Employer: Inclusion
Job Title: Social Worker
Location: United Kingdom
Salary: £38,682 to £46,580 Per annum
Job Type: Full-time
Closing Date: 17 December 2025
Job Summary
Do you want to make a real difference to those most in need of your support? Why not bring your skills and help support individuals to build their recovery whilst in prison in preparation for integration back into the community?
The Integrated Mental Health and Substance Misuse Service at HMP Dovegate is looking for an enthusiastic and dynamic Mental Health Social Worker to join a busy, friendly and professional team.
This is an exciting and energetic role for an individual passionate about providing good quality mental health care and holistic support within a busy and rewarding environment. The variety of the role will keep things fresh and stimulating whilst being part of a supportive team with effective management providing supervision and guidance.
You will be a qualified Social Worker, with a flexible approach and want to work in a team that encourages new ideas and feedback on how to improve the service.
You will be confident in dealing with a wide range of situations with a multi-agency approach to provide the best care to service users, families and carers within the prison and on release.
You will be enthusiastic about working within an ever-changing prison environment.
You will work in a fully multi-disciplinary team to provide varied and comprehensive interventions in-line with the stepped care model.
You will work to assist service users to progress through their sentence and onto their resettlement in the community.
Main Duties of the Job
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Responsible for the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of evidenced based interventions.
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Manage a caseload of service users, practicing within the framework of the multi-disciplinary team and Care Programme Approach.
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Provide a care coordinator role with specialist contribution, particularly around release planning.
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Work with individuals from initial assessment through to discharge, including transferring care to other providers such as hospitals or CMHTs.
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Work with a variety of agencies in the Offender Health Pathway.
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Help rehabilitate and support service users to live decent and purposeful lives as members of the community.
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Work effectively with service users who have complex needs, including learning disability, forensic/offending history and mental health needs.
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Benefit from the experience and support of the team and its NHS employer.
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Access training and development opportunities through Inclusion (part of Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust).
About Inclusion
Inclusion, created in 2002, is part of the Specialist Services Care Group of Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT). The organisation provides caring and effective services across England, including West Yorkshire, West Midlands, East Midlands, West Mercia, Thames Valley, Hampshire, Isle of Wight and Thurrock, Essex.
Inclusion supports individuals, families and communities affected by addiction, crime, mental health or sexual health treatment needs.
The organisation believes that individuals and families using its services should receive high quality, committed and inclusive care, benefitting from all the strengths of a modern NHS organisation. Training, development and wellbeing support are heavily invested in, with services that are robustly governed, evidence-based, inclusive and designed in collaboration with service users.
MPFT is proud of its comprehensive wellbeing and lifestyle support offer, alongside in-house training and coaching support.
Job Description
Job Responsibilities
(As stated in the attached job description and person specification.)
Person Specification
Qualifications and Training
Essential
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Professional Social Work qualification: DipSW, CQSW, CSS, or foreign qualification certified by Health Professionals Council
Experience
Essential
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Post registration experience in mental health services (desirable prison experience)
Additional Requirements
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and requires a Disclosure and Barring Service submission to check for previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship
Applications from candidates requiring Skilled Worker sponsorship are welcome.
From 6 April 2017, applicants must present a criminal record certificate from each country they resided in for 12+ months within the past 10 years. Adult dependants are also subject to this requirement.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. Further information is available on the NHS Careers website.
How to Apply
If you’re interested in this role, visit the official website for more information — click here to apply now.