This is an exciting opportunity for an innovative nurse who is keen to make a difference to the lives of Children Looked After and has the skills to further enhance the responsiveness of the service.

The Named Nurse for Children Looked After (CLA) along with the Named Doctors for CLA and the Assistant Service Managers for CLA work together to ensure the Service meets the requirements of the Service Specification.

Closing date: 16th August 2024

Interview date: 30th August 2024

Main duties of the job

The Named Nurse (CLA) provides the operational lead for the delivery of the CLA nursing team within Southwark and Lambeth - leading, co-ordinating and developing a high quality nursing service for the Children Looked After and young people aged 0 to 17 years and care leavers aged 18-25 in collaboration and agreement with service leads in order to address the priority outcomes and aspirations for Southwark and Lambeth's Children Looked After and Care Leavers.

The Named Nurse for Children Looked After Children will be based at Sunshine House supporting the Children Looked After team, working across the London boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark.

About us

Evelina London is part ofGuy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust and we are responsible for providing services for women and children. With over 3,000 dedicated staff, and led by an Executive Team and Board, we have significant devolved autonomy to focus operationally and strategically upon the needs of our patients. We also benefit from being part of a large and successful NHS foundation trust, whose values we share. We have an ambitious strategic development programme, with backing from Guy's and St Thomas

Find out more www.evelinalondon.nhs.uk

Watch our short film to see inside our children's hospital.

Trust values:

As part of Guy's and St Thomas', our values help us to define and develop our culture, what we do and how we do it. It is important that you understand and reflect these values. The post holder will:

• Put patients first: 'What would I want for my family?'
• Take pride in what we do: 'Am I doing my very best?'
• Respect others: 'What would it be like if I was in your shoes?'
• Strive to be the best: 'How could we do it better?'
• Act with integrity: 'Am I doing the right thing?'

Our values and behaviours framework describes what it means for every one of us in the Trust to put our values into action.

Job description

Job responsibilities

The Named Nurse for Children Looked After will be expected to:

Work with senior managers and colleagues to ensure local policy is in place that ensures the Trust is fulfilling its statutory role and responsibilities in relation to Children in Care as specified in Promoting Health for Children Looked After (DH 2015).

To provide professional leadership, consultancy, advice, risk assessment and expert Children Looked After practice, to support practitioners on actions to be taken in order to safeguard and protect the child. This will involve the dissemination of the specialist skills and knowledge to others.

To contribute to the planning and development of Children Looked After systems and arrangements within the Trust, in collaboration and agreement with service leads.

To promote good practice and effective communication within and between Community colleagues, Statutory and Voluntary organisations, on all matters relating to Children Looked After. To liaise closely with allied health professionals and other health and social care staff to enhance working together and continuity of care for a Looked after Child. Develop and maintain effective working relationships with colleagues working in health, childrens social care, police, CAMHS, education and other statutory and non-statutory bodies to ensure that Children Looked After are safeguarded and their welfare promoted.

Establish and improve professional standards of care in the identification and management of vulnerable children across all clinical and non-clinical specialities. To work with Trust colleagues and agency partners to develop care pathways and initiatives which improve the health of Children Looked After e.g. health fairs, drop in clinics.

Undertake statutory health assessments for Children Looked After as per job plan and generate recommendations for health care plans and referrals to other services.

Exercise a high degree of autonomy to make critical decisions and judgements and deliver advanced clinical skills to the case management of children and young people with complex needs. Interpret all of the available information to make justifiable assessments when making a judgement

To contribute to child protection case conferences and strategy meetings in order to ensure optimum outcomes for Children Looked After

Ensure there is a system in place to check the implementation and monitoring of individual health plans.

Ensure arrangements are in place to enable Care Leavers mental and physical health needs, are met and form part of the appropriate pathway.

OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT

The Named Nurse will have lead responsibility for Children Looked After placed out of borough. This includes ensuring the health assessments are completed and liaison with other agencies and services, coordinating effective care and, with the rest of the team, acting as an advocate where necessary.

Take a lead within the Trust in monitoring the quality and effectiveness of health assessments and delivery of health services to Children Looked After. With the Named Dr for CLA, the Named Nurse will develop data collection tools in order to evidence the work within the team and improved outcomes for Children Looked After and young people

Negotiate with social care and other NHS organisations regarding the completion of health assessments and delivery of personal healthcare plans for children placed outside the boroughs of Lambeth and Southwark. Maintain regular contact with health staff undertaking health assessments, and be actively involved in working with and supporting health professionals and other agencies working with complex cases. Quality assure any health assessments that are undertaken by out of borough nurses and the nurse specialists. The Named Nurse will participate in clinical supervision and senior clinician quality assurance such as attendance at and contribution to CLA Peer Review.

Develop client centred, innovative opportunities for young people to access health services and health promotion programmes in line with national policy targets for access to targeted services.

Work with children, their carers and young people regarding specific health promotion activities and involve professional teams to consider how they can improve their services locally for Children Looked After. Provide non-judgemental support and advice to meet the health needs of Children Looked After and support their carer.

Ensure services are delivered in a sensitive and age appropriate way that recognises the importance of choice and diversity. Ensure the service provided is evaluated and responsive to the needs of service users through patient and public involvement (PPI). Assess and respond to the views of service users and their carers to evaluate and promote quality of care and services. This will include meeting their cultural, privacy and dignity and clinical care needs.

To identify vulnerable children, young people and families early and provide effective programmes of support and care that protects and promotes their health and wellbeing. To identify children requiring further assessment, intervention and multi-agency referral to promote good general health and emotional well-being.

To bring nursing and public health expertise to integrated services and initiatives for Children Looked After and young people.

Ensure that the voice and experience of children and young people are incorporated into all aspects of practice. Manage sensitively and appropriately with the issues which are discussed during assessments and contact with Children Looked After and provide support for the nursing team when these arise. Communicate complicated information regarding a child /young persons health in a way which is easily understood by all and follows the evidence base for best practice.

To develop strategies for ensuring accurate and informative clinical records are maintained, in line with legislative policies, standards and procedures. Record and report on aspects of the protection plan on the statutory Health Assessment form consistent with local and national safeguarding policies and procedures.

To deputise for the Head of Nursing for Childrens Community Services where necessary.

Operationally line manage the nurse specialists in the team. To manage and prioritise the workload of the CLA nursing team, and own work load, reprioritising on a daily basis if necessary. Undertake the appraisal process for the nurse specialists. Advice on the specific needs of the CLA nursing team and contribute to workforce plans. To participate in the selection and recruitment processes of GSTT where appropriate.

Facilitate and support all staff with regard to their own safety whilst working with uncooperative or patients/ families who present with challenging behaviour, following Trust policy and guidance.

Represent health on the Local Authority Foster Panel.

Participate and contribute to the health sub groups of the Local Safeguarding Children Partnerships, working across Lambeth and Southwark so that the needs of Children Looked After can be addressed, best practice pursued and a unified health approach agreed to work together.

EDUCATION, TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT

To identify the CLA training needs of staff working with children within the Trust and prepare, together with the Named Doctor for CLA a training programme to address these. To ensure clinical competencies in CLA are maintained through participation in mandatory training and evidence-based updates.

To actively participate in the provision of the in-house safeguarding children/ CLA training programmes and respond by providing for any additional staff learning/training needs, as they arise.

To disseminate recent national legislation and guidance on CLA matters to community staff.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• 1st Degree in relevant health / social care
• Evidence of continuous professional development Have completed specific relevant post-registration training at Masters level or equivalent experience
• Active professional portfolio in areas of safeguarding/ CLA

Desirable

• MSC safeguarding/ public health
• Teaching Qualification

Professional Registration

Essential

• Current NMC Registration RGN/ RN Child Branch. Part 1 or Part 3 NMC register

Desirable

• SCPHN

Previous Experience

Essential

• Have substantial clinical experience of the health needs of children and young people and the health needs of Children Looked After
• Previous experience of: ?Working in community ?Operational Management ?Child protection practice and knowledge ?Providing clinical / management supervision ?Managing vulnerable case load Experience of providing services to populations with diverse needs.
• Evidence of expertise in the needs of children in care with attachment disorders, disabilities and those whose first language is not English.
• Mentoring, supervising and assessing students / practitioners in clinical practice
• Referring and escalating relevant issues to safeguard vulnerable children and young people
• Work across organisational and geographical boundaries/ multi-agency working

Desirable

• Working as Named Nurse / Lead Professional for vulnerable children
• Experience of contributing to research projects
• Management responsibility
• Previous work on inter- agency committees

Skills, Knowledge and Ability

Essential

• Knowledge and understanding of National and local health strategies
• Current legislation and guidance in relation to Children Looked After and Safeguarding Children as well as Safeguarding Guidance and Procedures
• Have a comprehensive understanding of policies and Government documents relating to the health and wellbeing of Children in Care.
• Knowledge of challenges of when working with CLA
• Collaborative working across health, social care and the voluntary sector
• Involving users in informing services
• Able to demonstrate knowledge and an understanding of clinical governance framework
• Ability to reflect on service provision and make recommendations for improvement
• Have proven negotiating and leadership skills.
• Be innovative in practice/ service development
• Apply critical thinking skills to describe and explain the rational and vision for improving the health of Children Looked After
• Demonstrate effective communication skills with a variety of audiences including children, young people, carers and professionals at various levels and from a range of agencies
• Work independently, and plan own work effectively and efficiently Ability to demonstrate a high level of personal and professional autonomy and accountability
• Be skilled in professional decision making and ability to make sound judgements Good analytical skills
• Experience and skills in training and presentation
• Empathise with and be sensitive to young people
• Basic computer literacy
• Evidence of teaching and presentation skills

Desirable

• Evidence of research / evidence based practice
• Experience of developing and handling a data base.

Additional Information

Essential

• Commitment to continuous improvement and equity of access to services for Children Looked After
• Demonstrate tact and diplomacy when dealing with conflict
• Organised, flexible, supportive attitude to clients, colleagues and other agencies.
• Ability to prioritise and delegate work
• Ability to work closely with team members and form professional links wi
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