Social Worker (Best Interest Assessor) | Deprivation of Liberty Team | Adult Social Care | Preston/Lancaster

Salary £40,777 - £46,142 | Permanent, Part Time 18.5 hours per week | Deprivation of Liberty Team | Adult Social Care | Preston/Lancaster

About the role…

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and enthusiastic Social Worker (Best Interest Assessor) to join the Deprivation of Liberty Team within Adult Social Care.

Office base: Preston County Hall / White Cross Lancaster

This is an incredibly exciting time to join our service. We have launched Living Better Lives in Lancashire our new strengths-based vision for Adult Social Care. Through this we are embedding innovative practice that will make a real difference to the lives of people in our communities. We are looking for Social Workers (Best Interests Assessor) to deliver our vision of supporting people to achieve what matters to them, living independently in a place they call home.

Collaboration and co-production are at the heart of what we do. Working alongside partners, community organisations, carers, and most importantly the people we support to shape meaningful and personalised outcomes.

The role is responsible for carrying out statutory Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) Best Interests Assessments, ensuring compliance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005, DoLS legislation, safeguarding responsibilities, and related case law. The postholder manages a complex caseload independently and provides professional advice, mentoring, and quality assurance to colleagues and external professionals.

What we offer

We offer a supportive and inclusive team environment, regular supervision, and ongoing opportunities for professional development. Alongside attractive staff benefits and generous annual leave, this is a great opportunity to build your career and thrive within Lancashire County Council’s Adult Social Care service.

Our values

What's important to us, is that you share our values…

Supportive and Innovative

You'll need a blend of supportive and innovative thinking, coming up with fresh ideas so we can achieve the best outcomes for people.

Empathy

You'll need compassion and empathy to support people, listening to what they need, whilst ensuring they feel valued and respected.

Reasons to Join Us…

• Great Annual Leave:  We offer up to 32 days annual leave, 8 bank holidays, and 2 additional statutory days during the festive season. You can also purchase additional leave.

• Financial Benefits:  Our generous Local Government Pension Scheme with employer contribution. Our relocation reimbursement package to support people who need to move to the area to work with us.

• Training and Development:  An excellent induction through our Social Care Academy and ongoing support for your career and professional development.

• Health and Wellbeing:  A Wellbeing Support Programme for you and your family.

• Staff Discounts:  You'll get access to dozens of discounts through Vivup, our employee benefits partner. Our scheme covers a car lease scheme, shopping, entertainment, gym memberships, holidays, and more.

We embrace diversity and have a range of support, groups and networks for staff. These include the Forum of Asian Black and Ethnic Employees (FABEE), the Disabled Workers Forum and the LGBTQ+ Employee Network.

How to apply

If you would like to contact us for an initial informal and confidential chat ***email_hidden*** Shortlisting for this role is ongoing and applicants will be invited to attend our weekly interview panel.

We reserve the right to close a vacancy early, before the closing date, if we receive sufficient applications.

Social Work applicants must be registered with Social Work England (SWE) to be appointed as a Social Worker or have applied to register with SWE.

The post you are applying for is covered by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). If successful, you will be required to apply to the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) for a 'disclosure'. Further information can be found on the 'Our Recruitment Process' tab.

You will be required to provide a car for use in connection with the duties of this post, and you must be insured for business use.

Local Government Reorganisation

The Government has confirmed that local government across Lancashire will be reorganised, with the current 15 councils being replaced by four new unitary councils covering North, South, East and West Lancashire from April 2028.

If you are successful in your application, you will initially join Lancashire County Council. However, as part of the planned transition, your employment will transfer to one of the new unitary councils from April 2028, subject to the implementation of the reorganisation and relevant employment legislation.

Throughout this period, our focus remains on delivering excellent services to our communities. By joining us now, you'll play an important role in shaping the future of local government and helping to build a strong new organisation that will serve residents for years to come.