Social Care Practitioner

The Service & Team

We have an opportunity for a part time (18.5 hours) Social Care Practitioner in the Independence and Wellbeing Service's Initial Assessment Team, covering the West of Cornwall. The Independence and Wellbeing Service has a strong focus on preventing, reducing and delaying the need for support, focusing on strengths based practice to support members of the community achieving person centred outcomes.

Within this team, the focus is initial contact and assessment work to gather information and consider the most appropriate next steps, utilising a strengths based and solutions focused approach.

This would include providing information and advice, responding to Safeguarding Concerns, signposting, connecting to other agencies, working closely with the voluntary sector, progressing to reablement or undertaking an assessment with a focus on maximising independence and wellbeing through utilising social care and occupational therapy pathways.

Under the leadership and management of the Team Leader you will work within a team of Social Workers and other Social Care Practitioners to provide a service to adults with health and social care needs, achieving high quality, timely and person-centred strengths and needs assessments of individuals, planning for and working to improve outcomes and to increase/maintain the independence of vulnerable adults.

Social Care Practitioners are required to work collaboratively with colleagues from different teams, disciplines and partner organisations in order to provide a seamless service to individuals/families/carers. They will help to protect vulnerable adults from harm or abuse and support people to optimise their choices in order to live as independently as possible. They will work with communities, individuals and families to promote their personal strengths.

This is a public/customer-facing role, where the statutory English language requirement for public sector workers applies. This position will be subject to an enhanced criminal record disclosure check.

Part time – 18.5 hours per week.

The Social Care Practitioner will ensure they acquire and improve their knowledge and skills and contribute to the learning and development of other members of the team. As representatives of Adult Social Care, behaviour and conduct should be professional at all times, reflecting the values of the department and the council.

You will have the following:

• A minimum Level 3 qualification in health, social care or relevant area or the capacity and willingness to work towards appropriate qualifications;
• The ability to use effective interviewing skills to undertake assessments of need, including risks and strengths;
• Demonstrable skills in analysis of information and ability to translate into a coherent plan and outcome;
• The ability to work creatively under stressful conditions, knowing when and how to ask for support and to pass information and cases to more experienced/qualified workers, as appropriate, following negotiation with supervisor;
• The ability to reprioritise and be flexible to respond to urgent referrals.

Cornwall Council’s ambition is to be an employer of choice, a high performing Council and a learning organisation. We commit to providing a reward and benefits package to attract, motivate and reward our employees. We offer a range of flexible working options to our staff, helping provide a greater work/life balance while ensuring that service needs are met.

Cornwall Council is unable to offer visa sponsorship or transfer existing sponsorship for this role.

The full role profile is attached here.

We recommend saving a copy of this to refer to if you are invited to an interview.