Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Band 8b Principal CAMH Social Worker to join the West London CAMHS Tri-borough Alliance Service.
We are looking to appoint a Principal Social Worker who will promote evidence-based social work practice and the social inclusion of young people with mental health problems.
In addition to playing a pivotal role in the development and leadership of the social work team, the Principal Social Worker will retain a clinical role, providing CAMHS assessment and therapeutic interventions for children and young people with complex mental health needs. As well as supporting the management structure of the Alliance team. Extensive post qualifying experience working within multidisciplinary CAMHS settings at Band 8a is essential for this post.
Alliance is a multidisciplinary Specialist Child & Adolescent Mental Health Crisis Service which is currently based in Lakeside Mental Health Unit, Twickenham Road, Isleworth, TW7 6AF. The team works flexibly across the boroughs of Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith and Fulham, working across multiple sites and locations.
Main duties of the job
The Principal Social Worker will provide a visible and accessible leadership presence within the locality or specialist service where the post is located through promoting a culture of learning and sharing good practice, acting as a clinically credible role model providing insightful, inspirational and compassionate leadership. They will also be an active member of the local leadership team and provide professional leadership for the local social work team. The Principal Social Worker will form an integral part of the CAMHS social work supervision structure and will offer supervision and line management as appropriate, whilst supporting the team to develop excellent social work student placements.
The Principal Social Worker will provide highly specialised CAMHS assessment and therapeutic interventions, as well as risk management and case management, for children and young people referred to the Alliance Service.
In addition, the Principal Social Worker will conduct and lead appropriate complex audit, quality improvement and research projects.
About us
West London NHS Trust is one of the most diverse healthcare providers in the UK, delivering a range of mental health and physical healthcare and community services. The Trust runs Broadmoor Hospital, one of three high secure hospitals in the country, with an international reputation.
Our high secure services care for patients from South of England and we provide low and medium secure services across eight London boroughs. The Trust also provides mental and physical healthcare in three London boroughs (Ealing, Hounslow and Hammersmith & Fulham). We employ 4,500 staff, of whom 56% are BME. Our turnover for 2023-24 is £426m.
The Trust is rated as 'Good' overallby the Care Quality Commission. Forensic services are rated as 'Outstanding'.
The Trust is an established partner and contributor in the development of the evolving North West London Integrated Care System and the Integrated Care Board. The Trust leads the NW London Children and Adolescent Mental Health provider collaborative.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The Candidate Pack provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience and knowledge required. Please view as attached
The person specification below is not the full person specification, but outlines the criteria against which your application form will be assessed.
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Degree/diploma in Social Work
- Professional registration with Social Work England (SWE).
- Evidence of credible continuing professional development in child and adolescent mental health practice
- MSc level training in a relevant specialist field or demonstrable consolidated experience that equates to Masters level knowledge
- Training in supervision
Desirable
- Training in individual and group therapeutic interventions e.g. CBT, DBT, Solution Focused Therapy, EMDR, Family Interventions, NVR
- Post graduate level qualification in management/leadership or can demonstrate an equivalent level of knowledge.
- Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS) stage 2 qualification
- ASW/AMHP qualification
Experience
Essential
- Extensive post qualifying experience of working within a multidisciplinary CAMHS setting which includes experience working at Band 8a.
- Demonstrable experience of undertaking specialist assessment and treatment at a level appropriate to the role and within relevant specialist clinical area. (e.g. Adolescents, Children and Families, Eating Disorders, Neuro-developmental Disorders, Crisis Care)
- Extensive experience of working with a wide variety of client groups attending CAMH Services, who are presenting with a range of clinical presentations, severity and complexity.
- Experience of working in a number of ways i.e. assertive outreach, clinic based settings, home, school or other appropriate environments
- Experience of maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
- Experience of assessing complex risk and formulating safe and effective risk management plans
- Experience of managing child protection referrals and emergencies
- Experience of teaching, training and assessing as well as proving clinical, professional and line management supervision
- Experience of undertaking appraisal and managing performance.
- Experience of developing operational protocols and contributing to and implementing new service developments
- Experience of undertaking audit and/or quality improvement projects and/or research
- xperience of the management of staff including appraisal, performance management and budget holding commensurate with a leadership role.
Core Competencies
Essential
- Able to confidently and competently undertake generic and emergency CAMHS assessments
- Able to confidently and competently undertake specialist assessments relevant to area of practice
- Understands developmental issues for children and able to adapt interventions accordingly
- Understands the need for and able to competently assess risk
- Understands individual and service safeguarding responsibilities, policy and procedure
- Understands the elements of effective engagement and can apply these to working practice
- Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication
- Able to foster strong therapeutic alliances Understanding of and commitment to the principles and practices of evidence based interventions
- Understanding of and commitment to service user involvement, patient led care and choice
- Understands the need for and has experience of undertaking family and parenting work as part of CAMHS support
- Understands the importance of assessment that explores and considers individual cultural identity and associated support needs
- Experience of providing consultation and liaison support to colleagues, referral agencies and services responsible for the care, support and wellbeing of service users and their families/carers
- Able to promote self-management and recovery by working with service users and their families to understand their condition and identify and reinforce strengths, resources and coping skills
- Able to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, actively engaging in and supporting duty and emergency rotas, peer support, training and skills development
- Able to build strong partnerships with external agencies and develop
- Able to confidently and safely plan for and manage change and transition
- Actively uses supervision and opportunities for development of skills
Specialist Competencies
Essential
- Ability to undertake specialist assessment and treatment at a level appropriate to the role and within relevant specialist clinical area. (e.g. Adolescents, Children and Families, Eating Disorders, Neuro-developmental Disorders, Crisis Care)
- Understanding of need for and ability to form effective working partnerships with internal and external partners
- Ability to develop and implement clear and robust operational policy and protocol, as well as undertake project management, including complex audit and service evaluation
- Ability to provide social work leadership and to lead the development and implementation of new structures and process that impact on staff at all levels
- Ability to undertake clinical and professional supervision, supporting supervisees' learning and critical reflection on their practice
Desirable
- CBT DBT Solution Focused Therapy EMDR, Family Interventions NVR
Administration and Record Keeping
Essential
- Competent in the use of clinical recording systems such as RIO, JADE and COMMIT Understands the process for keeping safe, secure and relevant clinical records
- Understands and is able to use online incident reporting systems
- Able to use email to support effective communication in line with Trust policy Able to use Microsoft PowerPoint and other communication methods to support the delivery of high quality, engaging training and presentations
Attitude, Aptitude and Personal Characteristics
Essential
- Able to build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy, using good communication skills
- Treats service users with respect and dignity at all times
- Enthusiastic, flexible and confident approach to working
- Able to prioritise own workload
- Willingness and ability to learn new skills and adapt to change
- Honesty, enthusiasm and a sense of loyalty
- Conducts self in a professional, courteous manner at all times and able to maintain professionalism in an often
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
- Degree/diploma in Social Work
- Professional registration with Social Work England (SWE).
- Evidence of credible continuing professional development in child and adolescent mental health practice
- MSc level training in a relevant specialist field or demonstrable consolidated experience that equates to Masters level knowledge
- Training in supervision
Desirable
- Training in individual and group therapeutic interventions e.g. CBT, DBT, Solution Focused Therapy, EMDR, Family Interventions, NVR
- Post graduate level qualification in management/leadership or can demonstrate an equivalent level of knowledge.
- Practice Educator Professional Standards (PEPS) stage 2 qualification
- ASW/AMHP qualification
Experience
Essential
- Extensive post qualifying experience of working within a multidisciplinary CAMHS setting which includes experience working at Band 8a.
- Demonstrable experience of undertaking specialist assessment and treatment at a level appropriate to the role and within relevant specialist clinical area. (e.g. Adolescents, Children and Families, Eating Disorders, Neuro-developmental Disorders, Crisis Care)
- Extensive experience of working with a wide variety of client groups attending CAMH Services, who are presenting with a range of clinical presentations, severity and complexity.
- Experience of working in a number of ways i.e. assertive outreach, clinic based settings, home, school or other appropriate environments
- Experience of maintaining a high degree of professionalism in the face of highly emotive and distressing problems, verbal abuse and the threat of physical abuse.
- Experience of assessing complex risk and formulating safe and effective risk management plans
- Experience of managing child protection referrals and emergencies
- Experience of teaching, training and assessing as well as proving clinical, professional and line management supervision
- Experience of undertaking appraisal and managing performance.
- Experience of developing operational protocols and contributing to and implementing new service developments
- Experience of undertaking audit and/or quality improvement projects and/or research
- xperience of the management of staff including appraisal, performance management and budget holding commensurate with a leadership role.
Core Competencies
Essential
- Able to confidently and competently undertake generic and emergency CAMHS assessments
- Able to confidently and competently undertake specialist assessments relevant to area of practice
- Understands developmental issues for children and able to adapt interventions accordingly
- Understands the need for and able to competently assess risk
- Understands individual and service safeguarding responsibilities, policy and procedure
- Understands the elements of effective engagement and can apply these to working practice
- Demonstrates excellent written and verbal communication
- Able to foster strong therapeutic alliances Understanding of and commitment to the principles and practices of evidence based interventions
- Understanding of and commitment to service user involvement, patient led care and choice
- Understands the need for and has experience of undertaking family and parenting work as part of CAMHS support
- Understands the importance of assessment that explores and considers individual cultural identity and associated support needs
- Experience of providing consultation and liaison support to colleagues, referral agencies and services responsible for the care, support and wellbeing of service users and their families/carers
- Able to promote self-management and recovery by working with service users and their families to understand their condition and identify and reinforce strengths, resources and coping skills
- Able to work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team, actively engaging in and supporting duty and emergency rotas, peer support, training and skills development
- Able to build strong partnerships with external agencies and develop
- Able to confidently and safely plan for and manage change and transition
- Actively uses supervision and opportunities for development of skills
Specialist Competencies
Essential
- Ability to undertake specialist assessment and treatment at a level appropriate to the role and within relevant specialist clinical area. (e.g. Adolescents, Children and Families, Eating Disorders, Neuro-developmental Disorders, Crisis Care)
- Understanding of need for and ability to form effective working partnerships with internal and external partners
- Ability to develop and implement clear and robust operational policy and protocol, as well as undertake project management, including complex audit and service evaluation
- Ability to provide social work leadership and to lead the development and implementation of new structures and process that impact on staff at all levels
- Ability to undertake clinical and professional supervision, supporting supervisees' learning and critical reflection on their practice
Desirable
- CBT DBT Solution Focused Therapy EMDR, Family Interventions NVR
Administration and Record Keeping
Essential
- Competent in the use of clinical recording systems such as RIO, JADE and COMMIT Understands the process for keeping safe, secure and relevant clinical records
- Understands and is able to use online incident reporting systems
- Able to use email to support effective communication in line with Trust policy Able to use Microsoft PowerPoint and other communication methods to support the delivery of high quality, engaging training and presentations
Attitude, Aptitude and Personal Characteristics
Essential
- Able to build constructive relationships with warmth and empathy, using good communication skills
- Treats service users with respect and dignity at all times
- Enthusiastic, flexible and confident approach to working
- Able to prioritise own workload
- Willingness and ability to learn new skills and adapt to change
- Honesty, enthusiasm and a sense of loyalty
- Conducts self in a professional, courteous manner at all times and able to maintain professionalism in an often
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
