Please note you must be a qualified Best Interest Assessor or actively studying / working towards the qualification and have an active social work, nurse, occupational therapist, or psychologist registration in order to apply for this role.
The Mental Capacity Act & Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (MCA & DoLS) Team are looking for a Best Interest Assessor (BIA) to join our friendly, hardworking and passionate team. This is a specialist role within Adult Social Care, supporting our team's work within the MCA & DoLS legal frameworks. You should possess good working knowledge of the relevant legislation, guidance and processes involved in DoLS work and have excellent written and verbal communication skills.
About this role
This is an 18.5-hour permanent post. Our team is responsible for managing all DoLS referrals for North Somerset Council, with the core team dealing with the most complex and urgent cases, whilst supporting a pool of qualified BIAs throughout the Council with part time DoLS work, as well as supporting the wider Adult Social Services teams in their work within the MCA 2005 & DoLS (including Court of Protection work), through advice and guidance, training and quality assurance activity.
The Team is passionate about promoting lawful processes to support the voices, choices and rights of vulnerable people to make their own decisions, to ascertain what is in people’s best interests in complex and challenging situations, whilst navigating different organisations and systems, balancing risks and rights to achieve the best outcomes in relation to people’s choices and Human Rights.
You would be joining us at an exciting time as we expand the Team and work hard together to develop new processes, to ensure we are giving the best service possible to the people we are working with, with the opportunity to use your knowledge and skills to be involved in building new ways of working and best practice in MCA & DoLS.
We offer a friendly and supportive working environment and are committed to continuous professional development with regular supervision and annual appraisals. We offer flexible and hybrid working which can be discussed upon interview. North Somerset Council were ranked number 1 for the 3rd consecutive year for Employer Standards for Social Workers in the 2023 Local Government Association (LGA) Health Check results. Please see the attached job description for further information about this role. We look forward to hearing from you!
This position is exempt under the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions) Order 1975 and is subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service check.
Valid driving licence and own transport, or be able to provide alternative, suitable method of travel is an essential condition for this role.
Why North Somerset Council?
We understand working for a local authority is more than just a job. We want to ensure our employees remain passionate about what they do and enjoys their time at North Somerset. Whether that means you want training and development opportunities or a flexible working arrangement to fit around family commitments, we will work with you to ensure you are getting the best out of your employment.
Join us and you’ll receive an excellent rewards package including flexible working and flexitime, membership of the Local Government Pension scheme, and a generous annual leave allowance with the option to purchase up to an additional 10 days per year. Further details of our excellent rewards package can be found in our Benefits booklet.
Want to know more and apply?
For an informal discussion, please contact Circe Lewis (Team Manager) on 07824 604909, or Kirsten Collins (Senior) on 07825 453740, or Claudine Edwards (Senior) on 07385 978803.
Anticipated interview date: Friday 12th July 2024.
At North Somerset Council we want all our employees to feel valued and appreciated. We aim to ensure equality of opportunity and prevent discrimination irrespective of your sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion or belief, race, age, disability, including neurodiversity, if you are married or in a civil partnership or are pregnant. We strive to create a workplace that reflects the communities we serve and where everyone feels empowered to bring their full, authentic selves to work.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
North Somerset Council – Open, Fairer, Greener.
Please note: We are currently only accepting applications from candidates who have full permission to work in the UK.