Child and Family Social Worker in CAMHS

Child and Family Social Worker in CAMHS

Closing date: 30 July 2026

Dorset Health Care University NHS Foundation Trust

Our inpatient CAMHS General Adolescent Unit is a 10 bed ward.

If you are a Social Worker looking to gain experience within a CAMHS setting, we would love to hear from you!

As a Social Worker you will be enthusiastic and motivated to deliver high quality care to young people aged 13-18 years old. You will have an understanding of child and adolescent mental health, experience of working within an MDT, and a good understanding of complex mental health, attachment and trauma issues for children and young people. You will ensure patient safety, effective care and treatment, and be supportive in the children and young people's development with learning opportunities.

We provide in depth ongoing inductions, invest in personal training programmes, encouraging and supporting all staff throughout their career, to grow and develop. Our staff also have access to some of the leading research programmes in mental health and, whatever your role, there are opportunities to develop skills and clinical practice by being part of ground‑breaking work.

The Social Worker role is a part‑time post of 15 hours Monday to Friday. This may be discussed at interview stage.

Employment in this post requires an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check, which the Trust will cover the cost of. Applicants who subscribe to the DBS update service are able to present a valid DBS certificate instead of requiring a new check.

In Dorset, we are transforming our child and adolescent mental health service into a Family Mental Health model that embraces and adopts the Thrive framework. The inpatient service falls within the Getting More Help and Getting Risk Support quadrants of Thrive.

You will use professional skills, knowledge and experience plus a range of interpersonal and communication skills to gather information in order to make a full assessment of risk, protection and social care needs of individuals and family/carers.

You will work closely with families, some of whom will have a high level of complexity and need and/or be difficult to engage, to support engagement and relationship building, and facilitate co‑ordination with external agencies where partnership working is needed.

There will be a strong sense of "team" and staff have been empowered to be innovative and implement their ideas on the ward. We have a values‑based approach and welcome applications from candidates who will role‑model the Trust's core values.

You will be required to undertake a Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression course, and it is a condition of your employment that you successfully complete all aspects of this course; if this is not achieved you will not be able to commence working in the post.

For the main duties and responsibilities for this role please read the attached job description and person specification. When completing your application please ensure your supporting statement reflects the criteria set out in these documents by showing how your experience and skills apply to this post.

Please note visa sponsorship for this role is unfortunately not available. Please ensure you hold valid right to work in the UK and will not require sponsorship if successful.

• Registration with Social Work England
• Further specialist knowledge, or experience to Masters equivalent level.

• Previous experience of working with adults, children and their families who experience mental health difficulties.
• Experience of working with young people and people using mental health services who present with complex needs.
• Experience of multi‑agency working
• Knowledge of the Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act, Children's Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards.
• Understanding of philosophies, professional social work issues and legal frameworks underpinning specific client groups.
• Documented evidence of continuous professional development
• Experience of working within in‑patient services.
• Experience of working in forensic services.

• Standard or Advanced IT skills, normally obtained through practice or practical training,
• Able to balance safety and positive risk taking
• Able to work as part of a team
• Subject to the provisions of the Equality Act, able to travel using own vehicle on Trust business

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Dorset Health Care University NHS Foundation Trust