Mental Health Social Work (Taught)

1. Be nominated by their employing local authority, be supported by their employing local authority and be provided with appropriate learning opportunities.

2. Hold a professional social work qualification recognised by SSSC. These include:
   BA (Hons) Social Work
   Diploma in Social Work (DipSW)
   Certificate of Qualification in Social Work (CQSW) together with its predecessor qualifications
   Certificate in Social Service (CSS)

If you trained abroad, a letter of comparability with the CQSW or a letter of verification issued by SSSC (or another registering Council in the UK) will be required.

3. Normally have a minimum of two years post-qualifying experience. You should be able to demonstrate that you've improved and extended the level of competence acquired when you qualified.

4. Satisfy the programme provider that you have the capacity to achieve the Mental Health Officer standards, that you can be competently demonstrated as eligible to be appointed as a Mental Health Officer, and can achieve the award at SCQF Level 11 by:

• critically reviewing your professional development since qualifying as a social worker; this should include issues of effective communication with adults who have individual communication support needs, and working with professional tensions, challenges and conflicts; also included should be evidence from workload of challenging discrimination and demonstrating an understanding of what's meant by this
• analysing interest in, and motivation for, undertaking mental health work including the extensive networking and collaborative practice involved
• showing developed skills in empowering clients; this should be particularly in relation to developing their understanding of their rights to legal support and advocacy, and their views about how their needs may be more effectively met through complex decision making processes
• exploring current awareness of the Mental Health Officer role, the complexity of the power/control issues involved and how you would use Mental Health Officer training in your current work setting