About Us

Do you have a particular passion for supporting people who have experienced street homelessness?

Are you a qualified and experienced Social Worker looking for a new role within a fast developing sector with a strong focus on innovation and problem solving?

If yes, we have the perfect role for you!

An exciting opportunity has presented within the Adult Social Care and Health Directorate for a Senior Social Worker to operate within the rapidly developing Rough Sleeper Pathway in Richmond and Wandsworth boroughs. 

The role is a new post, with funding initially available for two years from the start date. This role is offered as a secondment to permanent staff or as a two-year fixed term contract to external staff. 

The successful candidate will have an interest in street homeless/ rough sleeping issues and an understanding of the multiple disadvantages this cohort experience in accessing statutory and non-statutory services. 

We are looking for an experienced, enthusiastic and dynamic Senior Social Worker who is looking for a creative career development opportunity. 

The successful candidate will need to be innovative and flexible with a strong belief in/ experience of effective partnership working. You will need to have excellent communication skills, both written and verbal and be able to manage a complex case load whilst also being expected to contribute to the overall enhancement of service user’s experience and engagement with rough sleeper services in the borough.  

To be successful in the role, a comprehensive knowledge and application of relevant legislation is required. The role includes undertaking assessments of need under the Care Act, Mental Capacity Assessments, Human Rights Assessments, and statutory Section 42 Safeguarding Enquiries. 

The role will be based within the Richmond and Wandsworth Mental Health and Substance Misuse Service, with line management provided at a Team Manager level. However, the successful candidate will be expected to work alongside a variety of professional teams, including the local outreach service, Rough Sleeping Mental Health Team (RAMHP), Drug and Alcohol Service and Rough Sleeper Team within the Council. 

To be shortlisted to interview for this position your application will clearly evidence:

• A relevant social work qualification and Social Work England membership
• Passed your ASYE year, and have experience in frontline Social Work 
• Creative planning, risk assessment & assessment skills
• Experience of working across voluntary and statutory agencies
• An excellent communicator
• Understand the needs of rough sleepers, including adults with mental health and substance misuse needs
• Applied knowledge of relevant legislation and guidance

For an informal discussion regarding the role please contact Amy Shardlow, Service Manager, Mental Health and Substance Misuse, on amy.shardlow@richmondandwandsworth.gov.uk

At Richmond and Wandsworth Councils, we care more about how you work and what you achieve, rather than where you work on any given day. The difference you can make to our local communities is what really matters most to us, service delivery must always come first. We have carefully considered agile ways of working to provide the best experience for residents, stakeholders and our staff. Our agile working strategy actively supports and encourages a dynamic work environment and daily working experience. Agile working helps put the needs of our staff at the centre of everything we do, so if specific flexible working arrangements helps you with this, feel free to let us know. 

Your wellbeing and the flexible way in which you can work is and will remain a key priority for Richmond and Wandsworth Councils. We want you to thrive and feel empowered in your work! 

We recognise the importance of a good balance between work and home life so we do everything we can to accommodate flexible working and other arrangements. Please just let us know in your application or at any stage throughout the process (and beyond) if these are options you’d like to explore. We also offer a generous holiday allowance of 40 paid days (pro rata) including bank holidays and a wide range of learning and development opportunities. 

In addition, we offer a comprehensive range of staff benefits such as membership of the Local Government pension scheme, childcare vouchers, new technology scheme, interest-free loans on annual travel cards, discounts with many leisure activities, restaurants, shops and other establishments.

Indicative Recruitment Timeline:

Closing Date:  Sunday 6th August 2023

Shortlisting Date: W/C Monday 7th August 2023

Interview Date: TBC

Useful Information:

The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. 

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils are committed to making our recruitment practices as inclusive as possible for everyone. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a culture that values differences, recognising that employees from a variety of backgrounds bring important and positive contributions to the Councils and can improve the way we deliver services.

The application process for this campaign will be anonymised. 

We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

Important Information:

This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory response to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaces the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA).

Interested candidates are invited to submit a CV and complete the online application process.

Richmond and Wandsworth Councils