Specialist Support Worker

Job description

Job responsibilities

Woodfield Trauma Service (WTS) is a small but busy team who work with refugees, asylum seekers and other forced migrants who have experienced trauma and who suffer with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. While it is primarily a psychology service, the service also supports the numerous practical needs that our patients have and the support worker role is a crucial post in the team, offering advice, signposting and practical support to all patients for a large range of issues. By helping patients stabilize their practical needs, they are enabled to engage more fully with the psychological work on offer.

Provide practical advice and support to refugees and asylum seekers on issues such as housing, welfare benefits, immigration, education.

Ensure that the clients are linked to other relevant services both in the community and within statutory services.

Have a good understanding of the legislation and issues affecting refugees and asylum seekers. An ability to speak more than one language would be an asset.

Main Responsibilities:

Work as a member of the core team of the Woodfield Trauma Service.

Carry and maintain a caseload of clients with practical and social care needs.

Take part in regular supervision and case discussions.

Assist in all necessary aspects of the development of the service, including making links with third sector agencies that can support our clients.

Participate in multidisciplinary team meetings and maintain close working relationships with team members.

Carry out assessments of social needs and discussions with the service on ways to meet those needs.

Take part in joint work with staff from local refugee groups, CMHTs, and other organisations working with our patient group.

Work with interpreters as and when required.

Maintain accurate and legible records of clients which will help to facilitate the review and evaluation of the service.

Keep up to date with the changes in legislation and practice as they affect refugees and asylum seekers and disseminate these to the team.

Respect clients ethnic, cultural, religious and any other related needs and expectations.

Assist in administrative tasks, answering telephones, making and re-scheduling appointments as required.

Person Specification

EDUCATION AND QUALIFICATIONS

Essential

• NVQ Level 3 in Health & Social Care or equivalent experience

Desirable

• Any training & courses relating to the patient population and their needs.

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE

Essential

• Significant experience of working with service users suffering form mental health problems
• Substantial experience providing practical support and advice to service users
• Experience working in a multidisciplinary team
• Good working knowledge of UK benefits and social housing systems
• Experience of working with forced migrants

Desirable

• Experience liaising with a variety of relevant organisations on behalf of service users.
• Experience of working with refugees and asylum seekers or agencies working with refugees and asylum seekers.
• Working knowledge of the UK asylum process

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE, ABILITIES

Essential

• Knowledge of services in the community for refugees and asylum seekers.
• Ability to communicate clearly both orally and in writing
• Able to prioritise workload, uses of own initiative, and work to deadline.
• Demonstrate effective organisational ability over a wide range of tasks.
• Ability to make use of supervision
• Awareness of the difficulties facing refugees and asylum seekers.
• Awareness of the possible after effects of torture, persecution and exile

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

Address

7a Woodfield Road

London

W9 2NW

Employer's website

https://www.cnwl.nhs.uk/work (Opens in a new tab)