Job Summary
Are you a recovery-focused Social Worker with a passion for providing support to adults, young people and families at the earliest stages of identified mental health needs?
We are looking to recruit an experienced and motivated Social Worker to join our Early Intervention in Psychosis (EIP) team. The service offers a community-based treatment pathway to people aged 14-35 who have experienced a first episode of psychosis or may experience one in the future.
The successful applicant will play a key role in supporting service users to access the right care and support, working collaboratively with healthcare professionals and local authority colleagues.
Main duties of the job
Your role will centre on the delivery of specialist mental health support to people who have experienced a First Episode of Psychosis (FEP) or an At Risk Mental State (ARMS), requiring treatment and care in the community.
There will also be a requirement to complete statutory social work duties, including Care Act Needs Assessments and Mental Capacity Act assessments.
This will involve both direct work and care coordination with people on your caseload, as well as providing duty support to those accessing the team and contributing to multi-disciplinary decision making both within the service and with external colleagues. As a Social Worker, you will ensure this work is undertaken in a strengths-based manner and from a rights-based perspective, empowering and supporting service users to make informed decisions that promote their recovery and well-being.
You will undertake supported, person-led assessments, risk assessments, support planning, and outcome-focused reviews for service users and carers with eligible needs and complex presentations, in accordance with legislative requirements, policy, and professional frameworks.
In addition to undertaking person-led assessments, you will manage a caseload and provide caseload guidance, supervision, and specialist advice to colleagues within the team, ensuring care is delivered in line with practice and performance frameworks.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Knowledge
Essential
- Degree and current professional registration held with Social Work England
- Accredited Practice Educator
- Approved Mental Health Professional or willing to undertake AMHP training
- Post registration/graduate diploma or equivalent experience in related work area, to demonstrate specialist level of practice
- Full understanding of relevant policy, legislation, drivers and their application to the service area, e.g.Safeguarding, Mental Health Act, Care Act, Mental Capacity Act, Social Inclusion, Liberty Protection Safeguards and other relevant legislation
- Full understanding/application of relevant practice/standards/audit within identified service area
- Standard IT skills
Desirable
- Evidence of CPD or experiential learning at an advanced level e.g. Post graduate/Masters level
- Leadership training/qualification/experience
- Evidence of project work that has impacted on practice and demonstrates a higher level of communication/planning/change that impacts within own area of work/responsibility
Experience
Essential
- Evidence of continuing experience and professional development (CPD) relevant to the service area at specialist level
- Evidence of development of specialist practice skills and able to demonstrate the impact of this on practice change/development
- Evidence of promoting/supporting active user/carer involvement/participation
- Ability to form and maintain appropriate relationships and personal boundaries with vulnerable people
Desirable
- Development of specialist/advanced level of professional/practice skills and able to demonstrate the impact of this on practice change/development
- Leadership/management experience which has had a positive impact and created change within the service delivery/practice
- Professional networking locally
Skills and Competencies
Essential
- Effective inter-personal skills and experience in supervising and mentoring
- Able to demonstrate effective communication skills
- Good time management skills
Desirable
- Ability to lead and motivate staff to embrace change
- Working knowledge of Trust policies and procedures in order to effectively lead and manage others
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: 01 June 2026
