Job summary
- Main area
- Social Work
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 6
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 363-FOR7833890
- Employer
- East London NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Wolfson House
- Town
- London
- Salary
- £44,806 - £53,134 per annum Inc HCA
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 12/04/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Forensic Social Worker
NHS AfC: Band 6
ELFT has long been recognised as a centre of excellence for mental and health care, innovation and improvement. So it is a very exciting time for you to come and work for us. Our mission is to make a positive difference to people's lives by improving quality of life for all we serve. Our values are: We Care, We Respect, We are Inclusive – so we are looking for people who live and breathe these qualities when supporting service users and carers, and in their relationships with colleagues in the Trust and our partner organisations.
Job overview
This is an exciting opportunity for a qualified Social Worker who is experienced in, or has an interest in, Forensic Social Work.
East London NHS Foundation Trust provides the regional forensic mental health service covering the boroughs of Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Newham, City of London, Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Redbridge and Waltham Forest. The inpatient units consist of the John Howard Centre (medium secure) in Hackney, and Wolfson House (low secure) in the Finsbury Park area.
The service meets the specialist needs of mentally disordered offenders, the majority of whom are admitted via the criminal justice system. The Forensic Social Work Team provides a comprehensive social care service to inpatients in the two hospital sites.
Applications from experienced mental health social workers and from those with transferable skills will be considered.
Main duties of the job
You will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, providing a comprehensive social work service to the inpatients on your caseload.
You will actively contribute the social care perspective to forensic risk assessment and care planning.
You will carry out statutory functions such as preparing reports for and attending tribunals, and will lead on safeguarding concerns.
Working for our organisation
Social workers in ELFT work across a range of settings including Adult and Older Person’s Mental Health, Forensic, Crisis and CAMH’s Services and increasingly in Primary Care settings.
There are social workers in various management posts across ELFT including a Director of Social Work and a Learning and Development Lead for Social Work.
Wherever the base, ELFT values the skills and contribution of social workers and encourages them to maintain the requirements of their professional registration and will uphold the values and practice of Social Work across the organisation.
We want social workers to feel valued and supported in ELFT and to promote and support social work as a profession.
We will offer you:
- Training and development opportunities specific to social work including ASYE, AMHP training and PE training
- Social work professional supervision
- Social work forums and seminars
- A voice in the organisation and recognition of the skills and values you bring
- The opportunity to progress through the organisation as a social worker in a senior role
If you would like to know more about working in ELFT as a social worker, please contact Natalie Waghorn, Head of Forensic Social Work at [email protected].
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Kindly refer to the job description and person specification that is attached to the vacancy profile.
Person specification
Education/Qualifications/Training
Essential criteria
- CQSW, DipSW or equivalent social work qualification
- Current Social Work England registration
Desirable criteria
- Post-qualifying award in Social Work
Experience
Essential criteria
- Substantial post-qualifying experience of working with people with severe and enduring mental health problems.
- Experience of working with mentally disordered offenders
- Familiarity with practising in an ethnically diverse community and working with interpreters
Desirable criteria
- Previous experience of working in a criminal justice-associated social care agency
Knowledge and Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to work from a social care perspective with patients who have committed serious criminal offences and who may be experiencing severe and/or enduring mental health problems, including those with a diagnosed learning disability or personality disorder.
- Extensive knowledge of theory, legislation and good practice guidance in relation to mental health care, particularly those aspects which relate specifically to mentally disordered offenders.
- Ability to work effectively within a multi-disciplinary clinical team, whilst maintaining a clear focus on the core social work duties and functions
- Good working knowledge of relevant legislation, policy and guidance in relation to the safeguarding of adults at risk, and in relation to safeguarding children
- Ability to present referrals and provide verbal evidence in other formal settings (e.g. MAPPA forum, supported housing panel, social care funding panel).
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Natalie Waghorn
- Job title
- Head of Forensic Social Work
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 020 8510 2110
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