Specialist Mental Health Personal Advisor (Social Worker)

Are you a qualified Social Worker specialising in children’s mental health? The Wandsworth Leaving Care Team support over 440 young people aged 16-25 who have been in the care of Wandsworth Borough Council. As part of a dedicated, vibrant, and enthusiastic team of 36 professionals, your role will be to help young people build stable and successful independent lives. To achieve this, you will support them to access housing, education / employment, health, leisure activities, stable relationships and other support networks. Can you help these young people who face challenges with their mental health to build bright futures for themselves?

About the role:

Experience: Do you have proven experience managing challenging adolescent behaviours, and engaging hard-to-reach young people with mental health issues who have previously been Looked After?

Regulatory Compliance: You will undertake outreach and in-office work with young people while demonstrating good knowledge of key legislation including Leaving Care Act 2000 and Social Work Act 2017.

Caseload Management: You will be the allocated Personal Advisor for 15 young people who have moderate to acute mental health issues.

Pathway Plans: You will support young people on your caseload to develop a robust and detailed Pathway Plan that helps them achieve their goals. You will spend every day supporting young people to achieve their Pathway Plan goals, which will include some group activities and individual work.

Emotional Wellbeing / Mental Health: Alongside the Therapeutic Service and the Transitions Social Worker within the team, you will be sharing good practice, liaising with Mental Health Services in the community and offering direct work which builds and strengthens Young People’s Emotional wellbeing and positive mental health.

Multidisciplinary Team: You will work alongside allocated Adult’s Social Care Social Worker / Care Coordinators, to support young people achieving stability and engaging in appropriate mental health services and support.

Last year over 13% of young people supported by the service went to university - can you help more young people to achieve similar outcomes?

Qualifications and Skills:

• Qualified Social Worker with experience of working with the Care Act 2014 and within Adult Mental Health Services.
• Effective oral and written communication skills, including formal report writing.
• Ability to handle challenges and own workload with the commitment to achieve positive outcomes.
• Proven experience in carrying out assessments, including risk assessments, collecting, and analysing all relevant information and following guidance.
• Maintaining accurate and up to date children’s case records in compliance with Council procedures and quality standards while meeting deadlines.