Major Duties and Responsibilities:

• To use strengths-based approaches to assess, monitor and review the social care needs of service users and informal carers and find appropriate solutions and make appropriate referrals to external agencies within a preventative, enabling and rehabilitation framework and universal services in accordance with the Care Act eligibility criteria.
• To hold an individual caseload of varying degrees of complexity excluding casework that requires the expertise of a qualified professional.
• Take responsibility for managing casework with the supervision of a qualified senior practitioner within an outcome focussed approach and within the teams expected performance targets and outcomes, whilst promoting independence and assessing and managing risk.
• To conduct Assistive Technology assessments and organise provision of suitable equipment.
• To conduct risk assessments and undertake initial enquiries in response to vulnerable adults safeguarding concerns with support from senior staff, including responding to Merlin Reports.
• To undertake Continuing Health Care Checklists contributing as part of the Multi-Disciplinary Support Team to the decision support tool.
• Within the remit of caseload and with support as required, assess Mental Capacity and undertake the role of Best Interest decision maker when required in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act and have awareness of Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.
• To implement and co-ordinate individual support plans and/or reablement programmes in conjunction with the client, informal carers, health and social care colleagues, providing support, advice and monitoring as appropriate.

• To refer service users and/or informal carers where required to other health and social care professionals, whilst remaining the main case co-ordinator.

• To develop and maintain extensive knowledge of services and resources available within the local community, identifying and utilizing existing information, in order to inform and empower service users and/or informal carers to find individualised solutions to meet assessed needs, or signpost when needs fall below the Care Act criteria.
• To provide information and support about welfare benefits, to support clients to benefit appointments and refer to other financial support services.
• To promote self-directed support and ensure that service users and informal carers are aware of how a personal budget can be used to meet their assessed needs.

• To develop, in partnership with service users and brokerage team, support plans tailored to meet individual needs and requirements.
• To contribute to service development by providing information and ideas to team managers.
• To work as part of a multi-disciplinary team and in collaboration with Health colleagues and external partners to ensure the best outcome for the service users and informal carers.

Job Activities:

• To maintain accurate and relevant records, including needs assessments, mental capacity assessments, best interest decisions and support plans, inputting relevant information onto computer systems in accordance with Bexley Care Policy and procedures.

• To identify and alert safeguarding concerns to the appropriate manager in a timely manner. Whilst ensuring the person is made safe.

• To discuss any matters outside remit of role with supervisor/manager and seek advice, support and training where appropriate.

• To contribute to working practices and processes that maximise the use of new technology to ensure efficient and effective delivery of services.

• To take responsibility for own personal development, by undertaking appropriate activities to ensure knowledge and skills are kept up-to-date, including attending in-service education programmes, and developing reflective practice through supervision and attendance at internal and external service development meetings.

• To present timely and relevant information including sensitive issues to the line manager.

• To establish and develop effective working relationships and productive partnerships with all the relevant partners, including those in education, health, social services, independent and voluntary sectors.

• Carrying out lone working which can sometimes involve visiting clients in unpleasant conditions.

• Work as part of the team to enter and process new referrals, this includes decision making, risk assessment and prioritisation.

• Complete urgent home visits for welfare checks, urgent equipment and first response for safeguarding as required in line with team responsibilities.

Requirement

Recent paid or voluntary experience of working with people with social care needs (e.g. learning disability, physical disability, mental health, older persons and end of life/palliative care).

Experience of working in a multi-agency environment

An understanding of the needs of older people and or people with disabilities

Ability to teach practical skills

Ability to work in a community setting, respecting the privacy of people's homes.

Awareness of safeguarding interventions, able to recognise signs and symptoms of abuse and to respond effectively.

Understanding of the aims and principles of self-directed support.

Understanding of the Mental Capacity Act and Equal Opportunities legislation

Understanding of types of communication and possess the skills to address communication barriers.

Awareness of the welfare and benefits system.

Awareness of data protection and confidentiality issues.

Ability to travel across a wide geographical area in a timely and flexible manner at various times of the day in accordance with the needs of the job.