Assigned Forensic Social Worker - Mental Health
- Teignbridge, Devon
- Full Time
- £39,862.00 - £44,075.00 per annum
Internal DCC Employees Only
We are pleased to re-advertise this secondment opportunity within our well-established and stable social work team at Langdon Hospital. The vacancy has arisen following the successful progression of a team member who originally joined us on secondment earlier this year, and subsequently secured a permanent post within the team after a colleague’s retirement. The secondment itself is to cover another member of the team who secured a secondment working within Devon County Council’s AMHP service. We believe this reflects both the supportive environment and the genuine development opportunities available in mental health social work in Devon County Council in partnership with Devon Partnership NHS Trust.
The forensic mental health social work role offers a rewarding balance of responsibilities—not solely focused on statutory duties, but also opportunities for meaningful therapeutic social work with individuals and those in their networks. It involves working closely with other responsible agencies and multi-disciplinary colleagues, sharing responsibility for the care and pathway planning of individuals in the hospital.
Our team is actively connected to the National Group of Social Work Managers in Secure Services, providing access to role-specific training, and a practice toolkit to support quality and consistency.
This is a rewarding role that allows you to make a real difference in the lives of individuals at a critical point in their recovery journey. If you're passionate about social justice, mental health, and collaborative care, we would love to hear from you.
Key Responsibilities:
- Undertake comprehensive assessments and contribute to care planning and risk management strategies. For those who are the responsibility of Devon County Council this will include responsibility for social care assessments under s117 MHA to support discharge planning.
- Act as a liaison between the hospital, families, external agencies, and the criminal justice system.
- Provide specialist practice support and advice on social care elements, including safeguarding, capacity, and other legal frameworks (e.g., MHA, MCA, MAPPA, VLO)
- Write relevant reports and participate in Mental Health Tribunals, CPA meetings, and discharge planning meetings.
- Work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team to support recovery-focused, least restrictive care.
- Ensure compliance with national guidelines, legislation, and professional standards.
- Promote the social model of care and advocate for the rights and dignity of service users.
About You:
- We are looking for a compassionate and resilient professional with:
- A degree in Social Work and registration with Social Work England.
- Experience or relevant transferable skills for working in forensic, secure, or mental health settings.
- Good knowledge of relevant legislation, including the Mental Health Act, Care Act, and MAPPA framework.
- Excellent communication, advocacy, clinical record and report writing skills.
- The ability to work independently and as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
- A trauma-informed, recovery-oriented, and rights-based approach to care.
What We Offer:
- A supportive and inclusive working environment.
- Opportunities for professional development, and training.
- Regular team meetings, supervision, reflective practice and peer support.
- Modern building in beautiful location with views, free car parking, and on site gym and cafe.
For more information please contact: Tom Wood, Forensic Social Work Lead - Tom.woodd@nhs.net or 07976 155 314
Interviews are to be confirmed
This post is being offered as a Secondment opportunity for 6 months (with a possibility to extend due to maternity cover requirement)
Please ensure you obtain agreement from your line manager prior to making an application, as this is essential for your application to be considered.
Please click ‘Apply Now' to view the job description
Internal Applicants, please note: If you are an existing DCC employee, please use your iTrent Employee Self Service (ESS) details to log in and apply.
- DCC embraces the positive benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to providing an environment that is inclusive and safe. We welcome applications from people who share our commitment to stop discrimination, challenge inequality and promote diversity across Devon. More information can be found on our Equality and Diversity webpages.
- Happy to Talk Flexible Working - The Council offers flexible working arrangements in terms of when and where people work e.g. hybrid working, part-time, condensed hours etc.
- We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
- This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
- Personal data we collect from you will be processed in accordance with the Applicant privacy notice.
- For more information about Working for Devon please visit our Working for Devon page.
- We cannot consider visa sponsorship at this time. UK Right to Work is required. For further guidance on right to work in the UK, please visit: Work in the UK - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
- This role requires a DBS disclosure.
- This role requires Social Work England Registration (SWE)
REQ009786
Integrated Adult Social Care
Interview Date: TBC