Social Worker - Auckland Regional Forensic Psychiatry Services at Waitemata District Health Board (North & West Auckland), Auckland

Mō tēnei tūranga mahi | About this role

The Auckland Regional Forensic Psychiatry Service, or the Mason Clinic as it is often known, is the largest Forensic Mental Health Service in New Zealand. We serve the four Northern District Health Boards including all courts in the Northern region and four prisons.

We deliver a comprehensive range of Forensic Mental Health Services, including secure inpatient acute and rehabilitation services which connect to community rehabilitation programmes, services for offenders with an intellectual disability and culturally sensitive programmes for Maori. Court liaison and prison mental health services, including a regional service to Northland Region Corrections Facility at Ngawha and Northland are also provided. 

Our vision, mission, and values are inclusive, founded on a therapeutic commitment to service users, their family, and the community. We are committed to both process and outcome quality, best evidence based practice, a management environment that is respectful of all staff, and an ongoing learning environment.

The Mason Approach has a number of core values which include providing respectful, safe and involving services, delivering recovery, and strengths focused care that is culturally appropriate, evidence and values based.

The Mason Approach has five key principles that guide our work.

- Principle 1: Recovery as a philosophy and a journey

- Principle 2: The importance of cultural and personal identity

- Principle 3: The importance of understanding risk

- Principle 4: Recovery in the forensic setting

- Principle 5: Excellence

We are looking for an experienced Social Worker or new Graduate Social Workers to join our Rata Inpatient Unit. This position requires excellent communication and networking skills, and a genuine interest in the judicial system and mental health issues pertaining to clients and their families. There is active support for professional development through supervision, and on-going training and encouragement to be a member of the ANZASW as a Registered Social Worker.

If you have a recognised Social Work degree, a full driver’s licence, a sense of humour and would enjoy working for an expanding service, we look forward to hearing from you.

The following are essential attributes 

• Sound Social Work knowledge base
• Knowledge of Mental Health issues
• Understanding of the nature of organisations and knowledge of social service policies and systems
• Commitment to empowerment of clients and families/whanau
• Effective communication skills, oral and written
• Good community/networking skills
• Professional focus and ability to relate well to social work colleagues
• Current drivers’ licence
• Ability to work autonomously
• Good time management
• Ability to develop good working relationships
• Commitment to maintaining high professional standard

For further information please contact Stuart Dysart, Unit Manager, on (09) 815 5871 or David Chon, Head of Social Work, on (09) 815 5151 ext. 5065. For more information about our recruitment process, please contact Glenn Bratton, Recruitment Consultant, on (09) 442 7251.

Please click here for a copy of the position description

Please apply for this role by visiting our website on www.wdhbcareers.com, quoting reference number WDHB13926.

Position number: WDHB13926

Closing date: 12 August 2022