Job summary
Are
you a Social Worker with an interest in sensory work?
Are
you a Social Worker who is a native signer or has sign language skills and/or
qualifications?
Maybe
youre a Social Worker with Deaf people and are interested in a new challenge,
working with a broad range of sensory needs, including deafblindness?
We are looking for Sensory Social Workers for our
highly reputable, countywide dedicated Sensory Service in the beautiful county
of North Yorkshire. Our team comprises a supportive mix of colleagues including
Social Workers, Rehabilitation Officers and Communicator Guides.You
will be able to work from both your home and a variety of office bases and you
will be provided with the appropriate technology to support you.
We support adults with care and
support needs who are Deaf, deafened, deafblind or who have sight loss. Our
core focus is to promote wellbeing and to support people to achieve the things
that are important to them in living independent lives.
You will have good knowledge andexperience of
working in the field of deafness and sensory impairment. We are interested in
applicants who are qualified or experienced in British Sign Language,
preferably at Level 2, however further training and progression will be
available. We would particularly welcome applications from people with lived
experience of Deafness or sensory impairment.
Main duties of the job
The focus of your work will
involve providing strength-based assessments and working to develop creative
and person-centred solutions. Our drive is to embed strength-based practice,
drawing on and supporting what people can do for themselves and making the most
of individual and community assets to maintain or improve independence.
You will also work to ensure that
people are safe from harm, but where harm or abuse is identified, you will
ensure the safety of the person and undertake the relevant safeguarding
enquiries to minimise risk.
You will demonstrate the
importance of dignity, respect,and professionalism in all aspects of the
role. You will work closelyin partnership with a variety of teams and
agencies, includingour NHS colleagues, our stronger communities teams,
housing, prevention teams and independent sector organisations.
You will be required to maintain clear, concise, and timely records on case files
in line with Directorate policy.
The ability to manage your time
effectively, use a computer with confidence and good written and communication
skills are essential. There is an expectation that the successful applicant
will be able to travel across the County, including in rural communities.
You should have a broad knowledge of current
legislation, particularly The Care Act, the Equality Act and Mental Capacity
Act.
About us
In return we can offer you:
- The opportunity to develop knowledge, experience, and skills with a leading care provider
- A competitive salary
- AYSE (Assessed and Supported Year of Employment) programme for newly qualified Social Workers
- A programme of professional support, supervision, training, and development
- The opportunity to work as part of a safe culture of support and learning,which we expect all staff to endorse
- The challenge of complex and varied work through a manageable case load.
- A variety of competitive employee benefits including generous leave entitlement, career average pension scheme with excellent benefits, access to range of salary sacrifice schemes and discounts
- Travel expenses will be reimbursed for travelling across the geographical patch
- The opportunity to play a key part in the development of our services
It is essential that you hold a professional social work qualification and have a professional registration with Social Work England. Newly qualified Social Workers are welcome to apply, and appointment would be negotiated pending successful registration.
North Yorkshire has major transport links by road including the A1(m), A19 and A64, making North Yorkshire easily accessible and commutable from many surrounding areas including Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Teesside, Hull, York, Bridlington, East Riding, Doncaster, and Leeds.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Context
Social
Worker/Social Care Assessors work with adults with care and support needs,
young people Transitioning to Adults and their carers in the community and may
be part of any of the following teams within Care & Support.
The Sensory service remain a specialism working alongside
Community Social Care. The Sensory Social Worker will work with people who are
deaf, deafened, deafblind or people who have vision loss.
The Sensory team is a countywide service and has a number of
disciplines with it.
All above service areas will be
generic adult social care teams and will provide services to adults with care
and support needs and carers, these may include people with a learning
disability, autism, older people and people with physical disabilities. Sensory services will maintain a specific
specialism within Planned Care and Support.
Services in the Discharge Hub and
Community Social Care Teams will operate over 7 days, with a range of hours
between 8am-8pm. Therefore, you will be required to work on a weekend, on a
rota basis, and you may be required to work extended hours. The specific
requirements will be determined by service and operational team requirements.
To maintain professionals skills and knowledge it
is expected that social workers/assessors will rotate across all 3 services
areas
Postholders are expected to work at
all times in line with the Codes of Practice for Social Care Workers.
An enhanced DBS clearance is required. This role involves spoken communications,
so a confident use of English language is required.
Registration with Social Work England (SWE)) is required. However,
those currently employed with NYC and hold registration with another
professional health care body, e.g., HCPC is allowed.
The scientific and clinical evidence demonstrates that vaccines provide
significant protection against severe disease, hospitalisation, and death from
COVID-19. The post-holder will support our North Yorkshire residents who
are most at risk of serious illness from COVID-19 and therefore has a
professional responsibility to preserve safety and to take all reasonable
precautions necessary to avoid any potential health risks to themselves or
others. Whilst not a legislative requirement, it is highly
desirable for successful candidates to have completed (or be willing to
complete) a full course of COVID vaccination.
Job Purpose
To undertake a range of asset and strength-based
assessments and interventions to ensure that adults with care and support needs
and carers achieve their desired outcomes and wellbeing. To determine eligibility for adult social
care service set against the national standard. To work with adults with care
and support needs and carers to develop personalised care and support plans
that represent best value. To ensure
that adults with care and support needs and carers are safe from harm. Where
harm or abuse is identified ensuring the safety of the person and undertake the
relevant safeguarding enquiries.
Operational
Management
- Undertaking
an asset based approach to assessments of need with adults and carers as allocated by your line manager and where
requested.
- Following
assessments, identifying whether or not the adult and/or carers fall within the national eligibility criteria, and
communicating this to the adult or carer.
- Where
the adult or carer fall within eligibility criteria, working creatively and
innovatively with the adult with care and support needs and/or carers to develop an agreed care and support plan to
achieve the identified outcomes.
- Providing
professional support and information, advice, and guidance to adults with care
and support needs and carers on how their needs could be partly or wholly met
by access to universal and other non-care services.
- Explore
opportunities to meet desired outcomes through alternative funding streams for
example the voluntary sector or Continuing Health Care funding.
- You
will support in proactively working towards the increased uptake of direct
payments and other service development initiatives including (but not limited
to) reablement, personalisation, individual budgets, self-assessment and
self-directed care to meet the adult or carers outcomes.
- Ensuring
value for money and maximise opportunities to generate income for adults with
care and support needs and carers.
- Undertaking
re-assessments and reviews of care pathways as required by your line manager.
- Intervening
in emergency situations to protect adults with care and support needs or carers and to initiate the appropriate
statutory and other actions required, and following the appropriate training
and experience to undertake safeguarding adults investigations as Lead Investigator
where required by the Team Manager
- Maintaining
clear, concise, and timely records of cases, care pathways and actions in line
with the Directorates policies on file maintenance.
- Participating
in the duty system as required by the Team Manager.
- Assisting
in the collection of performance data using the appropriate IT systems.
- Representing
the Directorate in court proceedings and with other agencies as required.
- Directly
commission packages of support for adults with care and support needs or carers
to achieve identified outcomes.
Additional
for sensory social workers:
- Undertake
assessments of need with Deaf, deafened, and deafblind people as allocated by your line manager and
where indicated, to undertake assessments of need with carers.
- Provide
social work services to Deaf, deafened, and deafblind people or people with
vision loss, including:
o
Community work to help support, develop and
stimulate local Deaf communities.
o Providing
targeted interventions to people requiring help, including safeguarding, in
mental health settings and in overcoming everyday barriers to social
participation.
o Acting as
Best Interests Assessor for the whole of Sensory Services following
appropriate training.
- You will facilitate 1:1 and group sessions with North Yorkshire
County Council staff and other professionals working with members of the Deaf
community to promote awareness and understanding of Deaf culture. The post
holder will work with the Team Manager to contribute to the development of
communities to enable the empowerment of Deaf, deafened, and deafblind
people. Liaising with local, universal,
and other services to promote vulnerable peoples access to them.
Resource
Management
- Provide
day-to-day advice and support to less experienced staff.
- Be
a Practice Educator for students who are placed in or visiting the team as
agreed with line Manager.
Partnerships
- Participate
in training, developmental and project activity including multi-disciplinary
and multi-agency activity as agreed with the line manager.
- Work
with the line manager to contribute to the development of the local community
to enable the empowerment of adults with care and support needs and carers. Liaising with local, universal, and other
services to promote access to them by adults with care and support needs and
carers.
Communications
- To
maintain clear, concise, and timely records of cases, care packages and actions
in line with the Directorate's policies on file maintenance, this includes
electronic and paper records.
- Communicate
to the adults with care and support needs and carers in an appropriate manner
to enable effective written and oral communication and is in line with
Directorate policies and procedures.
- Effectively
negotiate and manage conversations where there is a disagreement, with the
adult with care and support needs and/or their carers and others.
- Engage
with a range of other agencies to maximise choice and resources.
- Communicate
effectively and in a manner and timescale appropriate for the level of urgency,
to your manager, other colleagues, and professionals.
Systems
and Information
- Ensure
that you utilise the current business processes to support the Adult Social
Care function in relation to case recording, financial monitoring, ICT. To
assist in the collection of client data and make appropriate use of IT systems.
- Contribute
to the ongoing improvement and development of Adult Social Care processes and
systems in conjunction with your line manager.
- As
agreed with your line manager the post holder will assist in the timely and
accurate collection of performance data using the appropriate IT systems and
processes.
Safeguarding
- To be
committed to safeguarding and promote the welfare of children, young people,
and adults, raising concerns as appropriate.
- Undertake Safeguarding Adults Investigations, as
delegated by the Designated Safeguarding Manager and in line with procedures.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Job Context
Social
Worker/Social Care Assessors work with adults with care and support needs,
young people Transitioning to Adults and their carers in the community and may
be part of any of the following teams within Care & Support.
The Sensory service remain a specialism working alongside
Community Social Care. The Sensory Social Worker will work with people who are
deaf, deafened, deafblind or people who have vision loss.
The Sensory team is a countywide service and has a number of
disciplines with it.
All above service areas will be
generic adult social care teams and will provide services to adults with care
and support needs and carers, these may include people with a learning
disability, autism, older people and people with physical disabilities. Sensory services will maintain a specific
specialism within Planned Care and Support.
Services in the Discharge Hub and
Community Social Care Teams will operate over 7 days, with a range of hours
between 8am-8pm. Therefore, you will be required to work on a weekend, on a
rota basis, and you may be required to work extended hours. The specific
requirements will be determined by service and operational team requirements.
To maintain professionals skills and knowledge it
is expected that social workers/assessors will rotate across all 3 services
areas
Postholders are expected to work at
all times in line with the Codes of Practice for Social Care Workers.
An enhanced DBS clearance is required. This role involves spoken communications,
so a confident use of English language is required.
Registration with Social Work England (SWE)) is required. However,
those currently employed with NYC and hold registration with another
professional health care body, e.g., HCPC is allowed.
The scientific and clinical evidence demonstrates that vaccines provide
significant protection against severe disease, hospitalisation, and death from
COVID-19. The post-holder will support our North Yorkshire residents who
are most at risk of serious illness from COVID-19 and therefore has a
professional responsibility to preserve safety and to take all reasonable
precautions necessary to avoid any potential health risks to themselves or
others. Whilst not a legislative requirement, it is highly
desirable for successful candidates to have completed (or be willing to
complete) a full course of COVID vaccination.
Job Purpose
To undertake a range of asset and strength-based
assessments and interventions to ensure that adults with care and support needs
and carers achieve their desired outcomes and wellbeing. To determine eligibility for adult social
care service set against the national standard. To work with adults with care
and support needs and carers to develop personalised care and support plans
that represent best value. To ensure
that adults with care and support needs and carers are safe from harm. Where
harm or abuse is identified ensuring the safety of the person and undertake the
relevant safeguarding enquiries.
Operational
Management
- Undertaking
an asset based approach to assessments of need with adults and carers as allocated by your line manager and where
requested.
- Following
assessments, identifying whether or not the adult and/or carers fall within the national eligibility criteria, and
communicating this to the adult or carer.
- Where
the adult or carer fall within eligibility criteria, working creatively and
innovatively with the adult with care and support needs and/or carers to develop an agreed care and support plan to
achieve the identified outcomes.
- Providing
professional support and information, advice, and guidance to adults with care
and support needs and carers on how their needs could be partly or wholly met
by access to universal and other non-care services.
- Explore
opportunities to meet desired outcomes through alternative funding streams for
example the voluntary sector or Continuing Health Care funding.
- You
will support in proactively working towards the increased uptake of direct
payments and other service development initiatives including (but not limited
to) reablement, personalisation, individual budgets, self-assessment and
self-directed care to meet the adult or carers outcomes.
- Ensuring
value for money and maximise opportunities to generate income for adults with
care and support needs and carers.
- Undertaking
re-assessments and reviews of care pathways as required by your line manager.
- Intervening
in emergency situations to protect adults with care and support needs or carers and to initiate the appropriate
statutory and other actions required, and following the appropriate training
and experience to undertake safeguarding adults investigations as Lead Investigator
where required by the Team Manager
- Maintaining
clear, concise, and timely records of cases, care pathways and actions in line
with the Directorates policies on file maintenance.
- Participating
in the duty system as required by the Team Manager.
- Assisting
in the collection of performance data using the appropriate IT systems.
- Representing
the Directorate in court proceedings and with other agencies as required.
- Directly
commission packages of support for adults with care and support needs or carers
to achieve identified outcomes.
Additional
for sensory social workers:
- Undertake
assessments of need with Deaf, deafened, and deafblind people as allocated by your line manager and
where indicated, to undertake assessments of need with carers.
- Provide
social work services to Deaf, deafened, and deafblind people or people with
vision loss, including:
o
Community work to help support, develop and
stimulate local Deaf communities.
o Providing
targeted interventions to people requiring help, including safeguarding, in
mental health settings and in overcoming everyday barriers to social
participation.
o Acting as
Best Interests Assessor for the whole of Sensory Services following
appropriate training.
- You will facilitate 1:1 and group sessions with North Yorkshire
County Council staff and other professionals working with members of the Deaf
community to promote awareness and understanding of Deaf culture. The post
holder will work with the Team Manager to contribute to the development of
communities to enable the empowerment of Deaf, deafened, and deafblind
people. Liaising with local, universal,
and other services to promote vulnerable peoples access to them.
Resource
Management
- Provide
day-to-day advice and support to less experienced staff.
- Be
a Practice Educator for students who are placed in or visiting the team as
agreed with line Manager.
Partnerships
- Participate
in training, developmental and project activity including multi-disciplinary
and multi-agency activity as agreed with the line manager.
- Work
with the line manager to contribute to the development of the local community
to enable the empowerment of adults with care and support needs and carers. Liaising with local, universal, and other
services to promote access to them by adults with care and support needs and
carers.
Communications
- To
maintain clear, concise, and timely records of cases, care packages and actions
in line with the Directorate's policies on file maintenance, this includes
electronic and paper records.
- Communicate
to the adults with care and support needs and carers in an appropriate manner
to enable effective written and oral communication and is in line with
Directorate policies and procedures.
- Effectively
negotiate and manage conversations where there is a disagreement, with the
adult with care and support needs and/or their carers and others.
- Engage
with a range of other agencies to maximise choice and resources.
- Communicate
effectively and in a manner and timescale appropriate for the level of urgency,
to your manager, other colleagues, and professionals.
Systems
and Information
- Ensure
that you utilise the current business processes to support the Adult Social
Care function in relation to case recording, financial monitoring, ICT. To
assist in the collection of client data and make appropriate use of IT systems.
- Contribute
to the ongoing improvement and development of Adult Social Care processes and
systems in conjunction with your line manager.
- As
agreed with your line manager the post holder will assist in the timely and
accurate collection of performance data using the appropriate IT systems and
processes.
Safeguarding
- To be
committed to safeguarding and promote the welfare of children, young people,
and adults, raising concerns as appropriate.
- Undertake Safeguarding Adults Investigations, as
delegated by the Designated Safeguarding Manager and in line with procedures.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A professional social care qualification e.g., Social Work, DipSW, CQSW with current registration with SWE
- A commitment to undertake ASYE if in first two years of qualifying as a social worker and not completed already
- For Social Workers within the Sensory Service
- British Sign Language Level 2
Desirable
- Practice Educator or a commitment to undertake the Practice Educator post graduate programme
- Signature British Sign Language Level 3
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of undertaking assessment of health or social care needs in a community setting. (Newly Qualified workers only)
- Demonstrable experience of contributing to the safeguarding of vulnerable adults. (Newly Qualified workers only)
- Experience of undertaking assessment of health or social care needs in a community setting
-
- Experience of inter-agency collaboration practice
- Demonstrable experience of undertaking complex assessment of health or social care needs in a community setting
- Demonstrable experience of initiating the appropriate statutory and other actions required to undertake adult protection investigations
-
- Experience of working positively in a changing environment
- Relevant community experience for nursing qualified applicants
- For sensory social workers only
- Experience of working in a supporting role in the field of deafness or vision lossDemonstrable experience of undertaking assessments with Deaf, deafened, or deafblind people or people with vision loss
Knowledge
Essential
- Good working knowledge, understanding and application of the Care Act and regulations
-
- Knowledge and understand of other relevant legislation for adult social care, for example the Mental Capacity Act
- Knowledge and understanding of social care policy developments and good practice at a local and national level
- Knowledge of statutory requirements, including requirements in respect of carers, equality, and anti-discrimination legislation, maintaining a safe working environment, data protection and confidentiality
- Knowledge and understanding of how Equality & Diversity, Dignity & Respect and Human Rights will apply to this role
- For sensory social workers only
- Knowledge of deafness as a culture and the variety of impacts of deafness on people in society.
Desirable
- Knowledge of the range of equipment available to support people with a hearing and vision loss
- Experience of undertaking safeguarding investigations
- Experience of applying asset and strength-based approaches into practice
Occupational Skills
Essential
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Ability to use persuasion, influencing and/or negotiation techniques to influence others
- The ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post
- Resilience skills
- Works productively in a pressurised environment and supports others to do so
- Ability to act calmly during difficult circumstances and recovers quickly from setbacks
- Effective time management and planning skills, meets deadlines
- Effective written communication skills communicates effectively in writing to produce documents in a range of formats and styles to suit a range of audiences
- Excellent case recording and report writing skills
- Decision making skills can make decisions within own area of responsibility which may involve considering risks
-
- Ability to monitor quality and service standards
- Good IT skills including use of email, intranet, internet, word, excel and inputting date into the Councils assessment system
- Flexibility and adaptability
-
- Problem solving skills uses creativity and innovation to generate solutions to problems
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- A professional social care qualification e.g., Social Work, DipSW, CQSW with current registration with SWE
- A commitment to undertake ASYE if in first two years of qualifying as a social worker and not completed already
- For Social Workers within the Sensory Service
- British Sign Language Level 2
Desirable
- Practice Educator or a commitment to undertake the Practice Educator post graduate programme
- Signature British Sign Language Level 3
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrable experience of undertaking assessment of health or social care needs in a community setting. (Newly Qualified workers only)
- Demonstrable experience of contributing to the safeguarding of vulnerable adults. (Newly Qualified workers only)
- Experience of undertaking assessment of health or social care needs in a community setting
-
- Experience of inter-agency collaboration practice
- Demonstrable experience of undertaking complex assessment of health or social care needs in a community setting
- Demonstrable experience of initiating the appropriate statutory and other actions required to undertake adult protection investigations
-
- Experience of working positively in a changing environment
- Relevant community experience for nursing qualified applicants
- For sensory social workers only
- Experience of working in a supporting role in the field of deafness or vision lossDemonstrable experience of undertaking assessments with Deaf, deafened, or deafblind people or people with vision loss
Knowledge
Essential
- Good working knowledge, understanding and application of the Care Act and regulations
-
- Knowledge and understand of other relevant legislation for adult social care, for example the Mental Capacity Act
- Knowledge and understanding of social care policy developments and good practice at a local and national level
- Knowledge of statutory requirements, including requirements in respect of carers, equality, and anti-discrimination legislation, maintaining a safe working environment, data protection and confidentiality
- Knowledge and understanding of how Equality & Diversity, Dignity & Respect and Human Rights will apply to this role
- For sensory social workers only
- Knowledge of deafness as a culture and the variety of impacts of deafness on people in society.
Desirable
- Knowledge of the range of equipment available to support people with a hearing and vision loss
- Experience of undertaking safeguarding investigations
- Experience of applying asset and strength-based approaches into practice
Occupational Skills
Essential
- Excellent communication and presentation skills
- Ability to use persuasion, influencing and/or negotiation techniques to influence others
- The ability to converse at ease with customers and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post
- Resilience skills
- Works productively in a pressurised environment and supports others to do so
- Ability to act calmly during difficult circumstances and recovers quickly from setbacks
- Effective time management and planning skills, meets deadlines
- Effective written communication skills communicates effectively in writing to produce documents in a range of formats and styles to suit a range of audiences
- Excellent case recording and report writing skills
- Decision making skills can make decisions within own area of responsibility which may involve considering risks
-
- Ability to monitor quality and service standards
- Good IT skills including use of email, intranet, internet, word, excel and inputting date into the Councils assessment system
- Flexibility and adaptability
-
- Problem solving skills uses creativity and innovation to generate solutions to problems
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).
