About this role
Job summary
Safeguarding Children Specialist Nurse - Warrington Families First Pathfinder Program
The Specialist Childrens Safeguarding Nurse plays a pivotal role within the Families First for Children Pathfinder, working as an embedded health professional within a multiagency child protection team. The post holder will provide highly specialist safeguarding and clinical expertise to support children and families, ensuring that health needs, risks, and vulnerabilities are fully understood and robustly represented in multiagency decisionmaking.
The role focuses on early identification of healthrelated safeguarding risks, direct work with children and families where required, and close collaboration with social care, police, education, and other specialist services to promote timely, coordinated, and relationshipbased interventions that improve outcomes for children.
Main duties of the job
Act as the lead specialist safeguarding nurse within the Families First for Children Pathfinder, embedded in a multi-agency child protection team.
Provide expert health and safeguarding advice across all areas of the MACPT multi-agency child protection team.
Undertake visits and complete health assessments when required.
Work directly with children and families, and complete specialist assessments and address unmet health and safeguarding needs.
Provide specialist safeguarding advice, supervision and support to frontline health practitioners across the Trust.
Lead the coordination, quality assurance and oversight of health safeguarding activity within the MACPT.
Working closely with the Named Nurse, develop guidance and procedures, deliver training on health-related topics, complete audits, and collate Families First for Children Pathfinder health data.
About us
Flexible working will be considered for all roles.
North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (NCM) serves more than one million residents across the Halton and Warrington boroughs and the wider North West region.
Bringing together community and out-of-hospital services (formerly provided by Bridgewater Community Healthcare) with inpatient and elective care (formerly Warrington and Halton Teaching Hospitals) we provide services at two hospital sites and more than 70 community hubs and facilities.
Our mission, vision and values are at the heart of North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (NCM).
They underpin everything we do and everything we aspire to be as an organisation.
Our mission
We will be exceptional for our patients, our communities and each other
Our vision
We will be a great organisation providing excellent healthcare and opportunities to work and learn
Our values
Kind: We are caring, supportive and respectful to everyone Open: We are honest, transparent and open to new ways of working Fair: We listen, value our differences and are inclusive to all One team: We work well together and with our communities
Job description Job responsibilities
Working as part of a multi-agency child protection team the post holder will support Warringtons Families First Pathfinder Program, taking the lead in development and delivery of a highly specialist health practitioner role.
The post holder will work directly and where necessary intensively with children and young people on the edge of care to identify, understand and work with them to address their health needs.
They will work as part of a multi-agency child protection team contributing to section 47 enquires, supporting the development and review of child protection plans as well as providing relevant health information to inform legal proceedings.
The post holder will provide a source of advice and support to health practitioners (including, but not limited to Warringtons 0-19 service and specialist childrens services) to assist them in navigating families first pathfinder programme.
To take the lead responsibility for the management and co-ordination of safeguarding activity within a defined area of Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, assessing, planning and implementing plans of care for children and families where safeguarding issues have been identified.
To take the lead responsibility for the management and co-ordination of safeguarding activity within a defined area of Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, assessing, planning and implementing plans of care for children and families where safeguarding issues have been identified.
To provide highly specialist advice and clinical support to staff employed and commissioned by the Trust, maintaining appropriate documentation and records. To provide support/supervision and to be a source of knowledge in the area of safeguarding children.
To work closely with the Named Nurse for Safeguarding Children to ensure appropriate quality assurance mechanisms in all areas of safeguarding practice are in place. Be integral in developing effective communication strategies within the Trust and with other agencies and professionals involved in this area of work; Specifically, to provide safeguarding supervision for all frontline practitioners.
Duties and Responsibilities
Professional
Practice at all times within the NMC Code of Professional Conduct
To provide high quality supervision to staff in order to maintain and improve quality of services provided to children and families in need.
To formally record the supervision sessions.
To work in conjunction with the Named Nurse and safeguarding team to review and update policies and procedures.
To contribute to quality, audit and monitoring procedures.
To act as a resource to staff in terms of support, information and advice.
To contribute to the development of effective communication systems within the Trust and other agencies.
Management
Provide specialist advice and support to all staff within the Trust on safeguarding issues, policies, procedures and clinical practice.
Collaborate with key professionals in the development and implementation of safeguarding policies, procedures and practice guidance as appropriate within the Trust and ensure that they are updated to reflect both recent evidence based changes in practice and those brought about by government policy and legislation.
Participate in the development of relevant multi-agency policy, procedure and practice guidance.
Effect change within own sphere of practice when and where indicated.
Making recommendations to improve services.
Influencing, motivating, supporting and enabling others to contribute towards the effectiveness and success of Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Trust.
To liaise with professionals from partner agencies on behalf of staff, when appropriate
Exercise leadership and aim to achieve high morale by efficient management skills, good staff relationships and clear lines of communication.
To work closely with staff responsible for vulnerable children case management, to provide an independent and objective overview in order to enhance protection of both service users and staff.
Assist in the Serious Case Review process, specifically in the implementation of the findings and recommendations across the trust. This will also include the learning from internal management reviews.
Advise, direct and support staff in the preparation of written reports in relation to formal child protection procedures and legal proceedings.
Support and advise staff when attending court for safeguarding cases.
Prioritise and manage workload in the light of the unpredictable nature of child protection issues and enquiries arising, which result in frequent interruption requiring immediate response and intense concentration.
Please see Full Job Description and Person Specification attached.
Person Specification
Sponsorship Essential
Please confirm your Right to Work status (share-codes will be checked where applicable).
Skills and Knowledge Essential
Excellent communication skills both verbal and written Excellent time management skills Ability to work autonomously and with minimal supervision Ability to work effectively as part of team or independently Ability to analyse and interpret data, information and situations offering appropriate advice and guidance Excellent planning and organisational skills and ability to adjust plans to meet demands of service Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines Demonstrate confidence in dealing with highly sensitive, emotive and emotionally challenging information Computer literacy and ability to devise and maintain IT or paper based systems Excellent teaching and presentation skills Clinical credibility demonstrated through experience in safeguarding children Ability to manage personal stress and that of others in highly emotive and distressing circumstances
Relationships Essential
If you are related to a director or have a relationship with a director or employee of an appointing organisation, please state the relationship.
Job Specific Requirements Essential
Ability to work autonomously and direct others Enthusiasm and commitment to the safeguarding agenda Ability to travel independently across the Trust Ability to work flexibly weekends/evenings according to service requirements as part of an all year round service.
Desirable
Flexible and motivated team player approach Experience of cascading information
Experience Essential
Post qualification experience in a relevant field Experience of managing complex safeguarding children cases Experience of working within a multi-agency framework Current knowledge of national guidance, the Safeguarding agenda and legislation as well as national safeguarding concerns Evidence of assessing risk and harm with proven analysis
Desirable
Understanding of statutory duties in relation to the child death overview process
Qualifications Essential
1st level registration with current NMC registration Specialist Community Practitioner RHV / SN with relevant degree or evidence of on-going study at L3 ENB 970 or HEA 454 (child protection) Or Equivalent
Desirable
Teaching qualification Supervision qualification
Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Employer details Employer name North Cheshire and Mersey NHS Foundation Trust (BCH)
Address Warrington Borough Council Building
1 Times Square
Warrington
Cheshire
WA1 2NT
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://northcheshireandmersey.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)