Job summary The East London Community Forensic Service (ELCFS) is a multidisciplinary service providing care, treatments and support to service users in the process of and following discharge from the Forensic inpatient services in both ELFT (City and Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets) and NELFT (Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge and Waltham Forest) boroughs. The Lead Social Work Practitioner post will be responsible for leading and developing social work practice and approaches within ELCFS. Main duties of the job o To develop, promote and embed social work practice within the ELCFS, positively reinforcing the expectations of the organisation through collaborative and dynamic management and leadership that is both supportive and encouraging. o Responsible for supporting and advising Service Lead on specific complex social work related cases within the ELCFS. o Oversee the implementation of good Safeguarding practice in the team, leading on concerns and acting as an expert practitioner. o To act as an 'expert' on Mental Capacity issues o To provide guidance and support in relation to MAPPA, MARAC, and victim issues. o SEE ATTACHED JOB DESCRIPTION FOR MORE INFORMATION About us Social workers in ELFT work across a range of settings including Adult and Older Person's Mental Health, Forensic, Crisis and CAMH's Services and increasingly in Primary Care settings. There are social workers in various management posts across ELFT including a Director of Social Work and a Learning and Development Lead for Social Work. Wherever the base, ELFT values the skills and contribution of social workers and encourages them to maintain the requirements of their professional registration and will uphold the values and practice of Social Work across the organisation. We want social workers to feel valued and supported in ELFT and to promote and support social work as a profession. We will offer you: o Training and development opportunities specific to social work including ASYE, AMHP training and PE training o Social work professional supervision o Social work forums and seminars o A voice in the organisation and recognition of the skills and values you bring o The opportunity to progress through the organisation as a social worker in a senior role Date posted 07 April 2025 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 8a Salary £61,927 to £68,676 a year per annum Inc HCAs Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time Reference number 363-FOR7071542 Job locations Community Forensic Service 26 Shore Road Hackney, London E9 7TA Job description Job responsibilities Kindly refer to the job description and person specification that is attached to the vacancy profile. Job description Job responsibilities Kindly refer to the job description and person specification that is attached to the vacancy profile. Person Specification Education/qualifications Essential Professional Qualification in Social Work (CQSW, DipSW) Current SWE registration Qualified Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) Desirable Post Graduate Qualification at Masters Level Social Work, or an agreement to work towards such Project management qualification Experience Essential Recent practice at a senior practitioner/team manager or equivalent level, supported by 5 years sound front line exposure to a wide ranging field of practice Experience of forensic mental health services Experience of multi-agency working Evidence of experience working with providers and commissioners Experience of taking leadership in a team/ service oEvidence of initiating and managing change Experience supervising and developing staff Desirable Experience in developing and implementing strategy and policy Experience of leading and implementing change in an operational or service delivery context Experience of developing and managing project or service delivery Experience of preparing tenders Knowledge & skills Essential Evidence of ability to provide specialist advice on social care and social work issues to senior management and to stakeholders Ability to compile meaningful reports from complex data Ability to undertake regular service evaluations or research activity in order to inform service and practice development Knowledge of the Care Act, Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act, Human Rights Act and other statutory frameworks Knowledge of the management of mentally disordered offenders in inpatient and community settings Desirable The ability to analyse management information in line with the requirements of Performance Management to demonstrate the effectiveness if service delivery and to improve service delivery Person Specification Education/qualifications Essential Professional Qualification in Social Work (CQSW, DipSW) Current SWE registration Qualified Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) Desirable Post Graduate Qualification at Masters Level Social Work, or an agreement to work towards such Project management qualification Experience Essential Recent practice at a senior practitioner/team manager or equivalent level, supported by 5 years sound front line exposure to a wide ranging field of practice Experience of forensic mental health services Experience of multi-agency working Evidence of experience working with providers and commissioners Experience of taking leadership in a team/ service oEvidence of initiating and managing change Experience supervising and developing staff Desirable Experience in developing and implementing strategy and policy Experience of leading and implementing change in an operational or service delivery context Experience of developing and managing project or service delivery Experience of preparing tenders Knowledge & skills Essential Evidence of ability to provide specialist advice on social care and social work issues to senior management and to stakeholders Ability to compile meaningful reports from complex data Ability to undertake regular service evaluations or research activity in order to inform service and practice development Knowledge of the Care Act, Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act, Human Rights Act and other statutory frameworks Knowledge of the management of mentally disordered offenders in inpatient and community settings Desirable The ability to analyse management information in line with the requirements of Performance Management to demonstrate the effectiveness if service delivery and to improve service delivery Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Additional information Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Employer details Employer name East London NHS Foundation Trust Address Community Forensic Service 26 Shore Road Hackney, London E9 7TA Employer's website https://www.elft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)