Senior Social Work Practitioner

**About Us**

Our Lifelong Services Teams have a unique focus, supporting young people and adults with lifelong physical disabilities, learning disabilities, autism, and brain injuries acquired at an early age. We also work with adults with sensory impairments acquiredat any age (people who Deaf, Deafblind, or who are visually impaired).

We believe the best staff get the best outcomes and we're looking to strengthen our teams today. We are looking for exceptional staff who share our passion for the customer group we support and who can help us to be even better than we are today.

**About The Job**

In this role as a Senior Social Work Practitioner you will work primarily with adults but also at times with young people from 16 years and upwards with lifelong disabilities, including physical and learning disability and autism. You will be placed withina supportive, fast-paced team providing regular supervision to other qualified workers and assistant care managers.

You will be required to take a person-centred approach to assessment and support planning along with a knowledge of and focus on community led support necessary to help adults and their carers meet their identified outcomes. You will have the ability towork closely with families and vulnerable adults to promote their views as well as their wellbeing in all interventions.

people's strengths, networks, and community assets.

**Experience and Skills**

**Key Skills**:

- Solution focussed with the ability to analyse complex situations and provide forward thinking strategies and solutions that consider a variety of possible strength-based solutions, balancing risks, resources and desired outcomes.
- Highly developed communication skills in order to influence in a multi-disciplinary setting and communicate clearly and effectively to explain complicated information to a wide range of people and negotiate and persuade others to adopt a particular courseof action that they may not otherwise wish to take.
- Ability to diagnose, research best practice development, analyse and interpret complex or technical information to make effective and robust judgements and write reports which consider business implications and make articulate recommendations consideringthe broader impacts on the business.
- Ability to think creatively, innovatively and laterally and to adapt to changing situations in a measured and flexible manner in order to tailor the advice.
- Ability to work proactively as a member of the team to make an accurate assessment of needs and negotiate and implement effective plans and outcomes.
- Ability to be proactive in having up-to-date knowledge and understanding of changes in legislation and effectively lead and supervise others and to provide coaching and mentoring when appropriate.

**Qualifications and/or experience**:

- Degree in relevant professional or equivalent qualification e.g. Certificate of Qualification in Social Work or Diploma in Social Work.
- Completion of relevant post qualifying training.
- Registration with Social Work England and will be responsible for maintaining r
- Practice Teachers Award / Practice Education (PEPS 2 level), Best Interest Assessor (BIA) or Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) qualification - Desirable
- Requirement for BIA qualified practitioners to contribute to BIA service delivery, AMHP qualified practitioners to contribute to AMHP service delivery.
- Expectation to undertake post qualifying training in one or more specialised roles, i.e. AMHP, BIA and/or Practice Educator.
- Demonstrable experience of dealing with a wide breath of issues and complex situations and using highly developed analytical skills to provide solution focussed and resource efficient options.
- Evidence of good assessment skills, including the ability to ensure regular reviews and risk management with a variety of individuals, carers or families. Evidence of effectively prioritising work and meeting deadlines.
- Experience of managing levels of risk within a caseload of complex safeguarding cases.
- Experience of leading and supervising others.
- Valid, full driving licence - Desirable

**Rewards and Benefits**

For a full list of the benefits offered to you as a West Sussex County Council employee, go to our **Rewards and Benefits** page.

**Further Information**

**The reference number for this role is CAFHE03659**.