Job Description

Reports to: Team Leader

Salary: 25,214.40 per annum

Contract: fixed term until June 2029

Location: TBC - Flintshire office back, likely Shotton

Hours: 37.5 hours per week, Monday to Friday

Project Details:

Kaleidoscope is a forward-thinking organisation delivering high-quality support to individuals affected by substance misuse, homelessness, and other multiple needs. We are committed to empowering people to achieve meaningful and sustained changes in their lives.

Kaleidoscope operates multiple projects across all of Wales and some parts of England, each tailored to meet the unique needs of the communities we serve.

This project is funded by the Flintshire County Council Housing Support Grant (HSG) team. The service will provide holistic support to adults (18+) with multiple needs, including but not limited to homelessness, mental health issues, learning disabilities and substance misuse. Our aim is to help individuals improve their wellbeing, quality of life, maintain tenancies, and achieve greater independence in the community.

The post holder should enjoy face-to-face contact with clients they are supporting. They will have excellent communication skills, be able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team, across agency cultures including those within statutory, private and voluntary sector partnerships. The post holder must be flexible and efficient within small locality
teams, to ensure services are delivered equitably and with the service user at the heart of delivery.

Individual supervision will be provided six-weekly in line with Kaleidoscope policy. Specific training will be available for the development of service provision in line with Continued Professional Development.

The post holder will be expected to work in line with the Social Services and Well Being (Wales Act) 2014, and the Violence Against Women Domestic Abuse and Sexual Violence (Wales) Act 2015 to ensure safeguarding of individuals (adult and children) is at the heart of service delivery. A good understanding of confidentiality and information sharing legislation is required with the confidence to act professionally and seek guidance and support from line management and colleagues where appropriate.

Role Purpose:

As a Mental Health Liaison Officer (MHLO) you will support clients who are open to the housing solutions team, therefore will be experiencing homelessness or will be threatened with homelessness. The clients will also have multiple needs including but not limited to mental health issues. You will bridge the gap between mental health services and housing solutions. They will be expected to provide guidance and expertise to clients experiencing mental health challenges, ensuring that support plans and crisis plans are tailored to individual needs. The role will involve building strong relationships with mental health services to facilitate timely referrals and coordinated care. You will support clients by offering short-term support to stabilise mental health issues, reduce crisis situations, and improve clients' ability to maintain their housing situation.

You will develop trusted relationships, co-produce support plans and crisis plans, and coordinate access to a wide range of services including mental health, housing, benefits, and recovery services. You will also be required to help with issues such as debt, rental arrears, benefit support and employment and volunteering opportunities. Our aim is to improve quality of life and reduce homelessness.

Within your team, you will work alongside your team leader, generic support workers, multiple needs support workers, peer mentors and volunteers, and other HSG funded floating support projects to bridge the gap between mental health services and housing solutions.

Key Duties and Responsibilities:

Conduct weekly, face to face contact with service users on your caseload. Respond promptly to housing support referrals from the gateway. Carry out needs and risk assessments, and co-produce support plans and crisis plans. Build and maintain trusting relationships with individuals to promote engagement and empowerment. Be needs-led and bring equality of access including people with various needs and characteristics. Provide holistic, trauma-informed support to clients with multiple needs, recognising the signs and avoiding and mitigating the impact of Child Adverse Experiences (ACEs) and developing Psychologically Informed Environments (PIEs). Coordinate access to a wide range of services including health, housing, benefits, and recovery services. Bridge the gap between mental health services and housing solutions including accessing support to community mental health teams, voluntary sector mental health support, GP practices and other appropriate services. Advocate for the service users in a way that they are accepted into the correct pathways in a timely manner. Assist service users with attending appointments e.g. at GP practice or community mental health appointments. Use of own car to take clients to appointments. Co-ordinate a trained peer volunteer to accompany services users to appointments to provide support and a voice where individuals have challenges in making their voice heard. Support individuals to access and maintain appropriate accommodation. Advocate on behalf of service users where appropriate. Undertake community-based outreach activities to support service user engagement and wellbeing - this may include accompanying individuals on trips, attending appointments, or participating in therapeutic and recreational activities such as allotment projects, walking groups, or wellbeing sessions. Flexible working, which includes being office based, conduct home visits to service users accommodation whilst following lone working procedures, hot desking at local Connects office, Libraries and community hubs. Record thorough, accurate case notes of each contact and visit you have with clients. Update and review support plans and crisis plans regularly. Record to professionals any change observed in a service users condition, which may contribute to the safety of the service user or the wider public. Manage and organise your own calendar to ensure effective delivery of support while maintaining a flexible, responsive approach to client needs. This will be under supervision of management. Promote harm reduction and recovery. Display a calm and patient approach to those service users in times of crisis. Demonstrate positive attitude and maintain a professional manner at all times. Promote healthy lifestyle choices. Respond to safeguarding concerns in line with organisational and local authority procedures. Contribute to team discussions around risk management and safeguarding, sharing relevant updates and seeking guidance when necessary. Take a multi-agency approach to working, building strong relationships with partner agencies including but not limited to Flintshire County Council Homeless Team, Housing Support Grant Services Flintshire, BCUHB (Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board), SMS (Substance Misuse Services), North Wales Police, HMPPS (Her Majesties Prison and Probation Service) and other third sector support agencies. Attend multi-agency meetings and case conferences. Liaise with Peer Mentor role in your team, to be inclusive of service user involvement in your support you provide. Attend regular team meetings, 6 weekly supervisions, and training as and when required.
Job Type: Full-time

Pay: 25,214.40 per year

Benefits:

Additional leave Company events Company pension Cycle to work scheme Enhanced maternity leave Enhanced paternity leave Health & wellbeing programme Sick pay
Schedule:

Monday to Friday
Work Location: In person