FCDO Mental Health Social Work Adviser
Location: Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Consular Directorate, King Charles St, Westminster, London, SW1A 2AH and Heathrow Travel Care (HTC), London Heathrow Airport
Salary: £40,000 per annum, plus benefits
Vacancy Type: full-time, permanent contract
We currently have an exciting opportunity to join us as a Social Work Adviser (Mental Health) based at the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in Westminster, seconded from Heathrow Travel Care (HTC), the airport social work team.
You will join us on a full-time, permanent contract and you will receive a competitive salary of £40,000 per annum, plus benefits.
The role of our Social Work Adviser (Mental Health) is to enable the FCDO to offer advice and assistance to vulnerable British nationals known to the UK Consular Network.
Responsibilities as our Social Work Adviser (Mental Health):
FCDO
- Providing advice, support and guidance to consular assistance staff in London and overseas on mental health for British nationals
- Working collaboratively with the Social Work Adviser team to review cases and relevant policy
- Investigating, risk assessing, signposting, planning with consular staff who are working with British nationals to provide specialist advice to the consular staff
- Referral of 'meet and assist’, cases to relevant service providers at UK ports
- Policy, guidance and training input to Consular staff on relevant issues
- Building and maintaining links with relevant assistance NGOs & travel partners via outreach work
- Building and maintaining links with Consular Regional Directors
- Cover for Social Work Adviser team as required
- Recording of all cases on a secure consular information network and monthly reporting to HTC
- International outreach – there may be opportunities for international travel to support FCDO staff abroad
HTC (1 day per 5 weeks)
- Liaison between airport crisis team (focus on ‘meet and assist’) and FCDO Consular Directorate
- Contribution to airport crisis preparation work
- Contribution to Heathrow Travel-Care policy, guidance and strategic planning
- Participation in emergency preparedness and response at Heathrow
- Continuing professional development
What we’re looking for in our Social Work Adviser (Mental Health):
- 2 years’ recent statutory social work experience
- Recent experience of working directly in the mental health sector
- Understanding of Mental Health Act and mental health procedures within Local Authorities / NHS / statutory frameworks
- Understanding of Mental Capacity Act
- Understanding of adult social care legislation and statutory frameworks
- Understanding of how mental health conditions affect individuals including stigma and discrimination
- Experience of problem-solving under time pressure
- Experience of prioritising casework according to risk and need
- Ability to make clear recommendations on how to address risk and need based on professional judgement and experience.
- Experience of undertaking eligibility, risk and mental capacity assessments.
- The ability to work effectively in partnership with other agencies
Closing date: Sunday 13th September 2026
Interview date: Thursday 24th September in person at Westminster
You must be legally able to work in UK. Security clearance is required for this role. You must have been resident in the UK for a least 2 of the previous ten years, at least one year of which must have been a consecutive 12-month period and you must have resided for at least 3 consecutive years in one country. All applicants should be aware that a lack of sufficient background information may preclude an applicant from being granted security clearance.
To Apply
If you feel you are a suitable candidate and would like to work for Heathrow Travel Care, please do not hesitate to apply.
