Mental Health Senior Practitioner

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Whole Life Pathways - Supporting Mental Health

Are you passionate about making a real difference for people living with mental health challenges?

We are looking for an experienced Social Worker to join our dedicated team, providing leadership and support across Wiltshire.

Our team works with children, adults, and older people who meet the threshold for secondary mental health care. We focus on delivering high‑quality social care interventions, including assessment, care management, and risk planning, while ensuring services feel integrated and seamless for those who need them most.

As a Senior Social Worker, you will provide professional leadership, supervision, and guidance to colleagues, helping to shape evidence‑informed practice and influence service development. You will work closely with health partners and other agencies, supporting staff to achieve better outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.

You will bring a recognised Social Work qualification, registration with Social Work England, and substantial post‑qualification experience.

The Senior Practitioner in Mental Health provides professional leadership and support within social care teams, ensuring high standards of practice in line with legislation such as the Care Act (2014), Mental Capacity Act (2005), and Mental Health Act (1983).

The role involves supervising and appraising Social Workers and staff, offering expert guidance on complex and often contentious issues, and promoting evidence‑based, person‑centred practice. Key duties include managing a small caseload of complex cases, undertaking risk assessments, and chairing multi‑agency meetings.

The post holder contributes to strategic development, policy implementation, and service improvement, while monitoring team performance against local and national indicators. Responsibilities extend to safeguarding adults, managing urgent and high‑risk situations, and ensuring compliance with professional standards set by Social Work England.

The role also requires collaboration with health services, voluntary sector partners, and other stakeholders to deliver integrated care, alongside budget monitoring and authorisation of care packages. Deputising for the Team Manager, leading training initiatives, and supporting staff development are integral to enhancing service quality and outcomes for individuals, families, and communities.

Wiltshire Council is the unitary local authority for the county of Wiltshire, England, established in 2009 to provide both county‑level and district‑level services. The council's vision is to foster strong communities where residents can achieve their potential through empowerment and inclusion. The council focuses on long‑term challenges, community engagement, and delivering services that support independent living, reduce inequalities, and promote overall well‑being.

Key Responsibilities and Services

• Community Services:

The council provides a range of essential services to residents, including waste management, public planning, and support for vulnerable populations, such as older adults and people with disabilities.

• Governance:

The council consists of elected councillors who form a cabinet to set the council's direction and priorities. A system of overview and scrutiny ensures accountability for the cabinet's decisions.

• Strategic Planning:

The council engages in long‑term planning, such as its household waste management strategy, focusing on new approaches and opportunities to manage waste over the next decade and beyond.

• Infrastructure:

The council uses Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funds to support local infrastructure projects, including roads, schools, and recreational facilities, to manage the impact of development.

Care job family overview:

Support and assist the well‑being of individuals and groups to assure their protection, security and development.

Safeguarding, protection and care.

Community, residential, day or field settings.

Ongoing risk/needs…