About this role
Job summary
This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. If it is identified that you require sponsorship to undertake this role your application may be withdrawn
0.8 WTE | Fixed Term Contract for 2 years (with potential 1-year extension). Secondments welcome, including external applicants.
We are seeking an experienced Specialist Health Visitor to lead delivery of Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) across Family Hubs in Stoke-on-Trent. This role offers the opportunity to deliver a universal early intervention that strengthens parent-infant relationships and supports early development.
You will bring VIG expertise and work collaboratively with Thrive at Five, MPFT and partners including Family Hubs, Speech and Language Therapy, public health, commissioners and Early Years CAMHS to improve outcomes for families.
The role includes clinical leadership and supervision of practitioners delivering VIG (or willingness to achieve AVIGUK supervisory accreditation), ensuring safe, high-quality, evidence-based practice. You will also support workforce development through training and consultation in infant mental health, communication and parenting.
As part of a pilot with the Association for VIG Practitioners, you will help shape future delivery and inform national Family Hub models.
Thrive at Five is committed to supporting the right candidate through their accreditation journey, with funding for supervisory accreditation training available following successful completion of Year 1 of the pilot.
Main duties of the job
Leading and testing whether Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) can be delivered as a universally available, non-stigmatising intervention through Family Hubs.
Make VIG available at scale across Family Hubs within Stoke on Trent.
Enhance early childhood development by strengthening parent-infant interactions.
Working in close partnership with Thrive at Five, Family Hubs and Stoke on Trent commissioners as a Specialist Health Visitor with Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) expertise.
Initial focus within two Family Hubs broadening out across multiple Stoke on Trent localities as the project matures.
About us
Come and work with us at our award-winning NHS Trust, leading the way for trying new and better ways of working to help improve life for our local communities.
We have around 9,000 staff who provide physical and mental healthcare, support for people with learning disabilities, and adult social care across Staffordshire, Stoke-on-Trent, Shropshire, and Telford & Wrekin. We also run regional and national services, including help for new parents (perinatal care), eating disorders, forensic services, sexual health, and support for people in prison with mental health, drug, or alcohol problems.
We offer great career development for both clinical and non-clinical roles, with ongoing training and support to help you learn and grow.
We are 'United in our Uniqueness' and committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels welcome and can be themselves, no matter their background or identity. We want our staff to feel supported and valued, and we aim to build a team that reflects the communities we serve. Together, we can make sure every voice is heard, and every difference is respected.
Please note, we may be required to close this vacancy early if we receive a high volume of applications
Please be aware that the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in completing application forms will be monitored to ensure fairness and transparency. If you have used AI you must state this in your application.
Job description Job responsibilities
This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship. If it is identified that you require sponsorship to undertake this role your application may be withdrawn
Provide highly skilled specialist consultation, support and training to colleagues to develop their skills in critical thinking, reflective practice and knowledge about parental and infant mental health, the dyadic relationship and the importance of whole family engagement. Provide one-to-one Video Interaction Guidance sessions to parents and babies (typically weekly for six weeks) using video feedback to help parents tune into their babys cues, understand behaviour, and build confidence. Use high level interpersonal and communication skills to provide and receive complex and often highly sensitive information. Use strengths based, solution focused strategies and motivational interviewing skills to enable families to developbehaviour change strategies using the principles of VIG. This includes values and beliefs around respect and empowerment, guiding analysis of behaviour, exploration of feelings and thoughts, and movement to wishes and intentions. Use professional and clinical judgement to undertake detailed assessments of clientsand their families and analyse complex family situations in order to develop appropriate clinical interventions, including assessing the needs of partners/fathers. Develop therapeutic relationships, requiring in-depth mental attention and concentration for extended periods, and promote adaptive behaviour change in the family home and other environments. Work effectively in potentially highly distressing or highly emotional circumstances. Act on own interpretation of assessed clinical situation within the home setting. Able to refer clients onto other specialist services as required on own authority. Undertake VIG interventions to increase the dyadic relationship between infant and carer, improving the life chances for the child. Ability to effectively deliver training to the 0-19 team and other disciplines as required. To lead in the training analysis and gap identification of the 0-19 team in relation to VIG. As the specialist, lead on VIG within this project and VIG future programme targets, working alongside Thrive at Five and the wider stakeholder group. Develop and maintain effective communication with 0-19 teams and to maintain productive working relationships. Ensure that all clients and colleagues are treated at all times in an equitable manner, respecting and showing an understanding of diversity in the workplace Identify families eligible for VIG within the universal early years pathway (e.g., health visitor contacts, family hub sessions). Recruit and engage eligible, sometimes hard to reach families to VIG and maintain their engagement throughout the process. Conduct initial appointments and explain the VIG process to parents in a no stigmatising, supportive way. Align VIG sessions with other universal and targeted interventions (e.g., parent-baby toddler groups, development review). Develop a fair, workable referral pathway into VIG, to cover a range of referees across Stoke on Trent.
Person Specification
Qualifications Essential
NMC registered Nurse or Midwifery SCPHN registered in health Visiting Masters level qualification or equivalent Accredited or working towards accreditation in Video Interaction Guidance (VIG) at Intermediate or Advanced level Evidence of ongoing professional development in early years, parent-infant mental health, or related fields.
Desirable
Evidence of self-directed learning study in relation to VIG AVIG Supervisory accreditation
Experience Essential
Previous involvement in delivering or supporting evidence-based interventions (e.g., VIG, Newborn Behavioural Observations, PEEP Learning Together). Experience of multi-disciplinary working within Family Hubs or similar integrated services. Experience of VIG, showing highly developed skills in the engagement of clients to work towards realising a better future in their relationships with their child.
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.
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 Midlands Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
Address Smallthorne Health Centre
2 Baden Road
Stoke on Trent
ST6 1SA
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.mpft.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)