About The Role

ACTUAL CLOSING DATE: Applications must be received by 20 September 2026 at 11:55pm.

Please ensure that you read the full advert text and do not submit a CV, as these will be disregarded as they do not form part of SLC application process. If you require to submit additional information to support your application, please upload this under supporting documents.

INTERNAL APPLICANTS MUST APPLY VIA OPPORTUNITY MARKETPLACE.

Location: The State Hospital, Carstairs Junction

Hours: 35hrs per week, permanent

Work Pattern: Monday - Thursday 8.45am - 4.45pm, Friday 8.45am - 4.15pm

Salary / Hourly Rate: £52,392 - £53,177

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated and dedicated Social Worker to join our social work team based at The State Hospital. This is a rewarding role where you will make a real difference to the lives of patients and their families across Scotland.

The State Hospital is one of the four high secure hospitals in the UK and has a remit to provide services to individuals across Scotland and Northern Ireland. In the course of our work, we engage with high risk and/or high profile mentally disordered offenders, their families and carers. As a social worker, you will complete a broad range of generic and specialist risk assessments, reviews, applications and reports.

Operating as a social worker within a secure forensic hospital setting, you will work across care groups, to undertake and participate in multi-disciplinary assessments and care management processes, the provision of integrated care and treatment plans (inclusive of rehabilitation services) for individuals with mental disorders and their families/carers within the appropriate legislative framework to deliver a high-quality social work service.

Working within a tertiary setting and in partnership with other agencies/resources, necessitates a commitment to multi-disciplinary working and the promotion of positive working relationships. As a social worker, you will work with a range of other disciplines and agencies to provide/contribute to, ongoing care management processes for our patients, their families and carers. This includes risk assessments, risk management plans, care programme approach (CPA) reports, outcome planning, and participating in case conferences/discussions within the appropriate policy and legislative frameworks.

As a social worker, you will undertake duties and appropriate planning activities to manage a caseload which will require accurate records, accountability, workload management, case recording, data collection and submission of appropriate reports in accordance with South Lanarkshire policies, procedures and standards, inclusive of the use of IT systems.

Working within a high secure setting, you will undertake mandatory NHS training in relation to site security, personal safety, health and safety and hospital policies ensuring that health and safety and site security protocols are adhered to at all times.

Tasks and Responsibilities

Working with high risk and high profile mentally disordered offenders undertaking a broad range of generic and specialist risk assessments, reviews, applications and reports such as:

Working with high risk and high profile mentally disordered offenders undertaking a broad range of generic and specialist risk assessments, reviews, applications and reports such as:
Admission Assessments
Appropriate Adult Duties
Carer Assessments
Child Contact Assessments/Reviews (inclusive of non-face to face contact such as mail, telephone calls, gifts, possessions)
Child Protection Reports/Risk Assessments in initial on-site incidents and liaison with appropriate Local Authorities and other bodies
Council Officer Reports/Risk Assessments via the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007
CPA Review Reports
MAPPA Liaison
Mental Health Officer (MHO) duties for patients who are non-residents of Scotland (if qualified as an MHO)
Transfer/Discharge Reports
Parole Reports
Pre-Admission Assessments
Suspension of Detention Reports

Please contact Lindsey Young, Social Work Operations Manager on 01555 842203 or [email hidden] for any informal inquiries related to the post and/or the service provision.

Please see Social Worker (State Hospital) job profile.

Please answer the following questions as part of your application submission, your answers should be uploaded under supporting documents:

Please study the job profile and detail the knowledge, skills and experience you hold that would make you a suitable candidate for the post of social worker at The State Hospital.
Describe your experience in assessing needs and risks, including legislation underpinning your practice.
Describe a situation where you managed conflict or differing opinions and achieved resolution whilst working as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
Advise how you prioritise tasks in a fast-paced environment with competing needs.
Describe your understanding of partnership working, including an example of positive outcomes for an individual you have worked with.

If you require to submit any further additional information to support your application (not a CV), please upload this under supporting documents.

Please Apply online - All correspondence will be via your email address

Preferred candidates identified after the selection event process will be required to assist the recruitment team, if need be, to ensure timely completion of recruitment checks. If recruitment checks are not completed within a reasonable timescale, you may automatically be withdrawn from this position.

Canvassing of Elected Members or employees of South Lanarkshire's Council directly or indirectly in connection with any appointment within the Council shall disqualify the applicant.

Legislative Information

This post is excepted in terms of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Scotland Act 2020.

This post is considered a Regulated Role with Adults, in respect of the Disclosure Scotland Act 2020. Therefore, it is an offence to apply if you are barred from working with Adults.

Preferred candidates will be required to join the PVG Scheme, or undergo a PVG Scheme Update check, prior to a formal offer of employment being made.

Please refer to http://www.disclosurescotland.co.uk for further information about the disclosure process and best practice.

Overseas Criminal Records Check

An Overseas Criminal Records Check is required where applicants born outside the UK (Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or who have lived or worked outside the UK for a continuous period of 12 months in the past 10 years.

Applicants are responsible for providing evidence of the Overseas Criminal Record Check. The check must be translated into English and should come from the police, judicial authority, government department or home embassy of the country or countries concerned. The check must include an official statement confirming that the applicant does not have any history of or pending criminal record proceedings. Checks may be carried out to authenticate the documents provided.

Equal Opportunities and Inclusion statement

The Council is committed to fostering equality, diversity and inclusion in its workforce. Therefore, we welcome applications from all sectors of the community, including under-represented groups within our workforce. We are keen to receive applications from candidates who have a disability, who are from a care experienced background, who are from a black, Asian or minority ethnic background, from a military service background and from those who are new Scots.

As a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria as outlined in the job profile for this position.

As proud holders of the UK Armed Forces Covenant Gold Award, the Council is also committed to supporting members of the armed forces community, including service leavers, veterans, reservists and their families. In line with this commitment, service leavers, their close family members, veterans and reservists will be guaranteed an interview if they meet the essential criteria as outlined in the job profile

As an employee of South Lanarkshire Council, you would also receive a wide range of benefits including

Enrolment in award winning local government pension scheme
To increase the value of their pension pot, Local Government Employees can opt to join the Salary Sacrifice Shared Cost AVC scheme.
Up to 33 days annual leave
Public holiday entitlement (up to 10 days)
Occupational sick pay
Family friendly policies - flexible working and leave, maternity/paternity leave enhanced leave.
Employee Discounts – including discounts at the cinema.
Range of benefits to support you (Cycle to Work Scheme, Physiotherapy, Employee Assistance Program which offers practical and emotional support)