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Why Southwark?

Could your professional expertise help prevent homelessness, strengthen recovery, and change the future for residents facing some of life’s most complex challenges?

Do you believe that the right housing support, delivered at the right time, can help someone regain stability, maintain their independence and build a more secure future?

If yes, we have a great opportunity for you!

We are looking for an experienced professional to join us as a Mental Health and Housing Coordination Officer - a unique role at the heart of the partnership between housing, Adult Social Care, NHS mental health services and the voluntary sector.

About the Role:

At Southwark Council, we believe housing and mental health cannot be considered separately. A safe and secure home is fundamental to wellbeing, recovery and independence.

This is an opportunity to use your social work expertise and Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) experience to create meaningful change. You will help shape how services respond to residents with complex mental health needs, ensuring people receive coordinated support that prevents crisis, protects tenancies and achieves sustainable housing outcomes.

Working across one of London’s most diverse and dynamic boroughs, you will influence practice, strengthen partnerships and help deliver better outcomes for residents.

This is a role where your decisions will have a direct impact - helping people maintain their homes, avoid crisis, and move towards greater independence.

What You'll Be Doing

You will act as a key professional link between housing and mental health services, bringing together expertise, resources and support to achieve positive outcomes for residents.

You will:

• Lead coordinated responses across housing, Adult Social Care, NHS mental health services and voluntary sector partners to support residents with complex needs.
• Work with residents experiencing mental health challenges where housing stability, safeguarding and risk management require a joined-up approach.
• Support key points in a resident’s journey, including hospital discharge, crisis intervention, tenancy breakdown and homelessness prevention.
• Apply your social work expertise to ensure housing decisions are person-centred, trauma-informed, legally robust and focused on recovery and independence.
• Undertake statutory responsibilities associated with your AMHP status, including Mental Health Act assessments and related decision-making.
• Use professional judgement when balancing risk, safeguarding, capacity and individual rights.
• Develop practical housing solutions that enable residents to access and sustain safe accommodation.
• Identify risks early and intervene proactively to prevent homelessness.
• Work creatively with partners to overcome barriers, secure appropriate housing options and reduce reliance on temporary accommodation.
• Provide specialist advice and guidance to colleagues on mental health, safeguarding, statutory responsibilities and effective practice.
• Contribute to improving pathways between housing, health and social care services.

This role offers genuine professional autonomy. You will not simply manage cases - you will influence systems, strengthen partnerships and help shape how services work together for residents.

What We're Looking For

We are looking for a qualified Social Worker with current professional registration and Approved Mental Health Professional (AMHP) status who is passionate about improving outcomes for residents with complex mental health needs.

You will bring:

• Experience supporting people with complex mental health needs, safeguarding concerns, risk and housing-related challenges.
• The confidence to make sound professional decisions in complex and high-pressure situations.
• A strong understanding of homelessness prevention, tenancy sustainment, and housing pathways.
• The ability to identify risks early and take effective action to prevent housing instability.
• Experience developing practical, outcome-focused plans that help people secure and maintain accommodation.
• Strong partnership-working skills, with the ability to influence others and bring services together around shared goals.
• A creative, solution-focused approach and the determination to find positive outcomes in challenging circumstances.

You will be someone who understands that housing is more than a service - it is a foundation for recovery, independence, and wellbeing. You will combine professional expertise with compassion, resilience, and a commitment to making a lasting difference.

For detailed qualifications and requirements, please review the job description and person specification located at the bottom of the advert.

Contact Information:

To arrange an informal discussion about the role, please contact our dedicating Housing Needs inbox via email at HNASapplications@southwark.gov.uk

Additional Information

• Working hours: 36 hours per week
• Location: 25 Bournemouth Road, Peckham, London, SE15 4UJ
• Type of contract: Permanent

Benefits and more information:

https://jobs.southwark.gov.uk/why-us/

Recruitment Timeline:

Advert close date: 11:59pm on Friday 14th August 2026

Shortlisting date/s: 17th - 19th August 2026

Interview date/s: Week commencing 7th September 2026

The closing date is given as a guide. We reserve the right to close this vacancy once a sufficient number of applications has been received. We strongly advise you to complete your application as soon as possible to avoid disappointment.

We are an organisation who is passionate about our people and understands that richness of diversity is a requirement to provide the best possible services to our communities. This is demonstrated through our council-wide ambitious commitment to tackle racial inequality in our communities and workforce through our Southwark Stands Together initiative. We particularly welcome applications from members of the black, Asian and ethnic minority communities to increase representation at senior management level in the Council.

Guaranteed Interview Scheme:

As part of our commitment to inclusion, we offer guaranteed interviews for specific groups of people. To qualify, you'll need to meet the minimum requirements for the role, and identify with one of the below criteria:

Members of the Armed Forces and veterans

Are currently in care, or have previously been in care

If you consider yourself to be disabled or if you have a long-term health condition

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• Mental Health and Housing Coordination Officer