Job summary
This is a specialist professional leadership post offering social work leadership across the CAMHS service line, with a unique opportunity to strengthen social work practice within a mental health trust.
The successful candidate will be confident, skilled, and highly knowledgeable in both child and family social work and children and young people's mental health. A strong understanding and practical application of the law as it pertains to children and young people, including Mental Health Act 1983, is essential. The postholder will be required to provide expert professional advice, often in complex and high-pressure situations.
The role bridges operational delivery and strategic leadership, providing visible and effective social work leadership across the CAMHS service line. You will ensure the provision of an efficient, effective, and high-quality professional service that meets all statutory, regulatory, and NHS requirements relating to social work practice with children and young people.
Working collaboratively with senior leaders and multi-agency partners, the postholder will ensure social work practice aligns with wider organisational objectives and maintains the highest professional standards.
This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced social work leader who is passionate about improving outcomes for children, young people, and families within mental health services.
Main duties of the job
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Provide visible professional leadership to CAMHS Social Workers across the Trust.
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Strengthen professional identity and promote social work-led approaches to high-quality, inequality-reducing CAMHS services.
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Offer professional advice to operational managers, supporting effective interfaces with local authorities.
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Deliver professional supervision and leadership to CAMHS social workers Trust-wide.
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Provide strategic and practical guidance on safeguarding and Mental Health Law, including Deprivation of Liberty.
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Deliver expert advice and consultation to internal and external professionals.
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Lead development and review of local policies, operating protocols, and standard procedures.
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Represent Social Work at senior forums across CAMHS and the wider Trust.
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Contribute to the Trust safeguarding team, offering ad-hoc advice and consultation.
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Support the Deputy Head of Social Work in partnership with education providers and Skills for Care to strengthen career pathways and preceptorship.
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Contribute to Trust audit and research in key social care priorities.
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Lead responses to required developments in Mental Health Law compliance (e.g., MHA reform).
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Collaborate with Trust, South London Partnership, and local authority leads to ensure robust governance, development, and performance management of CAMHS social work services.
About us
We are Proud to Belong at South West London and St George's Mental Health NHS Trust.
We have expert services, a rich history and a clear commitment to providing the best quality care for those with mental ill-health. The Care Quality Commission already rates our services as 'good' - we aspire to be 'outstanding'.
This is a great time to join us. We are transforming the way we care for our communities to support our mission of Making Life Better Together. We have built two brand new mental health facilities at Springfield University Hospital, which are amongst the best in the world. More developments are planned across our sites and services as we invest a further £120m to upgrade and modernise our estate by 2027.
We are inclusive and diverse and strive to be actively anti racist. We want to attract people from all backgrounds and experiences to enrich the work we do together. We are proud to co-produce and involve our local communities in all that we do.
We offer flexible working, career development and a variety ofbenefits to enable a positive, welcoming environment in which our people and their careers can thrive.
Come and join our inclusive teams and help our patients on their recovery journey.
About our location:
This post will be based at..............
Unless expressly stated in the job advert this role is not subject to sponsorship, please be advised that all offers of employment are subject to evidence of right to work in the UK.
Job description
Job responsibilities
o To provide specialist consultation to professionals and agencies outside of the Trust in relation to highly complex cases (for example, families with multi-agency involvement). This will include liaison and working with professional networks involved with complex, emotive and often conflictual issues such as those involving child protection, deliberate self-harm, violence, trauma and suicide risk.
o To promote a high level of clinical practice working jointly with other members of the multidisciplinary teams to facilitate their work with young people and families through supervision and training.
o To provide specialist consultation, advice and guidance to professionals working with families both within the service and in partner agencies, identifying priorities of action in complex circumstances, contributing to provision of a specific model of evidence-based therapeutic intervention.
o To work in partnership with other agencies to ensure that Child Protection issues are addressed effectively and within all local procedures.
o To provide effective skilled advice to a range of professionals, often at short notice under pressure.
o To provide social work cover across services where necessary
o To work in ways which are sensitive to and appropriate for the needs of families from a wide range of racial, cultural and religious backgrounds. This includes ability to understand therapeutic interventions to a variety of family forms including single parents, same sex couples and their families, extended families and people with mental health difficulties.
o To be able to write strategic reports and advice to contribute to CAMHS service development,
o Adhere to the Trusts reporting arrangements relating to incidents, accidents and near misses.
o To provide visible professional leadership representing CAMHS Social Work and social care within the Trust alongside the Deputy Head of Social Work, and deputising to the Head of Social Work when required.
o To provide expert support as part of the Safeguarding Team for safeguarding children including contributing to Serious Case Reviews as required.
o Uphold Social Work Englands professional standards and codes of conduct and under annual checks with HR in ensuring Trust CAMHS Social Workers have maintained compliance with their registration under SWE.
Job description
Job responsibilities
o To provide specialist consultation to professionals and agencies outside of the Trust in relation to highly complex cases (for example, families with multi-agency involvement). This will include liaison and working with professional networks involved with complex, emotive and often conflictual issues such as those involving child protection, deliberate self-harm, violence, trauma and suicide risk.
o To promote a high level of clinical practice working jointly with other members of the multidisciplinary teams to facilitate their work with young people and families through supervision and training.
o To provide specialist consultation, advice and guidance to professionals working with families both within the service and in partner agencies, identifying priorities of action in complex circumstances, contributing to provision of a specific model of evidence-based therapeutic intervention.
o To work in partnership with other agencies to ensure that Child Protection issues are addressed effectively and within all local procedures.
o To provide effective skilled advice to a range of professionals, often at short notice under pressure.
o To provide social work cover across services where necessary
o To work in ways which are sensitive to and appropriate for the needs of families from a wide range of racial, cultural and religious backgrounds. This includes ability to understand therapeutic interventions to a variety of family forms including single parents, same sex couples and their families, extended families and people with mental health difficulties.
o To be able to write strategic reports and advice to contribute to CAMHS service development,
o Adhere to the Trusts reporting arrangements relating to incidents, accidents and near misses.
o To provide visible professional leadership representing CAMHS Social Work and social care within the Trust alongside the Deputy Head of Social Work, and deputising to the Head of Social Work when required.
o To provide expert support as part of the Safeguarding Team for safeguarding children including contributing to Serious Case Reviews as required.
o Uphold Social Work Englands professional standards and codes of conduct and under annual checks with HR in ensuring Trust CAMHS Social Workers have maintained compliance with their registration under SWE.
Person Specification
Training & Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level
- Social Work Qualification - Degree in SW, DipSW, CQSW,CSS or equivalent
- Registered with Social Work England
- Evidence of continuing professional and personal development
- Competent IT skills
Desirable
- Professional management or leadership qualification at diploma level or above
- Project Management qualification
- Practice Educator
- A post qualifying therapeutic training
Person Specification
Training & Qualifications
Essential
- Educated to degree level
- Social Work Qualification - Degree in SW, DipSW, CQSW,CSS or equivalent
- Registered with Social Work England
- Evidence of continuing professional and personal development
- Competent IT skills
Desirable
- Professional management or leadership qualification at diploma level or above
- Project Management qualification
- Practice Educator
- A post qualifying therapeutic training
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).
Additional information
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).
