Job summary
In DHSC, we are proud of our purpose � to enable everyone to live more independent, healthier lives for longer. To achieve this, and create a great place to work, we have four values: we are inclusive, we constantly improve, we challenge, and we are agile. If this sounds like an environment you�d like to work in, we�d love to hear from you.
DHSC leads national policy on child health across the health and care system and across government. Government has an ambitious programme of multi-sector reform for children's health and social care, intended to improve support and outcomes for children and families.
This role is part of the Children and Families Division in the Early Years, Children and Families Directorate of the Prevention and Primary Care Group in DHSC.
Job description
Following the introduction of the Children and Social Work Act 2017, a duty was placed on Health, Police and Local Authorities as the three statutory safeguarding partners to make arrangements to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in local areas. The Department of Health and Social Care works alongside the Department for Education and the Home Office to oversee the effective operation of these multi-agency child safeguarding arrangements. Work is now needed to drive forward improvements in the multi-agency safeguarding arrangements, as outlined in Stable Homes, Built on Love.
The 2021 Wood Review into multi-agency safeguarding arrangements emphasised the essential role of national facilitators in creating a joined-up culture, providing information, advice, guidance and evidence of progress in implementing children�s safeguarding reforms. The national facilitators are change leaders, who provide challenge and support to local areas, and influence national level policymaking through insights from their extensive engagement with senior leaders and frontline staff across their sectors.
The National Child Safeguarding Health Facilitator will support the department to strengthen the health system�s contribution to multiagency child safeguarding arrangements. The successful candidate will play a high-profile role in delivering the current package of children's social care reforms as set out in Stable Homes, Built on Love.
Within the health system, the Health Facilitator will act as a change leader for child safeguarding reform and improvement. Operating autonomously, they will use the credibility gained from clinical and commissioning leadership roles to build influential relationships with senior ICB and LA public health leaders. Their work will be guided by strong, trusting working relationships with the DHSC policy and public health nursing teams, NHSE national and regional safeguarding teams and OHID regional teams.
The Health Facilitator will work closely with the police, local authority and education facilitators to facilitate discussions with safeguarding partners on how effectively their arrangements are working. Through working with local systems across England, the health facilitator will also gather intelligence and insights to inform and shape the development of national child safeguarding policy in health.�
Role responsibilities
The Health Facilitator will:
1. Provide expert system leadership to facilitate, support and drive improvement in the implementation of child safeguarding reforms within the health sector, including NHS and local authority commissioned health services; engage relevant safeguarding leads in the health system to promote effective arrangements, to map and share best practice.
2. Work closely with the national facilitators from policing, education and children�s social care to facilitate, support and drive improvement in the co-operation of local health organisations with children�s social services, local police and education in order to deliver an improved multiagency child safeguarding system.
3. Provide appropriate peer review and challenge to support development of robust local arrangements.
4. Identify and assess emerging issues and threats within the health sector, and between health sector and the other multiagency child safeguarding partners, and develop plans to address them in partnership with other national facilitators.
5. Provide practical advice to government on how to support the health system and safeguarding partners to effectively implement the reforms set out in Stable Homes Built on Love.
6. Advise DHSC on child safeguarding issues and the development of national policy to improve safeguarding outcomes for children and young people.
7. Collaborate with the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel to support practice sharing amongst safeguarding partners.
8. Represent health system views at relevant national meetings, forums and conferences including with other national stakeholders.
Person specification
Key skills and experience required for this role:
Essential:
9. Registered healthcare professional;
10. Designated Professional for Safeguarding Children within an NHS organisation;
11. Expert level of knowledge and experience in relation to multi-agency safeguarding practice, delivery arrangements and the broader contexts in the sector;
12. Recent experience of commissioning community or public health services;
Desirable:
13. Recent clinical expertise in the local and national safeguarding system in health including the critical levers for change;
14. Ability to write high-quality reports with clear evidence-based conclusions and lessons for practice;
15. A good understanding of potential barriers, risks and issues involved in the implementation of the multi-agency reforms and the efficacy of proposals for overcoming these;
16. A range of internal and external consultancy/influencing skills for working 1:1 with Chief Nurses and Designated Professionals as well as networks and groups of peers across the evolving systems; and
17. Very strong communication skills, with the ability to turn complex messages into language and actions understood by all.
Flexible working location requirements
Your contractual primary workplace will be either London or Leeds.� However, due to the nature of this role, you will be expected to connect with health services all over England. You will be expected to attend your home office of London or Leeds 1-2 days per month, as agreed with your line manager, in order to connect with the rest of the team and meet business need.
You will be asked to express a location preference during the application process. Please be aware that this role can only be worked in the UK and not overseas and some travel may be required across the DHSC estate.�
Opportunities for some working from home may be available; other flexible working options may be discussed with the hiring manager in line with individual circumstances and business need.�
There are a limited number of DHSC colleagues who have existing agreed homeworking contracts resulting from Our Future Estate Programme 2023-2024. Colleagues covered by these arrangements are eligible to apply for this role whilst continuing their agreed existing home working arrangement. Occasional travel to DHSC offices or other locations may still be required according to business need. Travel and subsistence will be provided in line with the pre-agreed homeworker arrangements.��
Licences
Registered healthcare professional
Behaviours
We'll assess you against these behaviours during the selection process:
18. Leadership
19. Seeing the Big Picture
20. Communicating and Influencing
21. Working Together
Benefits
Alongside your salary of �66,832, Department of Health and Social Care contributes �18,044 towards you being a member of the Civil Service Defined Benefit Pension scheme.
22. Learning and development tailored to your role
23. An environment with flexible working options
24. A culture encouraging inclusion and diversity
25. A with an average employer contribution of 27%