Independent mental health advocate jobs in leeds, west yorkshire

South West Advocacy Network supports and empowers people to have a voice, by ensuring access to quality, independent advocacy. We believe that everyone has the right to be heard & respected, the right to choice in decisions about themselves and the right to be safe.

Service Managers are responsible for their services meeting targets and delivering on contract requirements, including providing the data required for contract and organisational monitoring.
The Service Manager role assumes responsibility for all aspects of SWAN’s West Berkshire statutory advocacy services. This includes IMCA, Paid Rep, Care Act and IMHA. Our Service Manager is also responsible for the delivery of SWAN’s social value projects in West Berkshire.
The role requires a positive approach and a high degree of personal responsibility. The Service Manager is responsible for the West Berkshire team’s performance. Service Managers are experienced and inspirational leaders. You will be working remotely, but within easy commuting distance of West Berkshire.  They have, or are willing to work towards, a level 5 management qualification.
The post is subject to 2 references including previous employer, evidence of right to work in the UK and an enhanced DBS check.

FTE salary is £31,602.88 - £34,533.32 (actual £25,623.97 - ££27,999.99) and the lower salary will be paid to new starters unless they hold the relevant qualifications.

Role: Self-employed Independent Fostering Reviewing Officer

Locations:  Yorkshire

Pay -  £33 per hour

We are the UK’s largest specialist charity provider of fostering. Our core work involves providing high quality and well supported fostering families for children and young people in the care of local authorities. 

As a ‘not for profit’ organisation, TACT puts the needs of our children and carers first and look to appoint individuals who are as passionate about fostering as we are. TACT invests all surplus income into staff, carers, and child development. This means that we have been able to establish expert in-house support services such as our TACT Health and Education Services and create TACT Connect, our ground-breaking scheme for care experienced young people and adults.  New staff and workers will join us as we  embark on a journey to become a wholly trauma-informed organisation with the aim of increasing our effectiveness and improving outcomes for the children and young people in our care.

As a self-employed worker with TACT, you will be a part of our amazing team of professionals working with our organisational values at the heart of their everyday practice. You can review our values here.

We are recruiting Independent  Fostering Reviewing Officer to undertake carer annual reviews. 

Core Tasks

• To carry out statutory annual reviews of Foster Carers.
• To satisfy TACT that the foster carers continue to be suitable to be professional foster carers and that all safeguarding issues are addressed.
• to make recommendation to TACT in regard to foster carers terms of approval.
• To give the carer, the social worker of any child in placement, birth children and fostered children the opportunity to give feedback about the placement
• To be part of TACT’s Quality Assurance processes
• To ensure foster carers are enabling children to reach their full potential

Rates of Pay

• TACT will pay £33.00 per hour plus travel time at £15 per hour (outside of London) or £16.50 per hour (London only) and mileage at 45p per mile.

Please see the Job Information Pack for a full breakdown of the role.

You will be DipSW, CSS or CQSW qualified and registered with the relevant regulatory body (Social Work England, Social Care Wales or Scottish Social Services Council).

An Enhanced DBS/PVG check will be required for this role and will be undertaken  by TACT on your behalf.

• Closing Date: Sunday  6th July 2025
• Interview Date: Monday 14th July 2025

Safeguarding is everyone’s business and we believe that only the people with the right skills and values should work in social work.  As part of our commitment to safeguarding, we properly examine the skills, experience, qualifications and values of potential staff in relation to our work with vulnerable young children.  We use rigorous and consistent recruitment approaches to help safeguard our young people. All staff are expected to work in line with TACT’s safeguarding policies.

We reserve the right to close a vacancy earlier than advertised if the volume of applications is excessive, you are therefore advised to apply at your earliest convenience.

We do not accept unsolicited CVs from external recruitment agencies nor accept the fees associated with them

The Vacancy

The Independent Monitoring Service is seeking to recruit professionals with experience of working with children and vulnerable adults to the role of Independent Visitor in Wet Yorkshire & Humber, in particular Leeds, Bradford and Hull. 

The role of Independent Visitors is to provide visiting services on behalf of NYAS which are consistent with the National Quality Standards for Children’s Homes, Residential Special School Standards, Welsh National Minimum Standards, Health and Social Care Standards Scotland and CQC regulations. The main duties are:

• To undertake monthly visits to identified homes in accordance with the requirements of the relevant NYAS manager.

These visits will be:

Regulation 44 visits to residential children’s homes, short breaks and secure units.

Regulation 25 visits to residential family centres.

Care Quality Commission visits to residential adult homes.

Care Inspectorate Wales regulation 8 visits to residential children’s homes.

RSS20 visits to residential special schools.

Health and social care standards Scotland residential children’s homes.

Monitoring visits to unregulated provision.

• To undertake all tasks as identified by the relevant NYAS manager, during the visits and thereafter, in order to fulfil all aspects of the role.
• To provide factual reports within set timescales as required by the relevant NYAS manager.

Candidates should have demonstrable knowledge and understanding of regulated services and their inspection frameworks and also knowledge of current legislation and statutory guidance relating to children, young people and adults at risk particularly those in residential care.

Candidates must have experience of working within a social or health care organisation, safeguarding and experience of managing complex relationships across a diverse field, e.g. OFSTED inspectors, social workers, residential care workers and registered managers, health care professionals.

Candidates should also possess a professional qualification in a related field, i.e. social work, residential care, health care professional, advocacy or youth work.

This is a self-employed position and you will be paid a sessional rate.

You will also be required to complete annual safeguarding and compliance including, Personal Safety, Data Protection, Information Security, Safeguarding and Equality and Diversity. You will be able to subscribe to an e-learning platform provided by NYAS. The platform will provide you with the opportunity to undertake a number of other professional courses that you can complete in your own time to maintain your own CPD. You can do this on the e-learning platform at a significantly reduced cost compared to undertaking each course individually with different providers.

Note for candidates - when completing the application form, it is important that you refer to the person specification within the contract delivery specification and detail how you can evidence the criteria.

NYAS operates robust safe procedures to ensure the protection of the children, young people and adults at risk we work with. To comply with NYAS’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy candidates will be subject to an enhanced DBS check, references and a Digital Risk Assessment.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early once we receive a high number of applications.

About NYAS

As an established leading rights-based charity, NYAS (National Youth Advocacy Service) is well positioned to ensure that children, young people, and adults across England and Wales are fully respected, represented, and supported in expressing their views and having their rights upheld.

We work with care-experienced children, young people, and adults who are often reliant on statutory services suffering the negative impact of the cuts in public expenditure. Our combination of social care and legal services places us in a unique position to ensure that they receive the services they need and that their voices are heard.

We are an equal opportunities employer and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment which means NYAS welcomes applications from all individuals regardless of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic origin, nationality, religion or belief, or any other protected characteristic.

NYAS is proud to share that we are a Disability Confident Employer and we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for our vacancies.

Work with us to help change young lives.

For the application pack please see our website. 

Job Purpose

We are looking for a Neonatal Lead to join the Wakefield and Kirklees and Calderdale Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships (MNVP).

Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnerships are a team of people working together to improve maternity and neonatal care for local people. They hold responsibility to act as multi-disciplinary working groups with the primary function of embedding the service user experience as a method for review and co-design of maternity services.

The groups are made up of an MNVP Lead, lay roles, women and their families, healthcare professionals such as midwives, health visitors, GP’s, local commissioners, charities, and community groups.

The Neonatal Lead will play a crucial role in ensuring that the experiences and needs of families with lived experience of neonatal care are central to the development and improvement of local maternity and neonatal services across Wakefield, Kirklees, and Calderdale.

This role would suit a person who is passionate about developing neonatal care and engaging with families across Wakefield, Kirklees, and Calderdale.

The role requires some flexibility in terms of time, but we also recognise and accommodate, where possible, the other commitments you may have, including work, parenting, and other caring commitments.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

The Neonatal Lead will be an advocate for the service user’s voice, ensuring it is heard and considered in the planning, review, and improvement of neonatal services.

They will actively engage with families with lived experience of neonatal care, to gather feedback and understand their experiences.

They will build strong relationships with providers, commissioners, and other stakeholders to ensure that the service user voice is heard and influences decisions.

They will work to identify areas where services can be improved and advocate for changes that will enhance the quality of care for neonatal service users.

They will work closely with the Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership Leads, share engagement information with the MNVP Leads in order to support them feeding in to local and national meetings and events, in order to share the service user voice and provide independent scrutiny.

Key responsibilities

· Be one of the points of contact for neonatal enquiries to the MNVPs.

· Lead on engagement with families with lived experience of neonatal care.

· Work closely with the Wakefield and Kirklees and Calderdale MNVP Leads, for example sharing engagement data so that this can be fed into local and regional strategic meetings.

· Input as required to MNVP social media.

· Work in collaboration with the Yorkshire and Humber Neonatal Operational Delivery Network (ODN), as part of the Co-Production Meeting.

· Organise at least three community based listening events per year, one in each locality – Wakefield, Kirklees, and Calderdale.

· Attend already established neonatal community groups in order to gain knowledge and insight into the experiences of those attending.

General Responsibilities

· Support a positive team environment, ensure compliance with policies, and promote equality and diversity.

· Participate in internal and external meetings as required and appropriate.

· Plan and manage own workload, set targets and deadlines, and be self-supporting with regard to administration and IT.

· Undertake specific identified projects and any other duties consistent with the nature and level of the post.

Person Specification

Essential

· Have lived experience, that is be a parent whose baby or babies has/have spent time in neonatal care and/or accessed Neonatal services, whether this is recently or in the past.

· Be able to champion and seek out the voices of this group to support them to be heard effectively.

· Experience of leading engagement, particularly with hard to reach groups and communities.

· Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

· Strong organisational and prioritisation skills.

· Capable of working independently and managing a varied workload.

· Have an understanding of the structure of the NHS and Neonatal services within it, particularly in the Wakefield, Kirklees, and Calderdale areas.

· Experience working with, and developing partnerships with, a range of people, including project stakeholders, diverse community groups, and other organisations.

· Experience in data analysis, both quantitative and qualitative.

· Proficient in Microsoft Office, including PowerPoint and Word.

· Commitment to the principles and values of Healthwatch.

· Demonstrates empathy, integrity, and a drive to influence positive change in health and social care.

· Willingness to travel within the Wakefield, Kirklees, and Calderdale area.

· Ability to work flexible hours, including occasional evenings and weekends.

Desirable

· Experience of using various engagement methodologies, including surveys, focus groups, interviews, and community meetings.

· Experience producing impact-focused reports and summary documents.

· Familiarity with local Neonatal services and community needs.

· Knowledge of the voluntary and community sector.

· Good understanding of health and social care sectors.

Do you want to work with a leading advocacy charity organisation supporting those in need?  

Do you have experience managing contracts in the third sector, particularly within health, social care, or community services?

Are you passionate about ensuring public service contracts deliver real impact for vulnerable people? 

 Then come and join us here at VoiceAbility. 

We have an exciting opportunity for a Contract Manager to join our team in the South Region to lead on the delivery and development of advocacy contracts across VoiceAbility’s portfolio. This is a permanent role, working full time, 35 hours a week. Reporting directly to the Operations Manager, you will play a key role in ensuring our commissioned services meet and exceed expectations. You will be responsible for monitoring contract performance, analysing complex data, and ensuring compliance with KPIs, quality standards, and third sector funding requirements.

About us 

VoiceAbility is an independent charity and one of the UK’s largest providers of advocacy and involvement services. We deliver a wide range of commissioned contracts funded by local authorities, NHS trusts, and third sector partners.

We’ve been supporting people to have their say in decisions about their health, care, and wellbeing for over 40 years. We make sure people are heard when it matters most. For more information on what Advocacy is and the services offered then please visit our website.

About you

We are looking for a skilled and experienced contract management professional with a strong understanding of third sector commissioning and service delivery. You will have a proven ability to manage and monitor complex contracts, ensuring compliance with service level agreements and funding conditions. You’ll be confident in building and maintaining relationships with commissioners, funders, and delivery partners.

You will be highly numerate, with excellent analytical skills and the ability to produce clear, insightful reports that demonstrate impact, value for money, and continuous improvement. You’ll be comfortable working with data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities, and will support operational teams to address underperformance and drive service excellence.

We are looking for someone who can balance the retention of existing contracts with a proactive approach to identifying and supporting new opportunities for growth and innovation in the third sector.

Benefits 

28 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro-rata for part-time colleagues) rising to 30 days upon 5 years’ service 

5% employer pension & minimum 3% employee contribution 

Salary sacrifices pension scheme 

Separate Life Assurance Cover (equivalent of two times your annual salary) 

Staff discount scheme including retail discounts, entertainment, holidays, gym membership etc 

24/7 Employee Assistance programme 

Access to remote counselling service 

Paid Disability Leave 

Paid compassionate Leave 

Home Working Allowance  

Support with continuous professional development 

Access to Clifton Strengths Coaching for development  

Personal Development Plans 

 How are staff supported to work remotely? 

VoiceAbility has a small number of offices. All Employees are homebased meetings will be held online as well as in person in the relevant community. 

When you need to travel for work, expenses will be paid (mileage or public transport costs).  

VoiceAbility offers the usual regular manager one to ones, Staff forums and communities of practice depending on role. Team meetings with a mix of virtual and in person approach. 

Equality and Diversity

VoiceAbility believes in fostering an inclusive workplace which welcomes, values and celebrates the diversity of its staff and partners, treats all on a basis of equality and encourages all to meet their maximum potential.

VoiceAbility are a Disability Confident employer, any applicant that identifies themselves as having a disability and can demonstrate that they meet all the essential criteria for the role will be offered an interview. If you need to apply in a different way, please contact us for further options.

How to apply

To apply for this role please sign up for a recruitment account by visiting our webspage then follow the instructions to create your account, upload your CV, and complete our short application form. 

Important Dates:

Closing date for applications; 5pm on Tuesday 15 July 2025 however, VoiceAbility reserve the right to withdraw this vacancy before this date. 

Don’t forget to read the person specification so you can tell us about yourself and how your skills, abilities and experiences match the criteria outlined in the person specification. 

Hint: you can use work, personal and/or voluntary experiences, and examples to tell us why you should be our next Contract Manager. 

Want to know more about VoiceAbility and the role?

Please visit our website,We look forward to hearing from you.