Team Leader – Complex Needs Housing Service

Are you calm, non-judgemental and able to work effectively with people experiencing distress?

Can you demonstrate our values of Hope, Courage, Togetherness and Responsiveness and want to be part of our mission to create opportunities for individuals to make choices, find their own solutions, build resilience and manage their whole life and wellbeing?

If the answer to all of these is yes, we want to hear from you.

Team Leader – Complex Needs Housing Service
Reference Number: 184
Salary scale: £28,000 - £29,000 per annum incl. Outer London Weighting (OLW)
Reports to: Services Manager – Dual Diagnosis Partnerships
No. of hours: Full time 37.5 hours a week
Contract: One year
Main base: Flexible to one of our seven Wellbeing Centres dependent on location

About Us

Hertfordshire Mind Network is the largest charitable provider of mental health services in Hertfordshire, in terms of the number of people supported and range of services offered. We have a presence in all of the county's 10 districts, with established Wellbeing Centres across the county.

Our services are available to all residents in Hertfordshire over the age of 18, and we offer dedicated services and outreach for 11–18-year-olds. We provide services and support to approximately 5,000 people experiencing mental ill health each year.

Hertfordshire Mind Network’s (HMN) Complex Needs and Community Services are rapidly expanding. The services portfolio includes, The Community Support Services, The Domestic Abuse Service, Bounce Back, Complex Needs Housing Service, Flourish (for refugees and asylum seekers), Primary Care Network Service, Peer Support and Wellbeing Services. The services provide one to one outreach and community-based support for people across Hertfordshire as an alternative to statutory pathways.

About the Role

This is a pilot service working as a multi-disciplinary team with housing teams and Drug and Alcohol Services across District and Borough councils. These teams will be working with individuals who are presenting as homeless and have a number of Complex Needs. The Complex Needs Housing Team Leader plays a significant role in the co-ordination and running of the Complex Needs Housing Service. This role is key to the development and support of the team and the wider organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• To receive and process referrals from the local district and borough Councils for those who have presented as homeless with a mental health need, as well as other appropriate referrals pathways across Hertfordshire and make direct contact within 72 hours of referral.
• To manage a caseload of up to 5 clients.
• To line manage a team of Mental Health Outreach Workers.
• To manage and prioritise all administration tasks associated with the service.
• To provide monthly supervision to support client work and staff wellbeing.
• To enable Mental Health Outreach Worker’s to support individuals to identify their own needs.
• To be responsible for the Complex Needs Housing Service quarterly reporting.
• To support the team in doing high quality case studies.
• Embed a holistic, trauma informed and person-centred service.
• To chair and lead, in partnership with the CGL Team Leader, on monthly MDT meetings with the local district and borough Councils alongside other relevant professionals.
• To facilitate monthly team meetings.
• To participate in the recruitment of new Mental Health Outreach Workers.
• To carry out HMN’s induction program for new Mental Health Outreach Workers.
• To ensure Mental Health Outreach Worker’s receive regular and up to date training to support their job role and well-being.
• To organise six-weekly external clinical supervision sessions for team.
• To build strong relationships with staff at the local district and borough councils.
• Ensure a direct community service is in place which encourages, motivates, and builds patients self-esteem and confidence. This will include goal setting and support with social and practical skills development.
• To undertake initial contact with clients and complete a holistic needs assessment, making use of assertive outreach work to achieve the initial client contact, if required.
• To provide holistic support and advocacy services to clients experiencing mental ill health.
• Ensure all person centred risk assessments and support plans are completed as appropriate.
• To accompany clients to initial visits and appointments as necessary in order to ensure the sustained use of existing support services in the Borough.
• To liaise with other agencies to ensure that clients receive appropriate support and continue to remain engaged with the service.
• To assist clients to access appropriate mental health services, drug and alcohol services, housing/tenancy services and other services according to assessed needs.
• To establish effective pathways across a variety of agencies to maximise and provide effective partnership working.
• To work with partners both internal and external to ensure that vulnerable person’s cases are monitored and risks evaluated in order to promote community safety.
• To work with multi-agency partners to support the delivery of co-ordinated services for clients where appropriate.
• To work with the third sector and signpost to other agencies as necessary to improve the health and wellbeing of clients referred to the service.
• Proactively recognise the indicators of deteriorating mental health and facilitate appropriate action, whilst liaising with relevant agencies.
• To provide crisis/safeguarding intervention support. This will include responding to problems, which pose an immediate risk.
• Support clients to build their emotional resilience and crisis planning tools, promoting self-management through building an understanding of their own triggers/coping strategies.
• To provide advocacy where requested by clients, accompanying them and ensuring their voice is heard when communicating with other agencies.
• To work with HMN staff in other services in order to make onward referrals to other projects.
• Liaise with appropriate HPFT staff to ensure that individuals are assessed for personal budgets to support with any longer term needs.
• Support individuals to develop sustainable local social networks, both through our HMN Wellbeing Centres and other community services and resources.

We offer:

• Annual leave entitlement of 25 days per year pro rata, rising in increments to a max. of 29 days pro rata after 5 years employment (plus 8 days Bank Holidays).
• An additional day of leave each year for your birthday following completion of probation period.
• Ongoing training relevant to your role.
• An Employee Assistance Programme.
• Health cover (after 6 months employment) – compensation payment for Optical, Dental, Chiropody and Therapy Treatments.

Closing date for receipt of applications: Monday 20th November at 5pm

Interviews to be held: On Thursday 23rd November at our Watford Wellbeing Centre

Equal Opportunities

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates, irrespective of gender, disability, marital or parental status, racial, ethnic or social origin, colour, religion, belief, or sexual orientation. In addition, during the various stages of recruitment, specific measures can be taken to ensure equal opportunities for candidates with disabilities or special needs.

Hertfordshire Mind Network is committed to the Disability Confident and Mindful Employer charters. We actively recruit staff who have a lived experience of mental ill health. We recognise and value the unique combination of skills, knowledge and perspective that employing people with a lived experience, at all levels across the organisation, brings.

We are delighted to have been accredited as a Living Wage Employer.

To Apply and for more information

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