Consultant Social Worker - Hoarding Specialist

Are you passionate about making a real difference in the lives of adults experiencing hoarding behaviours and self-neglect? Do you thrive in a collaborative environment, working to develop creative solutions that improve safety, wellbeing and independence? If so, this could be the role for you.

About the Role

Based in Adult Social Care & Safeguarding and reporting to the Assistant Service Lead: Workforce Development, the Consultant Social Worker – Specialist Hoarding Service will support social care practitioners and partner agencies in responding to complex hoarding behaviours and associated self-neglect.

Working in close partnership with colleagues across Adult Social Care, Adult Safeguarding, Public Health and Adult First Contact, alongside housing providers, health services, emergency services and voluntary sector organisations, the role will be instrumental in breaking down barriers and finding tailored solutions for adults with complex needs, including those who have needs under the Care Act 2014.

This position requires a strengths-based, trauma-informed approach, ensuring that practitioners are effectively supporting individuals through prevention, intervention and long-term planning. The Consultant Social Worker will work directly with adults alongside social care teams, supporting assessments, risk management and support planning, whilst also providing specialist consultation and contributing to strategic developments that help shape and develop the new Specialist Hoarding Service.

As part of a newly established countywide service, the postholder will play a key role in developing pathways, guidance and best practice, working closely with strategic leads, partners and people with lived experience to establish a coordinated approach to hoarding and self-neglect across Staffordshire.

This role offers an element of remote working, and the postholder will work across Adult Social Care teams and partner agencies throughout Staffordshire.

The role is designated for a fixed-term period of 12 months, with scope to be extended.

Working hours will be Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm.

As a Consultant Social Worker within the Specialist Hoarding Service, you will play a key role in supporting adults experiencing hoarding behaviours and associated self-neglect, while helping to shape and develop a new specialist service across Staffordshire.

Your day-to-day responsibilities will include:

• Provide specialist advice and support on complex hoarding and self-neglect cases, helping practitioners assess risk, plan interventions and achieve positive outcomes.
• Work directly with adults with complex needs, promoting strengths-based, trauma-informed and person-centred approaches that improve safety, wellbeing and independence.
• Collaborate with Adult Social Care teams and multi-agency partners, leading professional discussions and coordinated responses to manage risk effectively.
• Support the application of relevant legislation, safeguarding responsibilities and professional challenge to ensure informed decision-making.
• Deliver training, guidance and learning opportunities, while contributing to pathways, protocols and resources that promote consistent practice.
• Support service development, evaluation and prevention initiatives, working with partners and people with lived experience to shape and improve the Specialist Hoarding Service.

This is a varied and rewarding role that combines specialist practice, consultation, training, partnership working and service development. You will have the opportunity to influence practice across Staffordshire, support some of the most complex cases, and help establish a new service that promotes innovative, compassionate and sustainable approaches to supporting adults experiencing hoarding behaviours and self-neglect.

We're looking for a qualified Social Worker who is passionate about improving outcomes for adults experiencing hoarding behaviours, self-neglect and other complex challenges. You will enjoy working collaboratively, building positive relationships and helping others find practical, person-centred solutions.

The minimum criteria that will be used to shortlist for this role will be:

• A recognised Social Work qualification and current Social Work England registration.
• Experience of working with adults with complex needs in a social care setting.
• Knowledge of the Care Act 2014, Mental Capacity Act 2005 and safeguarding practice.
• Experience of undertaking assessments, managing risk and developing support plans.
• A strengths-based, trauma-informed and person-centred approach to practice.
• The ability to provide advice, guidance and support to colleagues and partner organisations.
• Experience of effective multi-agency working and building positive professional relationships.
• Strong communication, organisational and problem-solving skills.
• A commitment to continuous learning and improving outcomes for people who draw on support.

Experience of working with hoarding, self-neglect, housing partners or delivering training and practice development would be beneficial.

Proposed shortlisting will take place following the application closing date, with interviews scheduled for 11 November 2026.

Don't feel you meet every requirement? We value transferable skills, experiences and qualifications and would still encourage you to apply.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Emma Powell, Assistant Service Lead: Workforce Development, at emma.powell2@staffordshire.gov.uk

Our Recruitment Process

We anonymise applications during shortlisting to ensure only relevant information is considered. Please complete your application fully, particularly your supporting statement, to showcase the skills, experience and qualities you would bring to the role.

Please note: The criteria listed above will be used when assessing applications under our Interview Guarantee Schemes, including Disability Confident, Armed Forces and Care Leaver commitments.

We are no ordinary county council:

Our Values:

The core of who we are as an organisation. Just like we all have personal values that shape our thoughts and behaviour, organisational values drive how we think and act collectively.

Our values were created and shaped by colleague feedback and national best practice and they sit at the heart of People Strategy:

We have a real sense of community spirit that brings our people together. This feeling of belonging means we are all connected to what we do and take pride in the difference we make every day for Staffordshire people. We are ambitious and our sights are set firmly on a better future.

We look forward and race ahead - that goes for your career too.

Our benefits:

We recognise that it is our employees that are central to everything we do. We aim to create a supportive working environment where employees can achieve their full potential and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

In addition to your salary, as a member of staff, you will have access to Our rewards and benefits - Careers at Staffordshire

Our recruitment process:

As an Authority we are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people/vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.

Staffordshire County Council is an equal opportunities organisation and Disability Confident employer. We encourage applications from all background and communities

As part of our commitment as a Disability Confident employer, a Gold Award Armed Forces employer and our commitment to supporting care leavers - we offer a guaranteed interview as long as your application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

As you’ll know safeguarding and promoting the welfare of our children and young people/vulnerable adults is important to us and that’s why this position is subject to a criminal record check from the Disclosure and Barring Service. If applicable you should disclose details of unspent and unfiltered spent reprimands, formal warnings, cautions and convictions in your application form.