Job Summary
We are looking for a compassionate, knowledgeable and committed Social Worker to work as part of our team in Secure Inpatient Services.
If this is you, we have a post available for a full time Registered Social Worker at Ridgeway – Roseberry Park Hospital. The post will be open to those who are looking for a progression opportunity, and experienced social workers. You will need to be an enthusiastic team player with good communication skills and the willingness to learn and develop, as well as share your knowledge in this valued field of mental health and learning disabilities. In return we offer you the opportunity to work with a highly skilled and experienced MDT providing support and supervision for you, alongside excellent standards of care for our patients.
We are an established team providing social work support across a range of low and medium secure mental health, autism and learning disability wards.
Please note that the standard working hours for this role are Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm, however flexible working can be considered.
This post is offered as a permanent contract.
Main duties of the job
To keep family and carers regularly informed about the patients assessment, progress and care plan as is appropriate and consistent with the patient’s wishes.
To support access to advocacy services for patients, family and carers.
To work within the requirements of the relevant legislation, policies and
procedures.
To safeguard and promote the welfare of children and work closely with local authority’s and children and families services regarding leave arrangements or a child visiting a patient.
To work with other members of the MDT to collaboratively engage the patient in the Care Programme Approach, including the provision of reports for relevant meetings.
To be responsible and accountable for their own and delegated patient records in line with SWE and Trust Guidelines.
To communicate effectively with all members of the multi-disciplinary team whilst liaising with external agencies and organisations as appropriate from the Trust area, demonstrating a commitment to collaborative working, including attendance at relevant MDT meetings (e.g. MAPPA.)
To be committed to the delivery of a service based on an agreed framework for good practice within local and national initiatives to meet the needs of patients and provide safe practice, using both individual and group therapeutic interventions as appropriate.
To prepare and present reports in relation to individual patients as and when necessary, in line with professional competence, patient need and service requirements.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Appropriate professional qualification in social work role
- Current relevant registration with specific regulatory body
- International English Language Testing System (IELTS) level 7 (SLT =8) for International recruits
Desirable
- Post graduate training in relevant specialist area
Experience
Essential
- Minimum 12 months post qualifying experience of social work delivery/completion of AYSE for social work (post 2012), pre 2012 evidence of experience in accordance with professional capabilities framework for an experienced social worker
Desirable
- Experience of supporting people with mental health issues, learning disability or autism
- Experience of working in Multidisciplinary Team (SW essential criteria)
Knowledge
Essential
- Understanding of the needs of service users with mental health conditions or learning disabilities.
- Legal literacy
Desirable
- Clinical risk assessment and application in practice
- Knowledge of evidence-based practice in designated specialist area
- Post graduate training in specialist area if applicable to post (e.g. dysphagia, autism diagnostics)
- Experience of working in a multidisciplinary team
- Experience of managing complex social work cases
- Awareness of professional standards and its application to practice
Skills
Essential
- Good observational skills and ability to describe such observations verbally and in writing
- Record keeping and report writing
- Collaborating with service users and carers and their families in accordance with the principles of coproduction
- Manage own complex caseload and prioritise effectively
- Support other to manage their caseload and prioritise effectively within a supervisor or educational relationship
- Effectively manage complex clinical and social issues
- Motivate and work positively and constructively with other members of the team
- Delegate tasks appropriately
- Apply latest research evidence andevaluative thinking in practice
- Provide effective teaching, training and clinical supervision
- Use appropriate digital technologies
- Demonstrates transferable skills from previous roles
Desirable
- Member of relevant professional body if applicable.
Personal Attributes
Essential
- Able to work in accordance with Trust Values.
- Committed to continual quality and service improvement.
- Self-aware and committed to continual professional and personal development.
- Able to accept and respond positively to feedback from supervision.
- Committed to promoting a positive image of people with mental health conditions and learning disabilities, autism
- Committed to promoting a positive image of the Department, profession, service and the wider Trust.
- Awareness of the needs of individuals from diverse social, ethnic and cultural backgrounds
- Ability to relate therapeutically to the needs of the service user group.
- Ability to adapt treatment using own initiative.
- Ability to work collaboratively with members of the MDT to provide an effective service.
- Ability to plan and organise a caseload and prioritise effectively.
- Ability to work on own in variety of settings using initiative appropriately
- Ability to work under pressure
- Able to work flexibly and co-operatively as part of a team.
- Committed to continual quality and service improvement
- Committed to promoting a positive image of the profession and Trust
- Self-awareness and committed to continual personal development
- Ability to work on own in a variety of settings using initiative appropriately
Other Requirements
Essential
- Ability to travel independently in accordance with Trust policies and service need.
- This post is subject to an enhanced satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service Check
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.
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).
Closing Date: 22 February 2026
