The Senior Social Worker will be responsible for providing a Social Work service within the Multidisciplinary team to service users and their families. This will include completing assessments and providing therapeutic intervention.

Louth Meath Mental Health services provide Mental Health services in both community and inpatient settings across all age groups.

Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) delivers an assessment and intervention service to children and their families presenting with a wide range of moderate to severe mental health difficulties. This is an out-patient, community-based service. There are six CAMHS community multidisciplinary teams across Louth Meath. There is a CAMHS HUB team and a CAMHS ID team in development.

The Adult Mental Health Service provides an assessment and multidisciplinary intervention service to adults through the 10 General Adult Community Mental Health Teams, 3 Psychiatry of Old Age teams, 1 Rehabilitation/Recovery Team, and General Hospital Psychiatric Liaison Team. Inpatient services are provided in the Drogheda Department of Psychiatry (approved centre) and in St Itas Ward in St Brigid’s Ardee.  The service has 6 community residences/hostels that provide varying levels of support.  Other community services/supports include Day Hospitals, Assertive Outreach Teams, Home Based Teams, Self Harm service, Alcohol Counsellors, Family Therapy, Affective Disorder Team , Community Support Team and Clozapine clinics.

The Service works closely with Service Users and Family Members to ensure involvement and recovery focused approaches.

Professional/Clinical

The Senior Social Worker will:

• Provide assessment and treatment to service users experiencing moderate to severe mental health difficulties.

• Actively participate as a member of the Social Work department in team building and change initiatives as required.
• Ensure the implementation of models of best practice / evidence based practice.

• Provide family based interventions when appropriate.

• Ensure the delivery of Social Work services in accordance with relevant legislation, policies and procedures, guidelines and protocols.

• Provide mental health Social Work assessment and interventions as part of an integrated multidisciplinary mental health service.
• Ensure that any risks to service user safety are identified and managed appropriately in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team under the leadership of the Consultant Psychiatrist. 

• Ensure anti-discriminatory practice and cultural competence, at individual and service levels.
• Provide an appropriate level of supervision for staff consistent with good practice and the local/ national Supervision Policy.
• Promote a culture that values diversity and respect in the workplace.
• Participate in working groups / committees/ clinical audits as requested by the Principal Social Worker.
• Seek the advice of relevant personnel when appropriate / as required.
• Take direction from the Principal Social Worker.
• Attend Clinical supervision on a regular basis and engage in reflective practice and ongoing Continuous Professional Development, in accordance with local/national Supervision Policy and CORU requirements.
• Keep the Principal Social Worker fully informed and up-to-date on all significant matters.

• Participate in the assessment, management and referral of cases of suspected child abuse / neglect.
• Complete comprehensive assessment reports as required. 
• Deliver a high quality service in an effective and resource efficient manner.
• Facilitate groups and projects in accordance with service need.
• Ensure clinical records are properly and accurately maintained and that appropriate statistical information is available as required.
• Participate in research and cooperate with internal and external audit and evaluation of the service as required.
• Ensure the promotion of the social model of care.
• Ensure principals of service user involvement are adhered to in all aspects of practice.
• Develop good working relationships with other members of the multi-disciplinary team, specialist services, community and voluntary organisations to provide integrated quality care to service users.
• Promote integrated models of service delivery between relevant stakeholders.
• Contribute to the overall development of the Social Work service so as to meet current and emerging trends and unmet needs.
• Attend and participate in meetings, case discussions and case conferences as requested.
• Attend court as required.
• Provide professional leadership at meetings, committees and/or other fora as required.
• Chair and participate in case conferences with the appropriate staff when the need arises.
• Be professionally responsible for all aspects of the post holders own work.
• Perform any other duties that may be assigned from time to time by the Principal Social Worker
• Ensure compliance with Mental Health Commission and HSE policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines as they apply to CAMHS and Adult Mental Health services.

Education & Training

The Senior Social Worker will:

• Actively engage in staff development and training by making recommendations with regard to the ongoing education, mentoring, training and in-service needs of Social Workers.
• Maintain standards of practice and levels of professional knowledge by participating in continuous professional development initiatives and attendance at courses as appropriate.

• Engage in career and professional development planning.

• Act as a resource by participating in the education and training of Social Work colleagues and other health professionals as required.
• Ensure all mandatory training is completed within the specified time frames and that accurate training records are updated on a regular basis to the Principal Social Worker.
• Keep updated on current and impending legislation and the perceived impact on practice and service delivery.
• Keep updated on developments in national policies and strategies and international best practice.

Health & Safety

The Senior Social Worker will:

• Participate and cooperate with legislative, regulatory and policy requirements with regard to quality, risk and safety.
• Contribute to the development of policies, procedures, guidelines and safe professional practice as required.
• Initiate, support and implement quality improvement initiatives as required.

• Have a working knowledge of Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and Mental Health Commission Standards as they apply to the role.

• Support, promote and actively participate in sustainable energy, water and waste initiatives to create a more sustainable, low carbon and efficient health service.

Management

The Senior Social Worker will:

• Be responsible for the induction of new staff and the completion of probationary appraisal reports as required.
• Ensure compliance with and implement HR policies and procedures and guidelines.
• Contribute to a range of reports including annual reports, performance indicators etc. as requested by the Principal Social Worker.

• Take responsibility for student Social Work training within the service.
• Act as a representative of the mental health Social Work service / profession as required.
• Take responsibility for the supervision of Professionally Qualified Social Workers and Social Care staff as directed by Principal Social Worker.
• Assist the Principal Social Worker in team support, supervision and development as required.

• Deputise for the Principal Social Worker as agreed and when required.
• Assist in ensuring that the Social Work service makes the most efficient and effective use of developments in IT.

The above Job Specification is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office. 

Candidates must by the latest date for receipt of completed application forms for the post possess:

1. Professional Qualifications, Experience, etc.

• Eligible applicants will be those who on the closing date for the competition:

2. Annual registration

• On appointment practitioners must maintain annual registration on the Social Workers Register maintained by the Social Workers Registration Board at CORU.

                                                    And

(ii) Practitioners must confirm annual registration with CORU to the HSE by way of the annual Patient Safety Assurance Certificate (PSAC).

3. Health

A candidate for and any person holding the office must be fully competent and capable of undertaking the duties attached to the office and be in a state of health such as would indicate a reasonable prospect of ability to render regular and efficient service.

4. Character

Each candidate for and any person holding the office must be of good character.

Please see below a copy of the full job specification:

LM4810 - Job Specification