Responsibilities
You will work as part of a multi‑agency, specialist forensic mental health team, delivering a targeted statutory social work service to individuals with severe and/or enduring mental health needs who fall within the team's admission criteria. This includes working with people in specialist hospitals, prisons, secure units, rehabilitation services, and community settings, many of whom have had, or continue to have, contact with the criminal justice system.
As a Senior Social Work Practitioner, you will act as a lead professional, holding responsibility for delivering high‑quality statutory social work interventions. You will undertake and oversee assessment, care planning, implementation, and review, ensuring practice is lawful, person‑centred, and outcomes‑focused. You will take a leading role within a specialist area of service delivery, staying informed of key developments and ensuring that changes in policy, legislation, or practice are effectively communicated and embedded across the team. You will manage a complex and challenging caseload, providing expert advice, professional guidance, and supervision to colleagues to support consistent, high‑quality practice.
You will bring advanced knowledge of social work theory and practice, and a detailed understanding of relevant legislation, organisational policies, and statutory frameworks. You will be confident in applying this knowledge within complex forensic and mental health contexts, undertaking Mental Health Act assessments and statutory duties, including participation in the West Sussex AMHP duty rota and forensic AMHP rota. You will also take on the role of Social Supervisor for individuals subject to sections 37/41 of the Mental Health Act, demonstrating sound professional judgement and risk management.
Strong IT and recording skills are essential, as is the ability to work autonomously, flexibly, and confidently within a demanding and fast‑paced environment. You will be an effective communicator, able to build strong working relationships across agencies while maintaining a clear social work perspective. You will be required to work flexibly to support customers, carers and families, sometimes out of normal office hours, and to travel county‑wide, including to locations that are not always easily accessible by public transport; a full driving licence is desirable.
Qualifications and Experience
* Degree in social work or equivalent, e.g. Certificate of Qualification in Social Work or Diploma in Social Work.
* Completion of relevant post‑qualifying training.
* Registration with the relevant professional registration body and responsibility for maintaining registration.
* Practice Educators Award – desirable or the expectation is to undertake the training.
* Approved Mental Health Professional – desirable or the expectation is to undertake the training.
* Valid, full driving licence – desirable.
* Experience of working with individuals with severe and enduring mental illness, including schizophrenia, autism, Asperger’s and learning disability, dual diagnosis.
* Experience of acting in the role of Social Supervisor or willingness to undertake formal training to undertake the role.
* In‑depth knowledge of Part III Mental Health Act, the interface between the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act and DoLS, and the role of Social Supervisor.
* Experience of undertaking specialist risk assessments such as HCR 20 (Managing violence and aggression).
This post is subject to Social Work England registration, an enhanced DBS check, 5 years referencing and a health check.
Additional Information
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
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