Social Worker - Mental Health Social Care Team


Company:	Reading Borough Council
Salary:	£35,412 - £46,075
Hours:	Full-time
Location:	Reading, RG1 2LU
Working pattern:	Hybrid - 3 days remote
Job type:	Permanent
Posting date:	7 Aug 2026
Closing date:	23 Aug 2026

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Summary

Are you a qualified Social Worker with a passion for improving mental health outcomes? Join Reading Borough Council’s Mental Health Social Care Team and help shape positive, person-centred care in a welcoming, forward-thinking environment. We’re proud to offer a workplace where development, diversity, and wellbeing are central. Whether you’re early in your career or bringing years of experience, you’ll be supported to thrive and grow.

We seek the best talent from the widest pool of people as diversity and inclusion is the key to our success. Reading Borough Council is a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to the recruitment and continued employment of people with disabilities.

About the Role:

As a Social Worker in the Mental Health Social Care Team, you will carry out Care Act assessments using a strength-based approach, aiming to achieve positive, person-centred outcomes for the people of Reading. You’ll also be responsible for completing post-discharge reviews, ensuring that care plans are accurate and that individuals' eligible needs are being met. A key aspect of the role includes promoting direct payments, enabling individuals to have greater choice and control over how their care needs are met.

You’ll work collaboratively with individuals, their families and carers, making sure that Carers' Assessments are carried out to support those with a caring role. Emphasising a reablement-focused approach, you’ll help people regain independence wherever possible. You’ll also build effective working relationships with a range of community organisations, service providers, and health professionals to ensure coordinated and holistic support.

The role involves undertaking Mental Capacity Act assessments to a high standard, along with Community Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) work and preparing documentation for the Court of Protection. As part of the wider team, you’ll contribute to a high-performing, outcome-focused service, working in line with the values and principles of TEAM Reading.

Team Objectives:

The Mental Health Social Care Team works collaboratively with other teams across Adult Services to deliver high-quality, person-centred adult social care. We support individuals through key life transitions—from adolescence into adulthood and into older age—ensuring continuity of care and positive outcomes at every stage.

We are a strengths-based, multidisciplinary team committed to promoting independence, wellbeing, and inclusion. Our shared aim is to deliver a high-performing, efficient service grounded in clear team values, while also recognising and nurturing the diverse skills of our staff and partners.

In this role, you will manage a varied caseload and play an active part in achieving positive outcomes for Reading’s residents. This is a great opportunity to develop your professional skills through high-quality, client-led interventions delivered in a supportive and friendly environment. You will work within the legal framework provided by relevant legislation, statutory guidance, and organisational policies and procedures.

You will need to have:

A degree or equivalent in Social Work

Registration with Social Work England

Understanding of the Care Act 2014

Understanding of The Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended 2007)