The post-holder will work as part of a co-located multi-disciplinary team of children’s social workers, domestic abuse and substance misuse specialists to safeguard and reduce risks to children, based in Children’s Services.
They will be responsible for individual and group work with parents whose behaviours mean their families are at risk of harm. They will ensure that parents who come in to the family safeguarding programme, and have a mental health condition, are provided with holistic, strengths based support, focusing on the individual needs of the parent and family, linking with wider Open MH offer of support as required. This link will be enabled through the Open Mental Health locality MDT operating model so clinical support from Somerset Foundation Trust can be stepped up as and when needed. This support will, in turn, form part of the whole multi-disciplinary support plan for the family.
As directed by the Family Safeguarding Team Manager, the Open Mental Health Recovery and Wellbeing Worker will be an integral member of a multi-disciplinary team within the Taunton & West Somerset Family Safeguarding Team. They will deliver comprehensive interventions, underpinned by a mixed skill set, including CBT techniques, MI, solution focused working, skills and behaviours coaching, parenting skills and boundary setting.
The Main Responsibilities of the Post Holder are to:
· Take on a caseload as guided by the Somerset Council Family Safeguarding Team Manager and develop and run personalised programmes of activity for parents coming in to contact with the Family Safeguarding project, safely and effectively.
· Assess individuals against needs, strengths and risks as they come on to caseload and provide outreach services including home visits, deliver 1-1 key working sessions as well as semi and structured groups to support as a part of their personalised programme of support and activity.
· Provide psycho-social interventions to parents involved in the service – drawing on CBT techniques, Motivational Interviewing, solution focused working, skills and behaviours coaching, parenting skills and boundary setting.
· Actively engage those people introduced, in recognised social, therapeutic, creative, practical and community activities.
· Share information within the Open Mental Health Network and develop and implement personal action plans as appropriate, always working within the boundaries of confidentiality and data protection.
· Attend core Open MH locality weekly MDTs as needed in order to ‘warmly transfer’ parents to additional support from clinical colleagues, or from Open MH partners organisations.
· Create a safe, positive environment that supports and enables individuals and groups to participate, achieve and flourish.
· Build relationships of trust with individuals and groups that maintain appropriate boundaries.
· Accurately record individual, group and session notes, including on Somerset Council’s systems. Collect, collate and input information for monitoring and evaluation purposes in line with the requirements of the post, including inputting to purpose built databases and/or systems.
· Attend and actively participate in care planning and review meetings and attending child protection conferences/other case conferences or Family Courts, as required and identified by the Family Safeguarding Team Manager.
· Escalate any clinical risk to Somerset Foundation Trust in line with agreed protocols
· Follow all Somerset Council Family Safeguarding protocols, including escalation of any altered risk to the family.
· Engage in regular clinical and case management, individual and group supervision with The Family Safeguarding Team.
· Engage in co-production with Open Mental Health co-production manager – to learn, develop and evolve the service and offer.
· Keep abreast of mental health, wellbeing and related and relevant therapeutic matters, initiatives and policy at local and national level. Be responsible for own CPD.
By agreement and negotiation with relevant parties (as necessary) use the resources of the community, natural, physical and human, to further the development of recovery and wellbeing activities.
· Work constructively and creatively with other team members and partners to meet the agreed targets and outcomes of Open Mental Health and of Family Safeguarding.
· Take on any other duties which may reasonably be requested to further the aims of Open Mental Health or The Balsam Centre.
Experience/Personal qualities
The post holder will need to be flexible in terms of meeting and working with beneficiaries.
The job may occasionally involve lone working or home visits. A reasonable level of physical fitness will be required to participate in some activities.
· Substantial mental health and therapeutic experience and associated qualifications.
· A proven, successful track record and substantial experience of multi-disciplinary team working in a mental health or wellbeing environment
· Experience of working with complexity and using a trauma informed approach
· Proven experience of working with people with multiple needs (e.g. mental health, domestic abuse, alcohol/drug dependency, long term conditions)
· knowledge of safeguarding policies and procedures relating to adults and children and young people
· Group work facilitation experience and skills
· Excellent people and communication skills
· Excellent time management and flexibility
· A responsive, resourceful and pro-active approach
· A personal commitment to making a positive difference to the health and wellbeing of beneficiaries
· Ability to develop and maintain effective working partnerships at all levels
· An understanding of key concepts such as co-production, peer support, inclusion, recovery and wellbeing
· The ability to plan and provide practical opportunities for different therapeutic individual and group activities
. Familiarity with vulnerable adult safeguarding principles and procedures. Knowledge and understanding of relevant health, safety, legal and ethical frameworks
· Ability to function effectively both independently and as a member of the team
· Ability to engage positively and authentically in group and individual clinical supervision
· Confidence and humour
· Sound general IT skills
· A clean and current driving licence and access to a vehicle
DESIRABLE
· A professional counselling Diploma and associated experience
· Experience of using psycho-social interventions such as Motivational Interviewing or Brief Solution Focused Therapy (not essential as training will be provided)
· Relevant specialist skills, interests or knowledge
· A knowledge and understanding of the challenges of life in a rural community
Reference ID: 029
Contract length: 21 months
Application deadline: 08/01/2021
Job Types: Full-time, Contract
Salary: £24,000.00 per year
Reference ID: 029
Contract length: 21 months
Application deadline: 08/01/2021
Job Types: Full-time, Contract
Salary: £24,000.00 per year
Experience:
within the field of mental health : 3 years (Required)
Education:
Diploma of Higher Education (Preferred)
To apply online: https://www.indeed.co.uk/jobs?q=safeguarding%20children&l&vjk=fa301e3cae7970ac
