Job overview The post holders will provide support to children with complex needs and their families; particularly children who have a physical neurodisability and are aged under 5. These are two new full time posts and one part time post within the Community Services Directorate. The post holder(s) will be an integral member of the Community team, working particularly closely with those who deliver the Movement Assessment Clinics (MAC) – such as community paediatricians and allied health professionals, and the specialist health visitors for children with complex needs. These roles are being recruited to as part of a time-limited research trial, so we would like the post holder(s) to start in post as soon as possible, following pre-employment checks. Main duties of the job The literature shows there is a high financial and psychosocial burden experienced by children requiring complex medical care and their families. There is a clear need for family support accessing the required social and financial help to improve the experience of these children and their families. The post holders will identify the bio-psycho-social needs of those families, and help them to access support – from health services, social services, education and the voluntary sector. The post holders will signpost parents and carers to appropriate support for social, financial, benefits and housing advice, and behavioural advice. The post holders will also be expected to connect with other family support workers, the specialist health visitors, and assist with information sharing with other teams. The post holder will be accountable to the Community Matron within Community Services. The posts are fixed term ending March 2024. There may a possibility of extending these fixed term roles beyond then. Candidates who are successfully shortlisted will be invited to undertake a test, followed by an interview. Closing date: 16 October 2023. Interviews will be on the 30 October 2023. Working for our organisation Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust comprises five of the UK’s best known hospitals – Guy’s, St Thomas’, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Royal Brompton and Harefield – as well as community services in Lambeth and Southwark, all with a long history of high quality care, clinical excellence, research and innovation. We have a long tradition of clinical and scientific achievement and – as part of King’s Health Partners – we are one of England’s eight academic health sciences centres, bringing together world-class clinical services, teaching and research. We have one of the National Institute for Health Research’s biomedical research centres, established with King’s College London in 2007, as well as dedicated clinical research facilities. As part of Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, Evelina London is there for children, young people and women from London to South East England and provides specialist care for families around the UK and across the world. Every year, the number of children and young people Evelina London cares for, in our hospitals and throughout our local community, continues to grow. We support families from pre-conception, before birth, throughout childhood and into adult life. Right in the heart of vibrant London, we benefit from excellent transport links, we have staff working here from the local areas, spanning across London, and further afield into the home counties. Detailed job description and main responsibilities Hold and support a caseload of children and their caregivers/families, including: Offering support around the time of diagnosis, and time-bound support as part of the child's care and support plan as required, particularly in key periods of change or transition. Collaborating with the patient/caregiver/family to develop and implement a patient-centred service plan to meet their social, emotional and developmental needs. Facilitating access and referral to appropriate services for additional support that may be required, including social, financial, education, parenting and wellbeing support, benefits and housing advice. Working with the patients/ families and carers in their homes or at community or hospital sites as appropriate in order to provide a productive and flexible service. Communicating and building relationships with children, families and professional partners to ensure the child’s care is focused and managed effectively. Delivering support to parents that will enable and empower them in accessing relevant local support services. Ensuring that the service is child focused, effective, and consistent with the requirements of policy and statutory guidance. Working with partners: Maintain an awareness of community resources and services, including health care, social, economic, recreational, employment and educational. Establish and maintain coordinated working relationships with community social services departments, other professionals and service providers involved with children and families. Assist caregivers/families to access and utilise these services. Team working As appropriate, participate in team meetings, attend clinics, follow safeguarding policies and undertake quality improvement initiatives. Working autonomously with minimal direct supervision, prioritising tasks and working within set parameters and understanding operating procedures. Works in a variety of settings including service users’ homes. Maintains accurate records of all contacts, using the Trust electronic database systems. Please see attached Job description for full details. Person specification Qualifications Essential criteria Equivalent to GCSE in Maths and English grade C or above Skills/ Knowledge/ Ability Essential criteria An awareness of how families can access appropriate support, such as benefits and housing advice. Good interpersonal skills and ability to communicate verbally and in writing. Time management and ability to prioritise & meet deadlines to support family needs. Experience Essential criteria Experience of working face to face with families to deliver advice and support Experience of building effective relationships with families and partner organisations Ability to work within a team and independently. Ability to prioritise and manage own workload, demonstrating initiative. Good record keeping Applicant requirements This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service. Further details / informal visits contact Name Eleanor Wyllie Job title Programme Manager Email address [email protected]