Best Interests Assessor - Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards Team

 

Main characteristics

Location

Reading, Berkshire

Company

Reading Borough Council

Salary

£38648 - £43418/annum

Employment type

Permanent

Category

Social Care / Nursing

Job summary

As a Best Interests Assessor working for Reading Borough Council, you will play a crucial role in safeguarding the rights and wellbeing of individuals within our community. Your primary responsibility will be to assess and determine the best interests of individuals who may be subject to deprivation of liberty safeguards. This role involves close collaboration with colleagues and healthcare providers to ensure the highest standard of care and protection for vulnerable residents.
We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.
About the Role:
Are you a qualified and experienced professional with a strong understanding of the Mental Capacity Act? If so, we have an exciting opportunity for you to join our Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding Team as a dedicated Best Interests Assessor.
The role of Best Interest Assessor is varied, fast paced and provides the opportunity for personal development and growth.
The Deprivation of Liberty Safeguarding Team is dedicated to working with individuals who lack the capacity to consent to their care or treatment arrangements. We are seeking a qualified and experienced Best Interests Assessor to join our team. Your primary responsibility will be to assess whether individuals' circumstances amount to a deprivation of liberty, ensuring their protection from harm while acting in their Best Interests.
You will be required to undertake appropriate complex assessments, taking into account the views of all parties and make recommendations in line with legislation relating to authorisations and associated conditions.
We offer a flexible working environment with a mixture of home working and access to an office based in the centre of Reading.
You will work within the legal framework provided by the statute, guidance, policies and procedures.
You will need to have:
* A degree or equivalent in Social Work
* A further Social Work qualification Best Interest Assessor qualification is essential
* Registration with Social Work England
We offer excellent support, supervision and induction.
You will have access to our Learning and Development programme and be supported in your career and personal growth with opportunities to learn and develop new clinical skills, helping you to build your Continuing Professional Development portfolio, extending your skills and supporting you to grow as a social worker.
The social care teams consist of Social Workers, Social Care Coordinators and Occupational Therapists.
We work closely with our colleagues in Reading Borough Council, Health Professionals, Voluntary and Charity colleagues to facilitate the best possible outcomes for those people we support.
This role offers Agile/Hybrid Working you have the opportunity to work from home and the Civic Offices in Reading but also you will need to attend face to face visits within the Reading Borough.
Our offer
A competitive salary alongside a range of benefits including:
* Generous holiday entitlement - 25 days holiday each year plus bank holidays - rising to 33 days after 10 years' service, with the option to buy additional leave
* Maternity, adoption, parental and sick pay
* A wide range of flexible working opportunities
* Access to a range of training and learning opportunities to help you develop
* Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
* On-site day nursery (Kennet Day nursery) rated outstanding by Ofsted, and a salary sacrifice scheme to help lower the cost of your nursery fees
* Season Ticket Loan - a loan to help with the cost of your rail or bus journey, to and from work
* Lease car salary sacrifice scheme allowing you to lease a brand new, greener car for three years. The monthly fee includes insurance, servicing and road tax
* Salary sacrifice scheme for Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVCs) to help you save for your retirement
Youll be part of a team that relies on each individual to play their part to the best of their ability. As well as the colleagues that you work closely with every day, youll also be part of Team Reading, playing your personal part in making Reading a successful and vibrant place.
Our vision is to ensure that Reading realises its potential as a great place to live, work and play, and that everyone shares the benefits of this success. Our values and behaviours guide how we will achieve this:
Work Together as one team - work collaboratively, with each other and with our partners, and demonstrate the Team Reading values in everything we do
Drive Efficiency - show initiative, be adaptable to change and put forward ideas to help improve delivery and efficiency. Take responsibility for our own learning and development and for reaching our potential
Be Ambitious - be demanding of our own performance striving to be even better and be prepared to engage with and challenge leaders in a constructive and positive way
Make a Difference to Reading - maintain the highest levels of customer service and be flexible and willing to provide the services needed at the time they are needed
If you would like to find out more about this role and the team, please contact Suzanne Rhodes Senior DoLS Professional call (phone number removed)
Closing date: Sunday 3rd December 2023
Interview date: To be confirmed
Please note that 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. Therefore, it is strongly advised that you complete and return your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment