Experienced Social Worker, Learning Disability, Adult Social Care
Job specification
We’ve already taken huge strides forward with our journey for an integrated approach to children’s health, education support and social care and now we’re ready to move on to the next stage in our development. As we move forward, it is vital that everything we do and every service we provide is delivered in a robust way and is in line with national standards and protocols.
Introduce the team
The Learning Disabilities Team support people to meet their needs, to live as independently as they can and to live a good life. We work with multi-disciplinary teams, including the Integrated Care Board to meet those needs holistically.
The team focuses on promoting the rights of individuals to be able to make choices and decisions for themselves and use the Mental Capacity act to guide these where required.
The team has a range of practitioners including Assistant Care Managers, Social Workers, Experienced SW’s, Advanced SW’s and LD Link Workers. Our Link workers support the main Care Management functions of the other roles, and support the people we work with to source services and activities in the community.
While the work can be challenging the team are very supportive of each other and fun to be around. We have a passion and commitment to support the people we work with.
Your next role
As an Experienced Social Worker, you will join us in Adult Social Care in a friendly, supportive and dynamic team, bringing a particular interest in and focus on Adult Safeguarding.
This role will see you working closely with the residents of Swindon and their families as well as a number of professionals including health, provider services, safeguarding and mental health colleagues.
The Adult Social Care Teams support adults living in Swindon and you will be responsible for completing Care Act Assessments and proportionate support planning. In addition, you will be undertaking S42 Enquiries and ensuring appropriate protection plans. You will follow the care management process of reviews, completing Mental Capacity Assessments and Best Interest decisions.
As an Experienced Social Worker in the Learning Disability Team, as well as managing a caseload with some requiring a greater level of experience, you will be expected to provide supervision in the team, manage safeguarding enquiries, and will be required to support duty by providing cover on the team rota.
Other tasks include participating in multi-agency Team meetings representing the team and chairing Best Interest Meetings if required.
Monthly supervision will be provided to you with access to support from the Advanced SWs, Assistant Team Manager and Team Manager.
You 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
- Implementation of Liquid Logic since October 2023.
At the heart of it all is our desire to promote and cultivate a strong learning culture combined with outstanding leadership and supervision. Here is what you can expect to find when you arrive:
- Early help and community health practitioners co-located with our social workers, providing great working relationships
- Fantastic relationships with partner agencies such as the police and Swindon CCG
- Teams located within communities, providing a closer connection to the people we work with
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.
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’ll be joining us at an exciting time on our journey. We’ll look to you to share your knowledge, influence decisions and drive real, positive change. With your contributions, we’ll achieve our vision of a prosperous, re-vitalised Swindon together. And you’ll be proud to say it was made better with you.
Please see our Vision and Values page for more details
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.
For more information or an informal discussion, please contact Naomi MacMeekin, Learning Disability Team Manager, at NMacMeekin4@swindon.gov.uk
If you are experiencing technical issues submitting your application please email resourcing@swindon.gov.uk