Job summary
Are you passionate about peoples rights?!
NYAS provides mental health advocacy to individuals within mental health settings throughout the UK.
Our service provides independent advocacy to people within mental health hospitals and community-based settings. We support individuals to ensure their voice is heard regarding their care and treatment and that they are aware of their rights.
We are looking to recruitSelf-Employed Mental Health Advocatesto work in the following areas:
Warrington - WA2 8TR (Adults)
Atherton - M46 9NT (Adults)
Luton - LU4 0LU (Children)
This is a self-employed position and you will be paid a sessional rate.
The role will include representing service users during various meetings such as ward rounds and at multi-disciplinary team meetings. This role requires you to produce written reports to ensure that the views of patients are fully represented.
Main duties of the job
DO YOU HAVE:
- Direct experience of working with children/young people or vulnerable adults in a social care or mental health setting.
- Experience and understanding of child protection/vulnerable adult safeguarding procedures
- Ability to maintain professionalism at all times
- An understanding of the importance of listening to children/young people and vulnerable adults without bias or prejudice.
- Ability to communicate in an effective way.
- Ability to record concise case notes and produce good quality reports
You will need to evidence your skills using specific examples in your application meeting the criteria in the person specification.
Safeguarding and Training
You will be required to complete annual safeguarding and compliance training including, Personal Safety, Data Protection, Information Security, Safeguarding and Equality and Diversity.
You will be able to subscribe to an e-learning platform provided by NYAS. The platform will provide you with the opportunity to undertake a number of other professional courses that you can complete in your own time to maintain your own CPD.
In accordance with UK immigration law, NYAS is required to ensure that all prospective candidates have the legal right to work in the United Kingdom. Therefore, proof of eligibility to work in the UK will be required as part of the recruitment process.
About us
About NYAS
As an established leading rights-based charity, NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) is well positioned to ensure that children, young people, and adults across England and Wales are fully respected, represented, and supported in expressing their views and having their rights upheld.
We work with care-experienced children, young people, and adults who are often reliant on statutory services suffering the negative impact of the cuts in public expenditure. Our combination of social care and legal services places us in a unique position to ensure that they receive the services they need and that their voices are heard.
We are an equal opportunities employer,and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment which means NYAS welcomes applications from all individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or belief, or any other protected characteristic.
NYAS is proud to share that we are a Disability Confident Employer, and we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies.
NYAS operates robust safe procedures to ensure the protection of the children, young people and adults at risk we work with. To comply with NYASs Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy candidates will be subject to an enhanced DBS check, references and a Digital Risk Assessment.
We reserve the right to close this vacancy early once we receive a high number of applications.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Contract delivery specification for Self-Employed Advocate - Mental Health
To provide independent and confidential mental health advocacy work
in accordance with NYAS aims and objectives.
Paid sessionally at the agreed rate for advocacy and dependent upon
the rate agreed by NYAS in contract with a local authority or other
agency.
This is a self-employed role and individuals are responsible for
the accurate recording and reporting of their own earnings to the
HMRC.
National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS)
Variable as per contract
Contract deliverables:
To enable the child, young person, or vulnerable adult to make effective use of the Priory Group
or other representations and complaints procedures by providing information, support, advice
and representation.
To provide relevant advocacy support to children, young people and vulnerable adults, as set
out in the case referral and in accordance with local service specifications.
At all times to aim to achieve outcomes acceptable to the child, young person, or vulnerable
adult, and to explain the outcome or decision making to the child, young person, or vulnerable
adult.
To maintain confidentiality at all times and ensure proper observance of and adherence to the
clients confidentiality and safeguarding policies.
Work with an individual child/young person/vulnerable adult (as identified in the case
referral) on a specific issue identified by the child/young person/vulnerable adult in line with
the clients guidelines.
To visit locked and residential mental health care and treatment settings at agreed fixed
intervals (as detailed in the unit contract). Such visits may be undertaken with either an
individual or a client group in order to interact and to identify matters of importance or
concern.
To report, in line with service requirements, on the experience of the children, young people
and vulnerable adults within the establishment visited in order to ensure that the views, wishes
and feelings of the client group are heard by those responsible for their care and/or treatment.
Please apply directly through the National Youth Advocacy (NYAS) website -Self-Employed Mental Health Advocate
Job description
Job responsibilities
Contract delivery specification for Self-Employed Advocate - Mental Health
To provide independent and confidential mental health advocacy work
in accordance with NYAS aims and objectives.
Paid sessionally at the agreed rate for advocacy and dependent upon
the rate agreed by NYAS in contract with a local authority or other
agency.
This is a self-employed role and individuals are responsible for
the accurate recording and reporting of their own earnings to the
HMRC.
National Youth Advocacy Service (NYAS)
Variable as per contract
Contract deliverables:
To enable the child, young person, or vulnerable adult to make effective use of the Priory Group
or other representations and complaints procedures by providing information, support, advice
and representation.
To provide relevant advocacy support to children, young people and vulnerable adults, as set
out in the case referral and in accordance with local service specifications.
At all times to aim to achieve outcomes acceptable to the child, young person, or vulnerable
adult, and to explain the outcome or decision making to the child, young person, or vulnerable
adult.
To maintain confidentiality at all times and ensure proper observance of and adherence to the
clients confidentiality and safeguarding policies.
Work with an individual child/young person/vulnerable adult (as identified in the case
referral) on a specific issue identified by the child/young person/vulnerable adult in line with
the clients guidelines.
To visit locked and residential mental health care and treatment settings at agreed fixed
intervals (as detailed in the unit contract). Such visits may be undertaken with either an
individual or a client group in order to interact and to identify matters of importance or
concern.
To report, in line with service requirements, on the experience of the children, young people
and vulnerable adults within the establishment visited in order to ensure that the views, wishes
and feelings of the client group are heard by those responsible for their care and/or treatment.
Please apply directly through the National Youth Advocacy (NYAS) website -Self-Employed Mental Health Advocate
Person Specification
Qualifications
Desirable
- Either:
- A recognised professional qualification (e.g.
- social work, social care, youth work, law,
- teaching) which evidences direct involvement
- with children, young people or vulnerable
- adults in the last three years.
-
- Introduction to Advocacy (Level 3) (6 credits)
-
- National Certificate in Independent Advocacy
- (4 units and specialist unit)
Experience
Essential
- Experience of significant direct work in a related setting in the past three years (e.g. family support worker, residential worker, mental health)
- IT Skills to intermediate level as a minimum
- Knowledge of the legislation and policy for relevant service users and the accompanying guidance and regulation. e.g. Mental Health Acts 1983/2007, Children Act 1989, and/or Children Act 2004, and/or Children and Young Persons Act 2008, Care Act 2014, as a minimum
- For Wales, the Social Services and Well-being (Wales)Act 2014 applies
- Knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion principles
- Ability to listen to service users effectively
- Ability to communicate effectively with all service users both orally and in writing
- Ability to develop a sensitive but problem solving approach to the situations in which children, young people and vulnerable adults can find themselves
- A confident, persuasive approach in negotiation of issues
- Ability to handle conflict constructively
- Ability to communicate effectively and confidently with figures in authority, in particular in local authority settings, both orally and in writing
- A pleasant, articulate and, when necessary, sympathetic telephone manner
- Ability to write in a clear and succinct manner and keep accurate records of all cases
- Ability to input data and produce quality reports and case records
Desirable
- Knowledge of Local Authority/Health Complaints Procedures
- Ability to assess and summarise accurately and concisely
-
-
- Ability to work in a way that empowers and enables service users to develop self-advocacy skills
- Access to a vehicle
Person Specification
Qualifications
Desirable
- Either:
- A recognised professional qualification (e.g.
- social work, social care, youth work, law,
- teaching) which evidences direct involvement
- with children, young people or vulnerable
- adults in the last three years.
-
- Introduction to Advocacy (Level 3) (6 credits)
-
- National Certificate in Independent Advocacy
- (4 units and specialist unit)
Experience
Essential
- Experience of significant direct work in a related setting in the past three years (e.g. family support worker, residential worker, mental health)
- IT Skills to intermediate level as a minimum
- Knowledge of the legislation and policy for relevant service users and the accompanying guidance and regulation. e.g. Mental Health Acts 1983/2007, Children Act 1989, and/or Children Act 2004, and/or Children and Young Persons Act 2008, Care Act 2014, as a minimum
- For Wales, the Social Services and Well-being (Wales)Act 2014 applies
- Knowledge of equality, diversity and inclusion principles
- Ability to listen to service users effectively
- Ability to communicate effectively with all service users both orally and in writing
- Ability to develop a sensitive but problem solving approach to the situations in which children, young people and vulnerable adults can find themselves
- A confident, persuasive approach in negotiation of issues
- Ability to handle conflict constructively
- Ability to communicate effectively and confidently with figures in authority, in particular in local authority settings, both orally and in writing
- A pleasant, articulate and, when necessary, sympathetic telephone manner
- Ability to write in a clear and succinct manner and keep accurate records of all cases
- Ability to input data and produce quality reports and case records
Desirable
- Knowledge of Local Authority/Health Complaints Procedures
- Ability to assess and summarise accurately and concisely
-
-
- Ability to work in a way that empowers and enables service users to develop self-advocacy skills
- Access to a vehicle
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.
