Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) is seeking a skilled and dedicated Specialist Social Worker to join its expert team, supporting children and adolescents with complex mental health needs. This is a rewarding opportunity to make a significant impact within one of the largest NHS Trusts in England.
Applicants must hold a Degree or Diploma in Social Work, with evidence of maintained professional registration and a strong commitment to continued professional development. The ideal candidate will possess specialist knowledge in child and adolescent mental health, or have experience equivalent to Master’s level, alongside a sound understanding of national and local safeguarding policies and guidelines.
This role offers the opportunity to join a leading healthcare provider and develop your career in a supportive, inclusive, and forward-thinking environment. A Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) is available for eligible international applicants.
About the Trust
About Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT)
Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust (MFT) is one of the largest NHS Trusts in England, with a turnover exceeding £3 billion. Serving over one million patients annually, MFT is committed to creating an exceptional integrated health and social care system.
Bringing together ten hospitals and community services across Manchester, Trafford, and beyond, MFT champions collaborative working and innovation. With a workforce of approximately 30,000 staff, the Trust offers unparalleled opportunities for career development and professional growth.
MFT is a digitally enabled organisation, driving clinical quality, operational efficiency, and innovation through its Hive Electronic Patient Record system, launched in September 2022.
As a major academic research centre and education provider, MFT supports high-quality research through a strong infrastructure. The Trust is also taking significant steps toward environmental sustainability through its Green Plan initiative.
MFT fosters a culture of inclusion, wellbeing, and transparency, ensuring equal opportunities and shaping the future of healthcare in the region.
Position: Specialist Support Worker
Salary: £47,810 – £54,710 a year
Job Type: Full Time
Location: Manchester
About the Role
Job summary
To function as an independent senior member of the MDT leading on the identification of social care requirements, safeguarding needs of children and young people, and safeguarding processes within the service ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the children and young people and ensuring staff follow correct policy and procedure).
To contribute towards the management and development of the Service.
To provide social care risk assessments appropriate to the child/ young person’s and parent’s /carers needs and contribute to care planning within a multi-disciplinary team.
To work with and develop effective relationships with voluntary and statutory social care services.
To ensure parents and carers needs are identified and assessed.
To develop the role of social work within the service and ensure active engagement with national inpatient CAMH services.
Main duties of the job
Safeguarding
- To collaborate with Trust safeguarding nurses and name doctor for safeguarding.
- To promote safeguarding best practice, working in partnership with the MDT and Safeguarding Team.
- To ensure safeguarding referrals are made to the local authority and lead on disclosure work in collaboration with the MDT and SafeguardingTeam.
- Support families /carers in developing practical parenting strategies which enhance positive parent/carer-child relations.
- Access the needs of children and young people who may need Local Authority Children’s Social Care intervention and make appropriate referrals
- Create and maintain effective relationships with children, young people, their parents, families, and carers to ensure diverse needs are identified, met and reviewed.
- To liaise with local authorities under Section 85 of the Children Act where children have been, or are expected to be, an inpatient for three months or more
- To further enhance safeguarding training and safeguarding supervision to service staff in accordance with Trust and Divisional Safeguarding Supervision Policy and Safeguarding Training Needs Analysis.
- To provide information and advice and signpost to resources on safeguarding children/young people and be accessible to all staff to support their day-to-day practice
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Degree / Diploma in Social Work
- Further specialist knowledge in relation to child and adolescent mental health, or experience equivalent to Masters level
- Evidence that professional registration has been maintained and commitment to continued professional development.
Desirable
- Assessor & Practice Educator Training
- Qualification in safeguarding supervision
- Accredited training qualification
Knowledge/Experience
Essential
- Knowledge of national and local safeguarding policies, guidelines and recommendations.
- Knowledge of relevant legislation relating to safeguarding children
- Significant experience with children and their families who experience complex mental health problems
- Demonstrates knowledge relevant to patterns of abuse and neglect.
- Experience of leadership skills, experience of supervising staff and students
- Experience of delivering training
- Experience of policy development and implementation
- Awareness of issues affecting ethnic minority families and other socially excluded groups.
- Working knowledge of children’s health and development and the nature and impact of child maltreatment.
- Experience of multi-agency child protection work
- Evidence of multi-disciplinary/Agency working including developing strong links with education and community mental health services.
- Experience of Safeguarding Children policy and procedure to ensure children and young people are safeguarded effectively.
- Experience and knowledge of the Children Act (1989/2004); Children and Young Persons Act (2008); Children and Families Act 2014
- An understanding of the Mental Health Act, Mental Health Act Code of Practice and CPA process
- An understanding of the Mental Capacity Act
Desirable
- Knowledge of and familiarity with appropriate Court procedures
- Experience of working within child/adolescent mental health settings
- Experience of undertaking Parent/Carer type assessments
Benefits
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications.
Required Documents
- CV/Resume
- Cover Letter
Application Process
To apply for this role, please visit the NHS WEBSITE
Application Deadline
August 5, 2025