Team Manager, Mental Capacity Act/Deprivation of Liberty
Job specification
Are you passionate about making a positive and lasting difference for the people of Swindon? Are you able to contribute to achieving our vision of enabling every person to live the life that matters to them, with the people they value and love in the places and communities they call home? Where no one is left behind.
Following our recent re-structure within Swindon Borough Council’s Adult Service we are now seeking an experienced Team Manager for Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty to join our established safeguarding team.
This post will report into the Head of Adult Service, Community Led Support and will support the delivery of an ambitious change programme that seeks to improve our safeguarding services and contribute to a challenging efficiency agenda.
It is an exciting time of change at Swindon Borough Council, as we continue to review, refine and redesign our operating model, how we work collaboratively with our residents, communities and providers.
Overall Purpose of Job
The post holder will be working in a busy Adult Social Care Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding Team and the responsible Mental Capacity Lead.
You will ensure that safeguarding of adults’ principles, Mental Capacity Act, and The Human Rights Act are properly considered throughout and that they are able to verify all decisions made.
The service is responsible for leading, raising awareness and supporting the development of others in relation to understanding and applying the Mental Capacity Act, Deprivation of Liberty (DOLS) and Liberty Protection Safeguards (LPS).
To provide leadership on MCA, DOLS, Court of Protection, case management, guidance, support and expert advice to social care staff, internal/external partners as required, maintaining the highest level of professional service.
To provide direct line management to Best Interest Assessors, to include Assistant Team Manager, Advanced Practitioners and DOLS Support Officers.
To be accountable for the efficient operation of MCA, DOLS/ LPS and the overall quality of practice within the team; work closely with quality assurance colleagues to continuously develop, improve and MCA audits to ensure excellent standards are achieved across Swindon.
To contribute to the development, delivery and review of planning, performance, commissioning and governance of services so that overall costs are reduced but the life chances of adults are maximised.
To develop robust mechanisms to ensure clear communications of service plans, objectives and service changes with the team, ensuring that staff are engaged directly in any DOLS assessments and with the development of services.
In line with our values, you will be motivated by achieving the best outcomes for residents. You will be proactive in looking for opportunities to improve our residents safeguarding experience of our services and open to supporting communities to embrace change, innovation and opportunities to co-produce services; working with people with lived experience and their carers in the safe delivery and evaluation of services.
To coach, mentor, provide expert advice on MCA, DOLS/LPS to social care staff, internal/external partners as required, in maintaining the highest level of professional service.
To ensure continual improvements in best MCA, DOLS/ LPS practice, including record keeping, compliancy of process, identification of areas of good practice and efficiencies to help minimise risks to the customer and the organisation.
To analyse data, trends and deliver reports to provide prompt, regular and well informed advice to Swindon Adults’ Services and partner agencies on matters concerning Mental Capacity and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards/Liberty Protection Safeguards (DoLS / LPS), including supporting the service manager to ensure oversight of statutory returns.
To support and deputise for the Head of Service in identifying and developing training needs, to ensure that skills and competencies required in relation to Mental Capacity and DoLS are delivered to the workforce including training the providers.
As a Team Manager you will contribute to the strategic development of Adult Social Care development and more widely through taking lead responsibility for specific aspects of work. With other managers and partner agency colleagues, you will develop and deliver high performing and targeted services to improve and achieve best outcomes for adults eligible for Adult Social Care and their carers.
You will bring passion and commitment, achieving creative engagement with people with lived experience and their families and promoting effective safeguarding and supporting the strategy to transfer to LPS (development of the new MCAP role and readiness in wider teams)
Candidates must be fluent in the English language (as a requirement of Part 7 of the Immigration Act – for the effective performance of a customer-facing role).
Our transformation journey
Like all other local authorities, we are experiencing an increase in demand. As an organisation we know our Adults’ Services are on a rapid improvement journey which is why last year we started making big changes across the service to provide the best care for children and great conditions for our staff. This started with us recruiting an entirely new leadership team of experienced, forward thinking managers who are driving changes in the service and we aim to be one of the best Adults’ Services in the country.
Our Adult Practitioners’ induction
A practitioner-specific, Swindon-specific induction programme, aimed at providing you with the information you need regarding the policies and procedures of Adult Social Care at Swindon Borough Council.
The induction programme incorporates a blend of face-to-face activities and e-learning modules aimed at consolidating and reviewing your knowledge of the key areas.
These key areas include:
- understanding how to use our case management system
- understanding the Safeguarding and Quality Assurance policies and procedures
- understanding and using a strength-based approach
Improvements include:
- Multi-million pound investment in staff and support
- Significant restructure creating smaller social worker teams
- New intuitive IT system to cut down on desk time and make mobile working the norm
- High standards for management practice, support and supervision for staff
- Listening to our social workers by holding regular social work forums
- Implementing Liquid Logic and will be using this system from October 2023.
For Swindon to thrive in the future, we need to lay the foundations now. It’s why our regeneration and transformation programmes are already underway. So, you will be joining us at an exciting time on our journey. We will look to you to share your knowledge, influence decisions and drive real, positive change. With your contributions, we will achieve our vision of a prosperous, re-vitalised Swindon by 2030 together. And you’ll be proud to say it was made better with you.
Our new offer to you
We recognise that getting the best outcomes for our Adults means getting the best from you and we have listened to what our Social Workers and our Managers most value.
Please see our Rewards and Benefits offer for more details.
As an employee, you will receive a diverse and exciting environment in which to work, encouraging creativity and innovation whilst recognising the need to support ongoing personal development and a flexible work life balance.
Your next steps
Read the role profile and select the Apply button where you will be redirected to the Swindon Borough Council website to complete our online application process. Clicking the ‘Apply’ button on this job website is not an application, you must register on the Swindon Borough Council website in order to be considered for the role.
Potential applicants are sometimes put off if they don’t meet 100% of the requirements. We think individual experience, skills and passion make all the difference, so if you are a registered practitioner and meet the majority of the criteria, we’d love to hear from you.
We will be reviewing CVs as candidates apply and reserve the right to close this vacancy early. Therefore, early applications are strongly encouraged.
For an informal discussion, please contact Anna Grainger, Head of Service - Complex Care, Learning Disability & Transitions, at AGrainger@swindon.gov.uk
If you are experiencing technical issues submitting your application please email resourcing@swindon.gov.uk