Job overview
The Islington and Camden Keyworker Service is a member of the Transforming Care LD and ASD Support Service across North Central London (NCL). The Keyworker Service provides coordination and direct support to children with learning disabilities and/or autism, who also have mental health needs and/or behaviours that challenge. This project uses intensive, direct interventions with the aim of supporting children and young people with neurodiversity to remain living at home, in the community; preventing avoidable admissions to inpatient mental health services and/or 52-week residential placements; and to reduce the length of inpatient admissions, supporting early discharges.
Main duties of the job
This role will provide high quality support to the children and young people and their families/carers (predominantly in their homes), working as part of a team to help unblock the system, provide a bridge across different parts of the system including health, education and social care, and be a key point of contact for families/carers. You will hold a small caseload of children, young people and their families; you will work both independently and in partnership with professionals across the network; providing direct, intensive, clinical support for families/carers. The role will work across various settings, including in homes, schools and in the local community.
Working for our organisation
You will be part of a large and diverse multi-disciplinary team, with colleagues from both health and social care. You will benefit from high level, expert support and supervision, including line-management, individual clinical supervision and weekly reflective groups. You will receive multiple, specialist training opportunities including PBS – positive behaviour support, MI - motivational interviewing and NVR.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
1.To be a key point of contact for families/carers allocated to you, identifying gaps in their support and enabling the system to work together to bridge those gaps
2.Where required, to provide high quality, direct support to the children and young people with complex needs and their families/carers when they need it most.
3.To work closely with inpatient settings, local CAMHS providers (including crisis teams), social care and education to ensure that the system is working in a coordinated and joined up way for the young person and their family/carer, and helping to reduce any blockages to accessing that support.
4.Facilitate the provision and implementation of tailored behavioural and emotional support to help a child or young person and their families/carers develop skills for progress and self-management to meet their agreed goals and outcomes
5.Communicate clearly with the child, young person and their family/carer to help them understand and navigate the system
6.To work within and contribute to, detailed risk assessments for the young people; To ensure children and young people you support have the opportunity to make
choices, develop their independence skills and access a range of positive activities both in the centre and in the community
7.To safeguard the well-being of the children and young people in your care through effective support, proactive behavioural strategies and individualised risk assessments; to respond to and report any concerns about the welfare of a child promptly in line with local guidance on safeguarding children.
8.To improve outcomes for children and young people with complex needs and their families/carers, including those with mental health needs, through effective family/carer interventions, which will improve communication, reduce behaviours that challenge and support them to maximise their potential.
9.To develop and sustain effective, positive working relationships with children, young people, parents/carers, the management team and the professional network as part of a ‘wraparound’ approach to supporting families/carers.
10.To communicate professionally with team members, providers of health and social care, education and other support services for the child or young person and their family/carer.
11.To represent the service at meetings, including Care Education and Treatment Reviews
(CETR’s) Care Programme Approach (CPA) meetings, as well as Child in Need (CIN) meetings, Child Protection Conferences, Core Groups, Looked-After Child (LAC) Reviews, and Education, Health and Care (EHC) Annual Reviews, as appropriate.
12.To report to the service management for updating on cases at the Dynamic Support Register meetings each month for Islington and Camden
13.To use a holistic approach based on health and social work assessments and the outcomes identified through the team around the child or in the education, health and social care plan.
14.To prioritise and utilise regular one-to-one and group supervision in order to develop and reflect on own practice and share knowledge and expertise to enhance service delivery and improve outcomes for families/carers.
15.To ensure high standards of case recording using the relevant information systems in order to capture all necessary inputs, outputs, and outcomes for young people and their families and carers.
16.To work flexibly to suit the needs of children and young people with complex needs and their families/carers; this may include early starts, late finishes, evenings and weekends as required.
17.To undertake other duties commensurate to the grade of the post.
Person specification
Education and Experience
Essential criteria
1. Minimum Band 5 level (or equivalent) professionally registered practitioner, such as Learning Disability Nurse (RNLD), Mental Health Nurse (RMN), Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP), Mental Health Social Worker (SW), Occupational Therapist (OT), Speech & Language Therapist (SLT). OR Experienced senior assistant psychologists, therapeutic/community workers or SEN staff, with a professional qualification in health, social care or education to level NVQ / HNC level 3 (or equivalent) or the ability to complete a relevant qualification evidenced by educational history and professional development.
Experience
Essential criteria
2. Experience of direct work with children and young people, or adults, in the context of learning disabilities and/or autism who are in crisis, with associated health, education and care needs.
Skills and Ability
Essential criteria
3. The ability to work flexibly and responsively to provide support when children, young people, families/carers need it most,. The ability to provide structured support, deliver positive activities and ensure the achievement of agreed individual outcomes.
4. Ability to communicate clearly, effectively and concisely both verbally and in writing.
Desirable criteria
5. Ability to form and maintain appropriate professional relationships and boundaries with children, young people and families, carers, colleagues and the multi professional network. Ability to work therapeutically within and contribute to multi-agency risk assessments for children and young people with complex needs.
6. Ability to support positive, planned risk-taking that promotes developmental growth and children and young people’s rights to community access.
Knowledge
Essential criteria
7. Knowledge of child development, autism, learning disabilities, attachment and trauma, and of personalised and coproduced care planning.
Desirable criteria
8. Some knowledge of relevant legislation, guidance, government policy and research in relation to children and young people with learning disabilities and/or autism and an ability to apply that knowledge in an operational setting.
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND ADULTS
To comply with the Trust’s Safeguarding Children and Adults policies, procedures and protocols. All individual members of staff (paid or unpaid) have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults This will require you to:
9. Ensure you are familiar with and comply with the London Child Protection Procedures and protocols for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people.
10. Ensure you are familiar and comply with the London Multi Agency Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Pan London Procedures.
11. Ensure you are familiar and comply with local protocols and systems for information sharing.
12. Know the appropriate contact numbers and required reporting lines.
13. Participate in required training and supervision.
14. Comply with required professional boundaries and codes of conduct
Whittington Health is committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.