Job Introduction
The social work assistant will be working closely with vulnerable adults their carers, family and possibly the wider community
The role holder will be allocate a case load of less complex cases than those held by qualified social worker
The role holder will work with qualified staff in the management of more complex cases working to an agreed plan and advising qualified staff, who will retain case responsibility, of important issues arising from their intervention.
The role holder will participate in the team’s duty rota
The role holder will be expected to participate in team meetings, including being on the rota for chairing the same, and contribute to the development of the team.
The post holder will be expected to liaise regularly with colleagues within the voluntary sector, including housing and with health professionals, other statutory and voluntary agencies to ensure comprehensive and appropriate services are available.
The role holder will undertake lone working, visiting service users and their families in their homes.
The role holder will have an awareness of the issues regarding adult abuse
The role holder will need keyboard skills to update electronic records
Main Responsibility
Key responsive front line role with support from qualified staff as necessary. Either in short term crisis intervention or long/medium support to people as necessary whether living at home or in an alternative provision
Communication with service users, families, friends, other professionals and colleagues to ensure all are aware of decisions and agreed outcomes
Supporting service users and carers where necessary in meeting agreed outcomes in plan
Practical support e.g. helping with financial affairs, appointments etc particularly where the adult has no informal network often being the allocated worker for such service users
To advise qualified or senior staff where a reassessment or more complex advice or support may be required to avoid a crisis or breakdown in current situation
Make referrals using the safeguarding vulnerable adults procedure where appropriate
Be accountable for safety when visiting service users and carers within their homes by ensuring you have read the lone visiting policy and adhere to it and advise their line manager of any incidents or issues for concern that they have encountered
Be able to use the council’s email, social care data base and electronic recording system and any other systems deemed essential to the role
Be aware of need for confidentiality
Be aware of quality standards and performance measures and ensure they are adhered to
Attend supervisory meetings with team manager and/or qualified social worker allocated as you r supervisor
Be responsible for personal development
To undertake basic assessments, telephone reviews and reviews deemed appropriate by team manager as for level 5 but to have developed skills to enable you to undertake the annual reviews of smaller personal (managed and cash option) budgets up to where cost is equivalent to 5-6 hours of care and for some people in residential and nursing care.
To be allocated worker for service users where deemed appropriate by team manager, undertaking the responsibility of an allocated worker e.g. to support, liaise, reassess/review, support carers, update records. Examples of cases would be where either there was no family or informal carer to give support or where carer support was stable but regular input ensured stability was not compromised. You would not be allocated to cases with long term unstable conditions, major family relationship issues or coordinating and monitoring safeguarding plans although you could contribute to these working with an allocated qualified worker
The Ideal Candidate
- Be able to prioritise own workload while being flexible to need of service
- To be able to establish a professional and effective relationship with service users and their families
- To be able to work in a multidisciplinary manner and build relationships with other colleagues and professionals
- Expected to be able to problem solve while being aware that support is available from qualified staff
Package Description
We are really proud of the benefits we are able to offer our staff here at Milton Keynes Council, including:-
- Local Government Pension Scheme, considered to be one of the best employer contribution rates of 19.7%
- 27 days annual leave per year in addition to statutory and public holidays, rising to 31 days after 5 years
- Holiday Purchase Scheme
- Our Professional Development Centre provides access to courses such as in-house management development programmes endorsed by the Institute of Leadership, Apprenticeship Programmes (junior and senior), coaching and mentoring and access to our Smarter Learning portal
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Health Cashplan
- MK Advantage benefits package – a range of savings on a wide range of retail, leisure and entertainment products and services such as Pizza Express, M&S, B&Q, John Lewis and Arriva Travel.
- SmartGo – Aimed at encouraging low-carbon transport and healthy lifestyle with discounted travel e.g. Halfords, Arriva, Europcar, National Railcards and Stagecoach.
- Homebuy Scheme (for eligible roles)
- Smarter working which provides the opportunity to work from various locations including from home for a proportion of your role (subject to business needs)
- A full range of family friendly policies including enhanced Maternity, Adoption and Paternity entitlements
- Childcare Subsidy
About The Organisation
Milton Keynes is a diverse, multi cultural, adrenaline packed expanding city with so much to offer on its door step. From beautiful open spaces, a busy theatre district, large shopping centre to a number of cultural and leisure facilities.
Milton Keynes Council has an array of responsibilities, such as: education, housing, highways and social services. Altogether, the council provides over 240 services to the citizens of Milton Keynes, and to meet such an extensive and diverse range of challenges we must be innovative and dynamic to provide services successfully to meet the increasing demands that will accompany the growth of Milton Keynes. How better to contribute to that continued success than through a unique and rewarding career with us. Here at Milton Keynes Council, we pride ourselves on modelling our values, that were co-created with colleague. We are dedicated, respectful and collaborative as we strive every day to make a difference to local people and the community we serve. If you share our values and want to experience a fulfilling job measured on outcomes and results with great work-life balance, make a move to Milton Keynes Council.
