Social Worker – Assertive Outreach; Severe & Disadvantage
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Social Work
Human Services/ Social Work, Mental Health, Crisis Counselor
Job Description & How to Apply Below
Location: Greater London
Overview
We are recruiting an experienced and values‑driven Social Worker to join our MHLDA Adult Social Care team, working with adults who are rough sleeping or at imminent risk of rough sleeping and who have Care Act‑eligible needs.
OverviewThis role sits within the MHLDA Front Door and focuses on proactive, relationship‑based engagement with adults experiencing multiple and compounding disadvantage, including mental ill‑health, substance misuse, trauma, cognitive impairment, executive dysfunction, and insecure immigration status (including NRPF).
You will work with a reduced caseload, reflecting the intensity and complexity of the work, and will undertake assertive outreach alongside statutory assessment, safeguarding, and system leadership.
This post is ideal for a social worker who is confident working outside traditional office‑based models and motivated to reduce harm, exclusion and avoidable crisis.
Key Responsibilities- Proactively engage adults who are rough sleeping or at risk of rough sleeping in community and voluntary sector settings (e.g. homelessness hubs, drop‑ins, outreach venues).
- Undertake Care Act 2014 assessments, including complex eligibility decision‑making.
- Complete Mental Capacity Act (MCA) assessments, including where capacity is fluctuating or impaired by mental ill‑health, substance use or executive dysfunction.
- Initiate and lead Section 42 safeguarding enquiries where statutory thresholds are met.
- Apply Human Rights Assessments (HRAs), particularly in NRPF and complex immigration cases.
- Work closely with Housing, Public Health, CNWL, NWL, and voluntary sector partners to coordinate responses and prevent entrenchment in rough sleeping.
- Provide professional advice and consultation to voluntary sector colleagues, supporting earlier identification of Care Act needs.
- Contribute to learning from Safeguarding Adult Reviews (SARs) and mortality reviews.
- Maintain clear, defensible recording and analysis, aligned with Making Safeguarding Personal (MSP).
- Be a qualified social worker (Social Work England registered).
- Have significant post‑qualifying experience in mental health, learning disability, homelessness, or safeguarding.
- Be confident applying the Care Act, MCA, safeguarding duties, and human rights frameworks in complex situations.
- Have experience of working with people who struggle to engage with traditional services.
- Be comfortable working outside office environments and adapting your approach to build trust over time.
- Bring a trauma‑informed, strengths‑based and anti‑discriminatory practice approach.
- Be resilient, reflective, and able to work effectively within a small specialist team.
- Be part of an innovative, prevention‑focused response to rough sleeping and inclusion health.
- Work with manageable caseloads that allow for meaningful social work.
- Shape practice at the interface of safeguarding, homelessness, health and human rights.
- Make a tangible impact in reducing harm, crisis and premature mortality.
For more information, please refer to the Role Profile/Selection Criteria
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