Mental Health Worker

Join Browns and help set the standard for proactive outreach support. As an Assertive Outreach Worker, you will not wait for clients to come to you; you will actively go to them.

Job Title: Browns Mental Health Assertive Outreach Worker

Primary Location: Reading (with some travel across Berkshire expected)

Salary: £29,000.00 per year, increasing to £29,500.00 upon successful completion of a 6-month probation period

Contract Type: Full-time

About the Role

This is a vital, high-impact role designed for a resilient practitioner who excels at engaging  individuals with complex needs who traditionally disengage from mainstream services.

Operating as part of a highly integrated system, your primary area of focus will be Reading,  with some travel across the wider Berkshire region expected. You will manage a complex  caseload, delivering intensive, flexible support to help clients break cycles of crisis and build fulfilling lives in the community.

Key Responsibilities:

• Proactive Engagement & Caseload Management: Lead and manage a dedicated caseload of clients with severe mental illness diagnoses (where psychosis is or can be a feature), persistent substance misuse, and multiple complex needs.
• Integrated NHS Collaboration: Work closely and collaboratively within a dedicated Assertive Outreach Team in direct partnership with NHS Mental Health Services, ensuring seamless, multi-disciplinary care planning and shared risk management.
• Mobile Community Support: Travel across Reading and the wider Berkshire area to deliver persistent, one-to-one interventions directly in clients’ homes, mental health or alternative community-based settings.
• Forensic & Risk Management: Deliver robust, assertive support to individuals with medium-to-high risk forensic histories, ensuring strict adherence to risk management plans while fostering positive behavioural change.
• Criminal Justice & Probation Liaison: Assertively navigate the criminal justice system with your clients. Ensure compliance with probation requirements by escorting them to appointments, providing advocacy and support in court, and maintaining persistent continuity of care should they enter prison.
• Crisis & Safeguarding Interventions: Rapidly recognise, assess, and appropriately escalate safeguarding concerns, utilizing your strong clinical/social boundaries to manage crisis situations safely.
• Holistic Stabilization: Strenuously support clients to sustain or attain safe tenancies, navigate complex welfare benefit claims, and manage acute mental health symptoms.
• Community Integration: Break down barriers to isolation by actively connecting hard-to-reach clients with appropriate internal and external services, driving them toward long-term independence.
• Partnership & Advocacy: Develop strong, productive relationships with statutory and voluntary partner organisations to improve service outcomes, representing Browns at multi-agency meetings and forums.
• Leadership & Reporting: Provide mentorship, practical guidance, and necessary support to junior staff. Support the Project Manager by producing comprehensive monthly/quarterly data reports and keeping meticulous case files up to date.

About You

• Qualifications: NVQ Level 2 in Health and Social Care, or an equivalent professional qualification, or equivalent demonstrable field experience.
• Experience: Proven track record of working assertively with individuals experiencing significant mental health crises, psychosis, dual diagnosis, or forensic backgrounds out in the community. Experience collaborating within multi-agency frameworks or
• NHS environments is highly desirable.
• Resilience & Autonomy: Strong ability to remain calm under pressure, defuse challenging behaviour, work autonomously in the field, and maintain clear professional boundaries.
• Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to advocate fiercely for clients while collaborating professionally with probation, police, and clinical teams.
• Mobility: A full, clean UK driving licence and daily access to a reliable vehicle for work purposes are essential for this role, as travel throughout Reading and parts of
• Berkshire is required.
• Right to Work: Candidates must possess the right to work in the UK. Browns do not offer visa sponsorship for this position.
• Compliance & Vetting: Any offer of employment will be subject to a satisfactory
• Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check and 2 satisfactory employment references covering a period of at least 5 years.

Company Benefits:

• Generous Holiday Allowance: Starting at 26 days leave plus bank holidays
• Birthday Day Off after 1 year of service
• Health & Wellbeing Programme to support your own mental and physical wellness
• Company Pension Scheme
• Career Development: Training and development opportunities for professional
• growth
• Progression Support: Coaching and mentoring support for career progression
• Regular Company Events and team-building opportunities