Best Interests Assessor

Job summary

Are you a qualified Social Worker, Occupational Therapist, Nurse or chartered Psychologist? Would you like to develop your skills and applied knowledge of the Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty?If the answer is yes, then Devon County Council Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS) Service have a Best Interests Assessor (BIA) post available which would offer an exciting career development opportunity for either a qualified BIA or a suitably qualified professional with 2 years post qualified experience who would like to undertake the specialist BIA training.

Main duties of the job

Best Interests Assessors are an integral part of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards and have a range of duties that fall to them under the statute. They are responsible for undertaking a number of the assessments required to enable a deprivation to be authorised and have a key role in ensuring that people's human rights are upheld, and that they are represented and supported to challenge their Deprivation in the Court of Protection. Once qualified BIAs working for Devon County Council DOLS Service are expected to: Have an extensive knowledge of the application of the Mental Capacity Act and the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards in practice. Be able to formally record assessments to a high professional standard likely to withstand legal scrutiny, demonstrating the ability to analyse and evaluate complex information. Training will be provided for the right candidate. This is an exciting opportunity to join the service and be at the forefront of rights-based practice for people who are deprived of their liberty. Flexible working arrangements and part time hours may be considered.

About us

Interviews are due to be held on 29 April 2025 or 1 May 2025.

Internal Applicants, please note: If you are an existing DCC employee, please use your iTrent Employee Self Service (ESS) details to log in and apply.

• DCC embraces the positive benefits of a diverse workforce and is committed to providing an environment that is inclusive and safe. We welcome applications from people who share our commitment to stop discrimination, challenge inequality and promote diversity across Devon. More information can be found on ourEquality and Diversity webpages.
• Happy to Talk Flexible Working-The Council offers flexible working arrangements in terms of when and where people work e.g. hybrid working, part-time, condensed hours etc.
• We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
• This role requires the ability to fulfil all spoken aspects of the role with confidence and fluency in English.
• Personal data we collect from you will be processed in accordance with theApplicant privacy notice.
• For more information about Working for Devon please visitour Working for Devon page.
• This role requires a DBS disclosure.
• This role requires Social Work England Registration (SWE).