Perinatal Social Worker

at  Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

The Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service will offer a range of services for women who are planning to conceive , during their pregnancy and the postpartum period that:
Have an existing mental health condition or personality disorder
Develop a mental health condition or at risk of doing so
Have become new parents and experience difficulties during the parent-infancy relationship building
We have an opportunity for a social worker to join the team for 12 months.
The successful applicant may have contact with patients or service users. As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and of course patients and service users when working on our healthcare settings.
Recruitment to this permanent Social worker positions is part of the development of perinatal community Mental Health Service. Although the role and responsibilities have been outlined within this job description, it is important that the post-holders are flexible, innovative and has positive attitude to change as the services continuos to develop.
The team base will be within one of the maternity services or in close proximity. The postholders will be required to be flexible and to use office space and other sites in the Boroughs in their day to day working.
The service is integrated with Maternity Services at each hospital sites and the postholders will work very closely with midwives and obstetricians.
The service will also be embedded in the local community and will provide home visits, outreach clinics in children’s centres, primary care and will work closely with charities and other third sector organisations.
The postholders will be expected to work collaboratively and in partnership with; Local Secondary Mental Health Sevices , Materntity Services, Primary Care, Local Authority Services, Acute Hospitals, Voluntary and Third Sector Organisations and local Mother and Baby Units.
We are committed to offering you an environment to flourish which includes dedicated development opportunities as well as a healthier work life balance . We will offer you;
Flexible working available to provide a healthy work-life balance.
Commitment from the team to develop you by offering in house perinatal training in the form of masterclasses led by members of the perinatal service and associated integral agencies.
Free access to our Staff and Wellbeing service to ensure that you are always looking after yourself.
Commitment to career mapping to ensure continuous professional development including opportunities within the Trust.
On-site shadowing opportunities including Maternity Services, Mother and baby Unit, Home Treatment Team, Psych Liaison and many more.
An opportunity to work with a friendly, dynamic, passionate and diverse team who are committed to looking after each other as well as their service users.
Excellent staff benefits : our benefit packages are amongst the best in London and include: childcare vouchers, health and wellbeing services, season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, blue light card, discounts at Nando’s and Superdrug, mobile phone contracts and much more!
Award-winning Staff Networks.
Hidden Gem & annual award ceremonies.
Embedding as a specialist social worker within the community maternity services to perform multiagency liaison work, offering easy-to-access expert advice.
Working closely with Children’s Centres, charities and other third sector organisations to educate, improve access and outreach to local communities. This would include increased home visiting and the establishment of community satellite clinics and a move away from hospital-based services where possible.
Regular targeted training programmes which will be disseminated and evaluated for a range of professionals.
Direct work in complex cases with women booked for delivery at the local maternity hospital, providing comprehensive assessment, treatment, planning and review.
Attendances at perinatal CPA meetings, to advise and ensure procedures are implemented.
Supporting the establishment of peer support groups in the local community
Supporting local antenatal classes to educate and promote positive mental health.
Setting up a “virtual perinatal team” of champions/named professionals, using existing staff within CMHTs, Psychology/IAPT services, Midwifery teams, Health Visitor teams, CAMHs, Children & Families Social Services and GP services. This will raise awareness and improve the knowledge and skills of staff locally who work closely with this group of women, thus improving safety and quality of the care provided.
Working closely with the existing Liaison Psychiatry Service’s and Mother and Baby Unit.
Contributing to the development and dissemination of robust integrated CNWL /local Maternity Hospital perinatal care pathways and policies.
Contributing to the on-going development and establishment of Community Perinatal Mental Health Services
Attend and contribute specialist mental health knowledge at Child Protection Conferences, psychosocial meetings and birth planning meetings

Please refer the Job description for details