach for those who use our services and for all employees. We recognise that happy and fulfilled employees give better care.
AWP is committed to support and create a positive research and evidence-based environment and culture, which can have a beneficial impact on everyone who works for the organisation and the care we provide to those who use our services.
At AWP we actively encourage applicants from all backgrounds; we are particularly keen to encourage applications from people from Black, Asian and minority ethnic backgrounds, those with disabilities and from the LGBTQ+ community. We want people to bring their unique blend of experiences, backgrounds, perspectives and knowledge to AWP, as diversity makes us stronger.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Job responsibilities
To carry out the statutory duties and responsibilities within relevant legislation.
To undertake risk assessments for vulnerable adults and to be responsible for action in situations where service users' or others' liberty or safety is at stake according to legislation and agreed Trust policies.
To provide / enter accurate information into computer-based systems, such as Rio, and ensure that records/information are accurate, up to date, secure and maintained, using IT in accordance with trust policies and the Data Protection Act.
To undertake complex work that requires inter‑agency working and co‑ordination.
To apply advanced knowledge of a wide range of legislation and policies.
To undertake and/or co‑ordinate work with networks, communities and agencies.
To contribute to the development of services, policies and practices within legislative and policy frameworks.
To be responsible for the continuing professional development of self and contribute to the development of others.
Note: This post is open to newly qualified social workers. In line with AWP Trust policy, all newly qualified social workers (NQSWs) will be recruited initially at Band 5 level, regardless of the advertised role banding. All NQSWs are expected to successfully complete their ASYE within 2 years of employment, unless there are exceptional circumstances, in which case it may be extended for a further 2 years.
If you have been appointed to an advertised Band 6 role, this will be an automatic progression following confirmation of your successful ASYE completion. If you have been appointed to a Band 5 post, you will then be eligible to apply for a subsequent Band 6 vacancy upon successful ASYE completion.
For full details, please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification.
Person specification
Education and Qualifications
* Social Work England Approved qualification
* Evidence of on-going and recent training and a commitment to personal and professional development
* Registered with Social Work England
* All employees are required to be up to date with the trust’s statutory and mandatory training
* Relevant Post Qualifying Award - PEPS/AMHP/BIA
* Ability to contribute to the development of social work practice
Experience and Knowledge
* Evidence of experience in effective multidisciplinary work and understanding its importance in the delivery of care
* Experience of working with mental health service users with complex needs
* A good knowledge of relevant legislation (including the Mental Health Act and Care Act) and an excellent understanding of the principles and function of CPA and risk assessment
* Experience relevant to the work setting, (e.g. community, hospital or specialist service team)
* Two years experience of working in a relevant field within mental health statutory services
* Experience of working with mental health service users with a forensic history
Skills and Abilities
* Demonstrate an understanding and knowledge of equalities, anti‑discriminatory social work practice and the statutory framework within which social work is provided
* Have a good awareness of responsibilities towards Safeguarding; intervening, obtaining advice and making referrals as appropriate and according to legislation and policy
* Able to maintain links and communicate with localities, collating information that will inform treatment and risk assessment and support them in their role in planning after‑care under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983 in order to facilitate discharge when appropriate
* Able to assess risk, needs, analyse information and recognise problems. The ability to balance the need to protect others, including the general public, with the rights of the individual
* Good communication skills – listening, understanding, ability to express self to other people from a range of backgrounds and cultures
* Able to write reports to a high standard. To attend and contribute to meetings and Tribunals as required by the service
* Able to organise and manage time constraints and balance conflicting demands
* An ability to form and maintain good working relationships with service users who may exhibit challenging behaviour or have committed offences
* Understanding of data protection/confidentiality and need for accurate and timely record keeping
* Familiarity with IT systems and information packages
We are proud to be fostering a diverse workforce that reflects our communities. A key commitment to this is improving staff representation from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic communities, those from the LGBTQ+ communities, people with ‘lived‑experience’ of mental health conditions and people living with disabilities,– we are a ‘Disability Confident Employer’ offering a guaranteed interview to Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria. This includes people with a variety of disabilities and neurodivergent conditions (for example autism, ADHD, sensory, physical and learning disabilities).
We encourage applications from people who wish to work on a flexible basis, recognising that flexibility may mean a range of different working patterns and hours, we do our utmost to work with our staff to meet their needs and the needs of our service users.
Please apply to join us, we would love to hear from you. Any personal details you supply to us are kept safe in line with the General Data Protection Regulations.
Adverts normally close for application a few minutes before midnight on the closing date and we will let you know if we are offering you an interview by email via our recruitment system ‘TRAC’. We contact all applicants within 4 weeks after the closing date, so please check your emails regularly once you have submitted your application; you are welcome to contact us, via the TRAC system, if you have any queries about your application.
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Employer certification / accreditation badges
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Application numbers
This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.
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