Accountable to Assistant Chief of Staff Pers/Welfare, Head of Personal Support, as the professional social work head of AWS Personal Support, ensures that AWS personal support deliver social care services. The Head of Personal Support ensures compliance with professional and legal standards, whilst meeting the requirements of the Chain of Command, Service Users and outside agencies, within the overall AWS delivery of social work and specialist welfare. As the Army’s senior social worker, this role provides leadership, professional advice and direction on all personal support matters within the Army and engages on its behalf to wider Defence, representing the Army on social care issues to wider Government, Local Authorities and 3rd sector.
Key Responsibilities will include:
Lead AWS Personal Support in order to optimise service delivery, within overall AWS delivery
Lead the planning, interpretation, implementation and review of AWS personal support policy and the shaping of operational plans. To include contracting requirements for counselling provision to complement personal support delivery
Develop AWS personal support operating procedures and practices in accordance with relevant MOD and Army policy
Provide professional leadership, specialist supervision, management and support to personal support staff
Provide professional social work supervision to the Senior Executive Officer Social Workers ensuring they in turn deliver social work/care supervision in accordance with MOD & Social Work England standards
Provide professional subject matter expert advice across the Army, MOD and other stakeholders as necessary
Research, prepare and present reports as directed, including responding to Ministerial, Parliamentary and Media questions
Develop effective professional partnerships and relationships with other parts of the MOD, devolved Local Authorities, the 3rd sector and national agencies across the UK and overseas wherever MOD is represented
Ensure AWS personal support compliance with relevant legislation, guidance and best practice
Deliver personal support Governance & Quality Assurance through an assurance regime
Be the Senior Responsible Officer & Information Asset Owner for Joint Army Navy Information System (JANIS) for Army Welfare Service, Royal Navy Personal & Family Support, ensuring all statutory data protection standards are met on Royal Navy & Army welfare casefiles held on system
Ensure that the management, development and training of personal support staff is effective and linked to the overall aims of the AWS across the UK and overseas
Senior Social Worker for Army TLB and lead for representing Army on social work matters within Defence and as required wider Government including Central, Devolved and Local Authorities
Maintain personal professional competence in alignment with Civil Service, MOD and Social Work England requirements