Advanced Social Work Practitioner (Grade 8)

JOB DESCRIPTION

DIRECTORATE:
Adult Services and Health
DIVISION:
Careline
JOB TITLE:
Advanced Social Work Practitioner
GRADE:
8
SALARY RANGE:
£37,107 - £41,846
LOCATION:
City Wide
PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE JOB:
To carry a caseload of Service Users with complex need. To model and facilitate reflective practice, support Social Workers in managing complex caseloads and provide professional supervision where required.

To support the management team in the development and leadership of the Social Care work force in order to safeguard and promote the wellbeing of vulnerable adults and their families to deliver high quality services and standards.

To provide leadership and knowledge to colleagues (and other professionals) in situations of high complexity. To provide constructive challenge to enhance practice, procedures and policies, promote innovation and introduce new ways of working from recognised sites of excellence.
DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE TO:
Team Leader
DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE
FOR:
Professional supervision as required by Team Leader
THIS POST IS SUBJECT TO DISCLOSURE
Enhanced DBS

MAIN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:
Practice
1. Ensure the Council meets its statutory obligations to safeguard adults, complying with legislation, policy and procedures and relevant frameworks to investigate and manage risk where vulnerable adults have experienced or are likely to experience significant harm.

2. Ensure that all information is gathered to inform risk assessments and critically analysed to inform the plan.

3. Ensure that own/others casework decision making is robust by providing critical refection with detailed analysis informing professional judgements.

4. Hold and effectively manage a complex and varied caseload with appropriate supervision, guidance and support, reflecting the function of the team and Adult Social Care in accordance with policy, procedures, guidance and legislation.

5. Undertake work within legislative frameworks including the preparation of written statements and representations to the judiciary at court hearings and applications to the Court of Protection.

6. Demonstrate a critical knowledge of the range of theories and models for social work intervention with individuals, families, groups and communities, and the methods derived from them.

7. Have delegated responsibility for the supervision and development of team members, including Assessed and Supported Year in Employment (ASYE) and social work students ensuring high quality standards of performance and practice.

8. Actively engage in risk management policies, procedures and practice and to advise the management team of resource shortfalls and recommend improved methods of working where appropriate.

9. Work collaboratively with internal and external colleagues to co-ordinate and jointly deliver effective services. To chair/contribute to multi agency and service meetings.

10. Work with, develop, and/or as part of local high quality integrated teams working effectively with vulnerable adults, older people and their families to reduce the need for targeted and specialist services and to assist in the reablement of those already in receipt of such services.

11. Work effectively with colleagues to develop/implement common adult assessment, information sharing protocols and lea professional roles within localities to the measurable benefit of vulnerable adults and their families.

12. To collaborate with Officers in other Services in the implementation of community provision and to have some delegated duties to ensure the team delivers integrated services across a range of settings in line with identified locality needs.

13. Model effective communication skills appropriate to role and communicate effectively in highly charged or challenging circumstances.

14. Respond to the needs of vulnerable adults, older people and their families, whilst meeting statutory responsibilities and ensuring views and wishes are heard and recorded accurately.

15. Ensure both own reports and those of others are clear, up to date and of a high quality in accordance with legal requirements, local guidelines, good practice and are submitted according to appropriate timescales.

16. Encourage and ensure that vulnerable adults, older people, families, and significant others are involved in and contribute to assessment planning, interventions and decision making using agreed Evidence Based Assessment tools .

17. Promote innovative and best practice across all tiers of the team.

Resources

18. Be involved in decision making in relation to resource allocation, service delivery, closure of work and all day to day operational matters whilst achieving best value in the way those services are delivered.

19. Ensure that resources are used to optimum efficiency including effective management of devolved budgets.

Performance Management

20. Contribute to the Quality Control and Quality Assurance frameworks including supporting the manager in the development and monitoring of team plans; the delivery of effective personal professional supervision, peer support and mentoring; performance development reviews in accordance with the Directorate policies.

21. Model inclusive practice in relation to identity and diversity, challenging any issues of concern.

22. Take a lead role in the development of particular areas of professional practice.

23. Assist in the establishment, management and maintenance of monitoring systems for assessment and case management in order to maintain effective professional, managerial and budgetary control.

24. Use, monitor and support the use of the adult Liquid Logic system (and other IT systems) and fully utilise the capability of the system across the team.

25. Contribute to the professional development of the team, volunteers and provide regular student placements for students as a practice (including trainee AMHPs, BIA’s, social workers and ASYE’s).

26. Ensure that client information data is lawfully gathered, accurate, up to date and only divulged in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998 and the local government common law duty of confidentiality. Failure to apply these duties can lead to the individual or the Service facing court proceedings.

27. Develop the City Council’s commitment to equal opportunities and to promote non-discriminatory practices in all aspects of work undertaken.

Advance Practitioner - Additional key responsibilities:

28. To assist other Social Workers and SCA’s by offering support and advice within post holders area of work.

29. To participate in the duty system as needed for emergency referrals.

30. Act as Trusted Assessor providing equipment/minor adaptations and key worker for other allied health professionals (AHP) tasks as appropriate and agreed by Team Leader.

31. To work jointly with Allied Health Professionals (AHP) and where appropriate supervise and or be supervised/managed by those staff.

32. As required work within a 7 day service 8am - 10pm.

33. Take responsibility for the professional learning and development of self and others including participating in team meeting and contributing to the development of the team.

34. Take responsibility for obtaining regular professional supervision to ensure effective practice, reflection and careers development.

35. Prepare and participate in performance and development reviews, identifying area for improvement and carrying out agreed learning and development opportunities including using research to inform practice.

36. Ensure that expenditure on cases is properly authorised and recorded.

37. Be responsible for accurate, sensitive, timely and up to date data entry on all cases including:

· Data entry on Liquid Logic and any other electronic tools or database
· Data required for specific PIs/targets
· Due consideration being given to any legal and human rights of the individuals concerned
· Ensure that client information data is lawfully gathered, accurate, up to date and only divulged in accordance with the data protection act 1998 and the Local government common law duty of confidentially. Failure to apply these duties can lead to the individual or the service facing court proceedings

38. To fulfil duties required of an AMHP as defined by the Mental Health Act (MHA) 1983 (as amended Mental Health Act 2007), Code of Practice (as amended 2015) and Mental Health Act regulation (2008).

39. Undertake Mental Health Act duties in line with operational arrangements as defined by the directorate. For specified teams (e.g. AMHP team) there may be a requirement in order to deliver integrated services with health (and where there is a demonstrable need due to the Council’s legal duties), to work within a 24 - 7 shift pattern.

NB: Any work within core hours or outside of core hours will be subject to agreed
Standard enhancements and/or allowances.

40. To fulfil all operational roles related to AMHP work, including (but not limited to) Duty AMHP Manager, Duty AMHP or AMHP, as defined by the Directorate.

41. Attend Section 117 meetings as a representative of the Local Social Services Authority when required to do so.

42. Request where appropriate, an independent Mental Health Advocate (IMHA) or an Independent Mental Capacity Advocate (IMCA) to represent a qualifying service user.

43. Act as Appropriate Adult under PACE legislation where appropriate and requested by the Directorate.

44. Contribute as required to the development and implementation of policies and procedures relating to their area of work and to undertake other duties as commensurate with grade.

45. To complete statutory ‘Best Interest Assessments’ and other necessary assessments within the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards framework, legislation, code of practice and local guidance, including involvement in cases that require applications to the Court of Protection.

46. To fulfil duties required of a BIA as defined by the Mental Capacity Act (2005) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards, Code of Practice and related guidance.

47. Present cases at a legal hearing and exercise the appropriate use of independence, authority and autonomy.

48. The post holder will be expected to be committed to continuous workplace learning, which may include undertaking formal training, as part of both individual and organisational development. To provide a source of expertise and develop specialist knowledge as required.

49. Authorise medical fees and other associated fee’s related to the legislative role.

This job description is a representative document. Other reasonable similar duties may be allocated from time to time commensurate with the general character of the post and its grading.

This job description applies to a number of jobs within adult social care, the team (and office location) that staff undertaking this job description are allocated to could change at the discretion of management following consultation with the individual post holder.

In addition to post holder principal duties the post holder will be expected to contribute more widely to the overall development of the service and Council.

All employees are responsible for the implementation of the health and safety policy so far as it effects them, their colleagues and others who may be effected by their work. The post holder is also expected to monitor the effectiveness of the health and safety arrangements and systems to promote appropriate improvements where necessary.

All employees are expected to be committed to the equality and diversity policy and assist in removing the barriers to service delivery and employment to enhance a positive equality culture.

This post is exempt from the provisions of Section 4(2) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 by virtue of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975. You are therefore not entitled to withhold information about convictions which for any other purposes are ‘spent’ under the provisions of the Act and any failure to disclose such convictions could result in dismissal or disciplinary action by the Authority. Any information given will be completely confidential and will be considered only in relation to the positions to which the Order applies.

It must be understood that every employee has a responsibility to ensure that their work complies with all statutory requirements with Standing Orders and Financial Regulations of the City Council and to ensure that all work functions are undertaken in accordance with health and safety legislation, codes of practice and the City Council’s safety plan.

This job description is not intended to be either prescriptive or exhaustive. It is issued as a framework to outline the main areas of responsibility.

Please be aware that Liverpool City Council's overtime rates have changed to be aligned with what a permanent Liverpool City Council employee is entitled to. If a candidate works under 37 hours in a week, then please do not submit the hours using overtime rates. Please submit these hours using the regular rate. If the workers' pay rate is under the SCP22 cap (£14.82), then please submit their overtime hours using the standard Saturday Overtime & Sunday Overtime rate types (if they have worked over 37 hours). If the workers' pay rate is over the SCP22 cap (£14.82), then please submit their overtime hours using the Saturday Overtime (Capped Rate SCP22) & Sunday Overtime (Capped Rate SCP22).

All hours up to 37 in any one week will be paid at plain time. All hours above 37 in any one week will be paid at time and a half (double time on Sunday). For part time staff, overtime worked on Saturday or Sunday will attract the appropriate weekend enhancement after the first 2 hours which will be paid at plain time.