Hey everyone,
I am due to attend an interview in 2 weeks for the role of mental health social worker, this is only my 2nd interview as a newly qualified social worker and I am looking for advice really!
As part of the interview I have been asked to prepare a presentation on what I consider the role of a social worker to be in an integrated community mental health team. Prior to qualifying I worked in a CMHT in England for 2 years but I'm wary that the legislation and much of the processes are different here in Scotland. My thoughts so far are:
Provide an overview of the inception of integrated CMHTs
Describe/analyse the different professions/value bases working within the team
Focus on social worker role and possibly MHO role
Discuss the legislative framework underpinning practice within team
Discuss impact of stigma/media and what my role would be in tackling this
Am I on the right tracks or am I missing anything significant? I really want to do well in this interview as it is exactly the role I would like to be in. Any advice/constructive criticism/thoughts would be much appreciated!
Thanks
I am an AMHP in England. I am always asked to describe a good piece of work i have done and a piece of work i feel i could have done better. They may also also ask about risk assessment, safeguarding adults, experiences of supervision and policies and procedures.
Good luck! I love working in mental health and find it a very rewarding career.
Sounds good to me....I might add a breif overview of the strengths and weaknesses of the role....but good all good and good luck!
gm1983: Hey everyone, I am due to attend an interview in 2 weeks for the role of mental health social worker, this is only my 2nd interview as a newly qualified social worker and I am looking for advice really! As part of the interview I have been asked to prepare a presentation on what I consider the role of a social worker to be in an integrated community mental health team. Prior to qualifying I worked in a CMHT in England for 2 years but I'm wary that the legislation and much of the processes are different here in Scotland. My thoughts so far are: Provide an overview of the inception of integrated CMHTs Describe/analyse the different professions/value bases working within the team Focus on social worker role and possibly MHO role Discuss the legislative framework underpinning practice within team Discuss impact of stigma/media and what my role would be in tackling this Am I on the right tracks or am I missing anything significant? I really want to do well in this interview as it is exactly the role I would like to be in. Any advice/constructive criticism/thoughts would be much appreciated! Thanks
if you are applying in glasgow you will doubtless be asked about the postive and negative aspects of the recent collapse and dissolution of the joint working arrangements.
It relates to England, but I recently undertook a piece of work of some of the challenges of being a social worker in a Multi Disicpliniary Mental Health Services.
http://www.basw.co.uk/countries/england/policy-and-position-statements/
You may not want to dwell on some of the negatives, but you do need to be aware of the difficulties that social workers can face and you can demonstrate your understanding of the importance of role identity. This relates to England, but I am sure some of the issues apply.
Good luck
Joe Godden - BASW Professional Officer
look to the guiding principles , and focus on social inclusion , look at the recovery models they all focus on giving people back control of their lives , remember the least retrict option is at the heart of the new act good luck
Thank you all so much for responding, there are lots of really helpful pointers here! 'Northern Lad', I've skim read the link you posted and think that there are certainly some transferable concepts; role identity etc, thank you for this.
'Hotpornstar', I wonder if you could clarify something for me? I had one of my placements with Glasgow City Council so I am aware of the disbanding of the CHCPs last year. What I wondered (and this may seem a really silly question!!) but have all of the CHCPs in other councils in Glasgow also disbanded or was it only Glasgow City Council? My interview is not with GCC but another council in Glasgow and all of the information on their website points towards there still being joint working arrangements in place...I'm not sure if this is simply outdated information though? If you have local knowledge it would be much appreciated...I'm still trying to get to grips with the organisational structures and all the changes over the last year!
gm1983: Thank you all so much for responding, there are lots of really helpful pointers here! 'Northern Lad', I've skim read the link you posted and think that there are certainly some transferable concepts; role identity etc, thank you for this. 'Hotpornstar', I wonder if you could clarify something for me? I had one of my placements with Glasgow City Council so I am aware of the disbanding of the CHCPs last year. What I wondered (and this may seem a really silly question!!) but have all of the CHCPs in other councils in Glasgow also disbanded or was it only Glasgow City Council? My interview is not with GCC but another council in Glasgow and all of the information on their website points towards there still being joint working arrangements in place...I'm not sure if this is simply outdated information though? If you have local knowledge it would be much appreciated...I'm still trying to get to grips with the organisational structures and all the changes over the last year! Thanks
in gcc the joint working died on its arse so it does not exist at all in gcc-a good thing in my opinion. joint working remains in the councils surrounding glasgow (east renfrewshire-where i live as it happens and dumbartonshire) but it is fractious at best with much tension between nhs and s/w disciplines over models of care/funding/staffing etc. etc. its only a matter of time before these chcps collapse as well. the health board is the main player and calls the shots.
I got the job!!!!
Oh well done!
Congratulations.
I have a job interview for a social work post in a CMHT in a couple of weeks...really nervous. Although the post is in England, this thread has provided me with a list of things to look up beforehand.
Thank you Selks and Matleo!
Matleo: Now obviously I am based in Scotland and I am also newly qualified so I don't know how different the interviews may be but below are some of the questions I was asked at interview:
1) We are all very interested to know why you want to work in mental health and in a cmht
2) What would you bring to the cmht to move us forwards?
3) Can you give an example of when you worked in a multi-disciplinary way?
4) You have mentioned values, from a service user’s perspective what values do you think would be most important?
5) How are you with suicide…are you able to detach yourself?
6) Can you give an example of when some feedback you received about yourself changed your practice?
7) Can you expand on what you have already said about multi-disciplinary working…what are the difficulties in practice and how do you manage these?
8) Can you consider this scenario and how you would respond…you are on the duty desk and a person phones in and says they are feeling suicidal. What do you do?
9) We work with a number of service users who become inpatients. What would your role be whilst the service user was an inpatient?
10) What is your understanding of the Adult Support and Protection Act 2007 and how would you apply it?
Hope this helps in some way and all the best for your interview...let us know how it goes!
Thanks GM...that's very useful.
I really want this job so I have all my fingers and toes crossed!
Although i've worked in mental health unqualified and spent 6 months on placement within a CMHT....i dont recall the Adult Support and Protection Act so definately going to look that up!
Ok...just googled the Act and its a Scotish one so that puts my mind at ease a little!