Responsibilities

We are a vibrant community team based in Midshires Offices right in the heart of Aylesbury. In addition to the salary advertised, you will receive a market premium of £2,525 per annum, you will also receive a ‘Golden Hello’ lump-sum payment of £2500 paid on successful completion of your probationary period.

Despite the challenges that Adult Social Care has faced within the last few years, our approach in Buckinghamshire has remained focused on promoting clients independence and provide support for those who require it. Buckinghamshire Council is a dynamic one, where you will be challenged as well as a place you will be supported to expand your skills and experience.

Buckinghamshire practice with a strong emphasis on a strength-based practice approach, ‘Better Lives’, has been improving outcomes linked to independence, developing social connections, and improving areas that are important to the residents we support.

We have created more roles in Social Work and Occupational Therapy; we are adapting to work much more closely with the community and support people near to where they live; we have developed a new career progression framework to encourage staff ambition and development; finally, to establish the conditions to deliver outstanding practice.

We are now looking for motivated, ambitious and inspiring people to join us on our journey.

About the role

To ensure the highest standards of service are provided to the residents of Buckinghamshire, Advanced Practitioners will ensure:

• Work in accordance with the Better Lives framework
• Promote and deliver goal-based support people to achieve greater independence
• Promote equality as an integral part of a role and treat everyone with fairness and dignity
• Provide a proactive personalised approach to the delivery of care and practice
• Respond to people’s needs in a timely manner
• Focus on improving people’s well-being
• Give people greater choice and control over the care that they receive
• Take account of people’s risks and safety at all times, identifying mitigations to reduce that risk
• Support people to achieve the outcomes that are most important to them using all available resources and taking responsibility for the public purse
• Supervise staff
• Hold a caseload of complex cases
• Competent in completing Safeguarding Investigations and Court work
• Provide personalised information and advice, safeguarding, assessment, support planning and review to individuals/families and their carers

Mobile:

A ‘mobile’ role gives you the flexibility to schedule your own diary, so you can meet with colleagues and clients in a variety of locations. You’ll access digital folders and resources on your laptop and be able to use the network wherever you are based. Working from home will be common, as well as meeting your team in the office where necessary.

About you

You must be a qualified Social Worker (holding a social work degree or equivalent) and be registered with Social Work England. In addition, a full driving licence with access to a vehicle is an essential requirement for this role.

Naturally, you’ll be a great people person, familiar with working to a strength-based approach. Thinking outside the box, you’ll support your clients and help prevent, reduce or delay the need for care. Bringing your in-depth knowledge of the latest legislation and statutory guidance, you’ll work independently and with colleagues to support adults and their families. Persistence and an adaptable approach are needed in an outcome-focused way with partners such as health services, community sector, housing, care providers and other stakeholders.

If you'd like to hear from some of our current social workers and social care staff, take a look at our careers social media pages Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram

We welcome individuals looking to return to social work and offer a return to social work programme assessment and support process. Should this be something of interest to you please contact the Learning and Wellbeing Hub via email at [email protected] to arrange an informal chat or to find out more information.

Other information

As a service, we’re proud of the way we have adapted as we make our way through the COVID-19 pandemic. The safety of our colleagues and residents remains at the forefront of what we do, and we have used technology where it has been appropriate to undertake some functions such as staying in touch with your clients, partners, and colleagues. We want to retain the benefits of working in this way, as well as continuing face-to-face where it is appropriate to do so. As a result of this, we would welcome applications from a wider geographical basis.

You will be required to apply for a DBS at an enhanced level. Further information about the DBS Scheme can be found at GOV.UK

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore applicants are required to declare:

• All unspent cautions and convictions cautions
• All adult cautions and spent convictions that are not protected (i.e. that are not filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2020).

For further information on filtering please refer to Nacro guidance, the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) guidance or Ministry of Justice (MOJ) guidance (see, in particular, the section titled ‘Exceptions Order’).

We reserve the right to close the vacancy once we have received sufficient applications, so please be advised to submit your application as early as possible.

Buckinghamshire Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults at risk.

Person Specification

Essential:

• Substantial experience and evidence of undertaking direct work with vulnerable adults in a statutory setting and in relationship and strengths-based practice, working collaboratively with adults and their families.
• Proven experience in one or more areas of practice and have a broader knowledge of local and national resource networks.
• Detailed knowledge and experience in the application of relevant procedural and legislative frameworks, statutory guidance, standards and local policies and procedures in accordance to the Care Act and Mental Capacity Act.
• Ability to demonstrate awareness of legislation relating to General Data
• Protection Regulations and Freedom of Information.
• Demonstrable knowledge and experience in the application of relevant theoretical frameworks, practice models and research findings.
• Ability to use advanced theoretical/ practical/procedural/organisational/legal knowledge across a specialist area.   
• Planning and workload management skills.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build sound, productive working relationships with colleagues, partners and other staff, and to engage effectively with adults with experience of using different tools and methodologies to communicate with adults.
• Accurate and timely case record keeping and high-quality report writing skills which are suitable for a variety of professional settings.
• Ability to manage, develop, motivate and work effectively as part of a team to achieve team and service plan objectives and targets.
• Demonstrates strong assessment skills and analysis of relevant information and develops multi agency outcome-focused plans to improve outcomes for adults using evidence-based practice
• Ability to analyse and interpret varied and complex information, developing strategies and solutions for the medium and long term.
• Ability to use well developed communication skills to present complex/sensitive information in an understandable way, to a range of audiences.
• Ability to practice effectively and competently with an increasing level of autonomy and independence
• Ability to determine which interventions, knowledge and skills to deploy to effectively respond to different issues.
• Proven ability to carry out tasks which impact on the wellbeing of people, including assessing needs, implementing care/welfare, implementing regulations, providing guidance on internal procedures and interpreting policies and procedures to meet specific circumstances or problems.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times.
• Experience of working in a physical/ community setting, and assessment and provision of specialist equipment and adaptations.
• Specialist moving and handling techniques and equipment.
• Social Work Advanced Practitioner - Qualified Social Worker
• Occupational Therapist Advanced Practitioner - a minimum of a 2:1 BSC degree in Occupational Therapy or COT Diploma qualification or equivalent
• Successful completion of qualifying year together with two years post qualifying experience of working with adults
• Full driving licence with access to a vehicle
• Registration with Social Work England or HCPC
• Commitment to continuous professional development
• Ability to demonstrate a commitment to individual and reflective supervision

Desirable:

• Working towards a specialist area of work, e.g. Practice Educator, DoLs assessor, AMPH, specialist moving and handling