Job Description

Swindon Borough Council are on an exciting journey to transform service delivery. We want our town to be the best it can be. Our ambitious vision in the new Swindon Plan is supported by realistic transformation programmes, with the people of Swindon at their heart. Because that's who we're doing it for - the communities and businesses that make our town great. As part of the Council, you'll support a friendly local authority making decisions with real impact. It's all for better public services. Better processes. And a better quality of life, for everyone. Join us, and Swindon will be better with you.
We are bold and ambitious in our plans, with a clear vision and direction for the future. Our status as one of the UK's fastest growing towns is driving transformational change across our organisation, most significantly within our highly valued Adults' Services teams.


We've already taken huge strides forward with our journey for an integrated approach to children's health, education support and social care and now we're ready to move on to the next stage in our development. As we move forward, it is vital that everything we do and every service we provide is delivered in a robust way and is in line with national standards and protocols.

Your next role

At Swindon we're looking for a Qualified Best Interest Assessor for Swindon Borough Council's MCA/DoLS Team and are committed to doing the very best for our community.


Swindon Borough Council is seeking an Experienced Social Worker to join our Mental Capacity Act (MCA) and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) Team as a qualified Best Interest Assessor.



As a key member of this specialised team, you'll play an integral role in completing and managing DoLS processes as a Best Interest Assessor while providing expert support to our Adult Social Care Teams in the practical application of the Mental Capacity Act. This position offers a unique chance to lead assessments, collaborate closely with a knowledgeable team, and shape our evolving service to ensure its continued impact and sustainability.



If you bring a strong background in the Mental Capacity Act 2005, a post-graduate qualification as a Best Interest Assessor, and up-to-date knowledge of the legislative landscape, we want to hear from you.


Your expertise will be invaluable in safeguarding the best interests of the people we support in our community.


You must hold a formal social work degree and be Social Work England registered to apply for this post.


You must be fluent in the English language (as a requirement of Part 7 of the Immigration Act "for the effective performance of a customer-facing role").


The ability to travel throughout the Borough will be required and access to a car.

Our transformation journey

Like all other local authorities, we are experiencing an increase in demand. As an organisation we know our Adults' Services are on a rapid improvement journey which is why last year we started making big changes across the service to provide the best care for children and great conditions for our staff. This started with us recruiting an entirely new leadership team of experienced, forward thinking managers who are driving changes in the service and we aim to be one of the best Adults' Services in the country.

Our Adult Practitioners' induction

A practitioner-specific, Swindon-specific induction programme, aimed at providing you with the information you need regarding the policies and procedures of Adult Social Care at Swindon Borough Council.


The induction programme incorporates a blend of face-to-face activities and e-learning modules aimed at consolidating and reviewing your knowledge of the key areas.


These key areas include:


Understanding how to use our case management system Understanding the Safeguarding and Quality Assurance policies and procedures Understanding and using a strength-based approach

Improvements include:

Multi-million pound investment in staff and support Significant restructure creating smaller social worker teams New intuitive IT system to cut down on desk time and make mobile working the norm High standards for management practice, support and supervision for staff Listening to our social workers by holding regular social work forums Implementation of Liquid Logic

Your next package

Please see our Rewards and Benefits offer for more details.


As an employee, you will receive a diverse and exciting environment in which to work, encouraging creativity and innovation whilst recognising the need to support ongoing personal development and a flexible work life balance.


For Swindon to thrive in the future, we need to lay the foundations now. It's why our regeneration and transformation programmes are already underway. So, you'll be joining us at an exciting time on our journey. We'll look to you to share your knowledge, influence decisions and drive real, positive change. With your contributions, we'll achieve our vision of a prosperous, re-vitalised Swindon together. And you'll be proud to say it was made better with you.


Please see our Vision and Values page for more details and our new Swindon Plan.

Your next steps

Read the role profile and select the Apply button where you will be redirected to the Swindon Borough Council website to complete our online application process. Clicking the 'Apply' button on this job website is not an application, you must register on the Swindon Borough Council website in order to be considered for the role.


For further information about the role, please contact Yvette Mason at YMason@swindon.gov.uk


As an inclusive employer, we welcome applications from a diverse range of communities, and in particular disabled people and people from ethnic minorities. Read our statement of commitment to equality & inclusion.


If you are experiencing technical issues submitting your application please email resourcing@swindon.gov.uk