Social Worker Assistant -Fixed Term Contract 9 Months

Fixed-Term Contract – 9 Months | 37.5 Hours Per Week St Mary's Hospital, Warrington

Are you looking to build a rewarding career in social care, supporting some of the most vulnerable people in society? If helping others achieve positive outcomes is your passion, join St Mary's Hospital in Warrington as a Social Worker Assistant.

St Mary's Hospital is a specialist service providing mental health and Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) rehabilitation for adult men, alongside an Acute Mental Health Service. Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will play a key role in supporting service users to achieve greater independence, wellbeing and successful community outcomes.

Reporting to a Registered Social Worker, you will work closely with service users, their families and significant others to gather information and support around the assessment process. You will also liaise with external agencies to facilitate plans that support service users identified needs and goals.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone looking to gain experience within mental health and social care services while developing their knowledge of safeguarding, the Mental Health Act 1983 (Amended 2007) and the Care Act 2014.

About the Role

As a Social Worker Assistant, you will:

• Adhere to the standards set out in the General Social Care Council's Code of Practice for Social Care Workers.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of the Mental Health Act and its application within Maintain regular patient contact on the wards within the hospital.

• Complete Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and welfare benefit documentation with patients on admission and undertake ongoing benefits-related work.
• Assist patients in liaising with external agencies regarding financial matters, including payment of bills and management of finances.
• Liaise with housing agencies regarding tenancies, housing benefit claims and rent-related enquiries.
• Record all contact with patients and external agencies within clinical and social work records.
• Liaise with patients' families regarding travel expenses, visiting arrangements and contact with carers, children and other significant individuals.
• Work collaboratively with external agencies regarding social care matters, including Local Authorities, NHS Trusts, Probation Services and Primary Care Services.
• Support Social Workers in gathering and collating information relating to patients and care plans.
• Assist with the collection of information required for departmental audits.
• Support the Social Work Team in the development and implementation of services designed to meet specific patient needs, including patient forums and befriending services.
• Receive regular supervision from an appropriate member of the Social Work Department.
• Attend multidisciplinary meetings and Social Work Department meetings as required.
• Assist in organising and supporting the quarterly Carers' Forum at St Mary's Hospital.
• Support the coordination and delivery of the annual Carers' Engagement Survey, including distributing materials and collating responses.

• Prepare and maintain a Social Work file for each new patient.
• Undertake administrative duties as required, including maintaining records relating to safeguarding, child welfare and public protection matters.
• Provide administrative and practical support throughout the admission process, including arranging visits, meetings and welcome procedures.
• Liaise with internal teams, external agencies, service users and families to facilitate smooth admissions and transitions into services.
• Support the Social Work Team in coordinating and processing new referrals and admissions, ensuring all documentation is completed accurately and within required timescales.

What We Are Looking For

To be successful in this role, you will have:

• An understanding of the Mental Health Act 1983 and Care Act 2014.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• An understanding of the needs of different client groups.
• The ability to work effectively as part of a team and use your own initiative.
• Resilience and the ability to manage challenging situations professionally.
• Good computer literacy and administrative skills.
• A commitment to promoting recovery, independence and person-centred care.

Where You Will Be Working

You will be based at St Mary's Hospital, Warrington, a specialist service providing menta