About the Borough In Sutton, there is much for us to be proud of both as a council and as a borough. This includes high levels of resident satisfaction, the quality of our services, our success in addressing our financial challenges to date, the way that we involve and engage with residents on key issues facing the borough, and the enthusiastic and motivated staff that we employ. Looking ahead, there are plans for the delivery of new homes and new schools and the London Cancer Hub is being developed, while the Council is also seen as a driving force within the South London Partnership of five outer south west London boroughs focused on strategic growth, regeneration and investment. All of this demonstrates a good track record and an authority that is ambitious and set to deliver more improvements for the borough. We've set out our vision for the future of Sutton in our corporate plan - Ambitious for Sutton. This strategic plan will shape the outcomes we achieve, the services we provide, and the impact we have on residents, to make Sutton a great place to live, work and raise a family. Situated in Zone 5, Sutton is less than 30 minutes by train from central London, and south and south west London are easily accessible by public transport. There are 10 train stations which serve key neighbourhoods within the borough providing direct connections to London Victoria, London Bridge, London Blackfriars and St Pancras International. Sutton also has direct rail connections with Epsom, Dorking, Guildford and Horsham, as well as Wimbledon for an interchange with the London Underground and West Croydon for the London Overground. There's also an extensive road network which provides close and easy access to the M25 and M23. About the Role and our Ideal Candidate We are seeking an Enabling Independence Officer (EIO) to join the Mental Health Team at Sutton Adult Social Care as part of a significant transformation journey. This opportunity is available on a fixed term contract of 12 months. Our goal is to empower adults to live as independently as possible, and we are looking for individuals with the necessary skills to help us achieve this mission. Our EIO's are formerly known as Assessment Officers. Your duties will include: Conducting assessments of individuals in need of social care services Gathering information from various sources to determine the level of support required Collaborating with social workers, healthcare providers, and the NHS to ensure that our service users receive the best possible care in accordance with the Care Act. With the guidance and support of the Team Manager and Senior Social Worker, Assessment Officers within the Mental Health Team are responsible for identifying the needs of our service users and their families, creating care plans, provide access to appropriate services and support, and monitor and review care plans to ensure they are meeting individuals' needs effectively. Your role will be vital in helping individuals access the support they need to enhance their quality of life and well-being. If you are passionate about making a difference, have strong interpersonal skills to build effective relationships and can show empathy and sensitivity towards individuals facing difficult circumstances, we want to hear from you. The successful candidate will have: NVQ level 3 or demonstrate relevant experience of working with vulnerable people/families/carers. Prior experience in conducting assessments in a social care setting. Knowledge of relevant legislation and policies in social care. Ability to work collaboratively in a multidisciplinary team. Excellent communication skills to effectively interact with people in our care, their families, and healthcare professionals. An understanding of issues related to safeguarding and protection of adults. Continuous professional development to stay updated on best practices in the field of social care. Learning and development is supported by the Senior Social Worker and the management team. We aim to provide robust supervision and mentoring and encourage reflective practice to identify areas of improvement. As a Borough, we are committed to building a workforce that is empowered with knowledge to work autonomously and provide the valuable care service to the residents of our community. We want you to be a part of our journey. About Us Adult Social Care is undergoing a significant transformation to address the rising demand for our services. We're implementing wide-ranging changes to improve care for adults and create positive working environments for our staff. We have new leaders and experienced managers who bring innovative ideas to the service and are driving meaningful changes throughout your service delivery. Our goal is to deliver exceptional care that enhances outcomes for our community whilst providing an inclusive, diverse and stable environment for staff to grow their career. The Mental Health Team Sutton is strengthening its approach to supporting people with significant and complex mental health needs with the establishment of a dedicated Mental Health Team.This post will contribute to this strengthened approach based alongside our AMHPs and mental health social workers. In addition to direct work with people experiencing substance misuse challenges, the role will provide advice and support to workers across all of Adult Social Care services, including our Hospital, Localities and Transitions teams Our Offer To You As an organisation that values and nurtures talent, we're committed to helping you fulfil your potential and will offer you a supportive, friendly and collaborative environment to grow and develop your career and skills. We're constantly striving to improve our ways of working so putting your ideas across - however big or small - will be fully encouraged and supported by your colleagues and our dynamic and experienced management team. In addition, we offer a modern and flexible working environment for our staff, supported by our IT infrastructure, including Google Chromebooks and Google Apps. Our Flexible Working - Smarter Working Scheme embraces new ways of working. It provides improved work life balance for our staff as it allows staff to work from a variety of locations and staff are not required to work within the office 5 days a week. Employees have access to a wide range of benefits, some of which include: Generous annual leave entitlement plus bank holidays (pro-rata if part-time working hours apply) General Council Flexi-time (Please note, this applies to roles at grades 1-9 only) Public Health Service Localised Flexi-time Scheme - accrual of up to 5 days per year Three volunteering days per year in Sutton Comprehensive learning and development programme Local and national discounts for shopping, eating out and leisure activities Interest free season ticket loans Local Government Pension Scheme Car parking scheme Bicycle loan facilities and cycle to work scheme Zip car scheme Free eye tests and contribution towards glasses Confidential wellbeing and counselling support Subsidised gym membership Application Process Please apply online outlining what skills, abilities and experience you can bring which makes you an ideal candidate for this role. Please ensure you refer to the requirements outlined in the job profile when completing your application. To support our diversity agenda and reduce the risk of bias in our recruitment activities, our short listing process completely anonymises personal information that can identify job applicants e.g. name, title etc. Our hiring managers review and short list applications based on the information provided as part of your application as to how well you meet the requirements and criteria for the role, as outlined in the job profile. 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 submit your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment. Additional Information We pride ourselves on being a diverse, inclusive and welcoming Borough and we aim to create a workforce which reflects the community we serve - the key highlights from our recent Equalities Workforce Report can be seen here. We are respectful of difference and realise the positive value of diversity in our workforce. We welcome and encourage job applications from people of all backgrounds and particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates and disabled candidates, as these groups are currently under-represented in our workforce. As part of our Disability Confident Committed status, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum/essential criteria for the role. We offer a range of family friendly, inclusive employment policies, flexible working arrangements, staff engagement forums, and inclusive staff networks who help drive our diversity agenda. The UK has introduced a new points-based immigration system affecting EU and Non-EU workers and sponsorship requirements. We advise checking the GOV.UK website for right to work guidance. Important Information - Criminal Records This post is exempted under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and as such appointment to this post will be conditional upon the receipt of a satisfactory result to a check of police records via Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) helps employers make safer recruitment decisions and prevent unsuitable people from working with vulnerable groups, including children. It replaces the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) and Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). Job Profile Enabling Independence Officer (2).pdf - 80KB Opens in a new window