FCDO Mental Health Social Work Adviser
Location: Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Consular Directorate, King Charles St, Westminster, London, SW1A 2AH and Heathrow Travel Care (HTC), London Heathrow Airport
Salary: £40,000 per annum, plus benefits
Vacancy Type: full-time, permanent contract
We currently have an exciting opportunity to join us as a Social Work Adviser (Mental Health) based at the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in Westminster, seconded from Heathrow Travel Care (HTC), the airport social work team.
You will join us on a full-time, permanent contract and you will receive a competitive salary of £40,000 per annum, plus benefits.
The role of our Social Work Adviser (Mental Health) is to enable the FCDO to offer advice and assistance to vulnerable British nationals known to the UK Consular Network.
Responsibilities as our Social Work Adviser (Mental Health):
FCDO
- Providing advice, support and guidance to consular assistance staff in London and overseas on mental health for British nationals
- Working collaboratively with the Social Work Adviser team to review cases and relevant policy
- Investigating, risk assessing, signposting, planning with consular staff who are working with British nationals to provide specialist advice to the consular staff
- Referral of 'meet and assist’, cases to relevant service providers at UK ports
- Policy, guidance and training input to Consular staff on relevant issues
- Building and maintaining links with relevant assistance NGOs & travel partners via outreach work
- Building and maintaining links with Consular Regional Directors
- Cover for Social Work Adviser team as required
- Recording of all cases on a secure consular information network and monthly reporting to HTC
- International outreach – there may be opportunities for international travel to support FCDO staff abroad
HTC (1 day per 5 weeks)
- Liaison between airport crisis team (focus on ‘meet and assist’) and FCDO Consular Directorate
- Contribution to airport crisis preparation work
- Contribution to Heathrow Travel-Care policy, guidance and strategic planning
- Participation in emergency preparedness and response at Heathrow
- Continuing professional development
What we’re looking for in our Social Work Adviser (Mental Health):
- 2 years’ recent statutory social work experience
- Recent experience of working directly in the mental health sector
- Understanding of Mental Health Act and mental health procedures within Local Authorities / NHS / statutory frameworks
- Understanding of Mental Capacity Act
- Understanding of adult social care legislation and statutory frameworks
- Understanding of how mental health conditions affect individuals including stigma and discrimination
- Experience of problem-solving under time pressure
- Experience of prioritising casework according to risk and need
- Ability to make clear recommendations on how to address risk and need based on professional judgement and experience.
- Experience of undertaking eligibility, risk and mental capacity assessments.
- The ability to work effectively in partnership with other agencies
Interview date: Thursday 24th September in person at Westminster
You must be legally able to work in UK. Security clearance is required for this role. You must have been resident in the UK for a least 2 of the previous ten years, at least one year of which must have been a consecutive 12-month period and you must have resided for at least 3 consecutive years in one country. All applicants should be aware that a lack of sufficient background information may preclude an applicant from being granted security clearance.
To Apply
If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Heathrow Travel Care, please do not hesitate to apply.
Registered Charity 
6 - 10
Thank you!
Using Anonymous Recruitment
This organisation is using Anonymous Recruitment to reduce bias in the first stages of the hiring process. Submit your application as normal and our system will anonymise it for you. Your personal information will be hidden until the recruiter contacts you.
Actively Interviewing
This organisation is scheduling interviews as applications come in. They're ready to hire as soon as they find the right person. Don't miss your opportunity, apply now!
Would you like to be part of a young and vibrant charity that is dedicated to supporting those who have been bereaved by suicide?
Do you want to be on the frontline, helping people through the emotional impact of their loss or offering information and guidance on some of the practical issues they may be facing?
We looking for someone to join our team of Suicide Bereavement Advisers who are the first port of call for people looking for support following their loss.
It is a hybrid role with a 60/40 split between working in our office in Westminster and from home.
We will be expanding the team at regular intervals. If we do not have the time to contact all applicants in this recruitment round or if you are not successful in this round, there will be future opportunities to apply.
About the role
As a Suicide Bereavement Advisor you will:
-
Manage a caseload of assigned clients.
-
Provide emotional and practical support to clients over the phone and via email and SMS.
-
Provide a safe space for them to talk about their loss and how it is impacting them, offering them empathy and validation.
-
Provide information and advice about practical issues they may be dealing with.
-
Where appropriate, refer them to our Counselling Service and help them to fill in the application form.
-
Support them to access other relevant services through signposting.
-
Log all contacts in our client management system, ensuring accurate records are kept and maintained.
-
Meet agreed performance standards around call duration, timely note completion and consistent caseload management, in line with our commitment to fairness and consistency for clients and team.
-
Help with ongoing initiatives to improve our services, including opportunities to contribute to resource creation, training and presenting, and wider projects.
-
Support the Client Care team where needed, including covering the phone line and helping with administrative tasks when available.
-
Liaise with other relevant organisations to build our connections within the sector and increase awareness of our services.
-
Attend and contribute to team and staff meetings.
-
Attend training, conferences and workshops in line with continuous professional development.
-
Represent the charity at relevant events
-
Work in accordance with our values and follow all policies and procedures.
This is a very rewarding role within a small, friendly and hardworking team which is committed to providing the highest quality support to our clients.
About you
You will have experience of working on a helpline or a client-facing role, ideally in the area of mental health; or you may be studying to be a counsellor.
Key attributes we are looking for include:
-
A warm, empathic manner
-
An ability to listen without judgement
-
Calmness when dealing with people in distressing or challenging situations
-
Able to work independently and as part of a team
-
An enthusiasm to learn and to develop knowledge and skills
-
Confidence in using digital technology
-
Attention to detail, especially when it comes to record keeping
You will live within commuting distance of our office in Westminster.
We are committed to Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion and as such are actively seeking candidates of all backgrounds to represent the diverse population of people that we serve.
This role requires eligibility to work in the UK and a Basic DBS check. Training will be given to the right candidates.
The client requests no contact from agencies or media sales.