Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, Essex, Kent and Medway. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.

The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for three consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.

Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a suitably qualified and experienced practitioner to join the NELFT Safeguarding Team in the role of Specialist Safeguarding Children Advisor covering Essex and Southend.

The successful applicants will support the Head of Safeguarding and Named Professionals for Safeguarding and join the wider NELFT Safeguarding Team to ensure a Think Family approach to Safeguarding.

We will welcome applicants with a nursing, allied health professional or social work qualification. You will be required to provide input to NELFT’s Safeguarding Children Advice Service which is based in Basildon, deliver safeguarding training, assist with policy development and contribute to the progress of the safeguarding strategy.

The successful applicant will need to demonstrate a passion for safeguarding and be prepared to provide safeguarding supervision for practitioners. The post holder will be prepared to travel to various bases across Essex, Southend and Thurrock dependant on base as well as, on occasions, attend meetings in all areas covered by NELFT. 

You will be expected to take forward the safeguarding children agenda and support the delivery of the NELFT Safeguarding Strategy which includes policy development and review, supervision, training and participation in Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews and other reviews. 

Main duties of the job

The role of the Specialist Safeguarding Children Advisor involves working closely with the Head of Safeguarding, Named Professionals for Safeguarding Children, and other Specialist Advisors in order to ensure that staff can access advice and support readily at the point of need.

An important element of the role is to participate in the planning, delivery and evaluation of safeguarding training, both single agency and multi-agency, and you will be expected to attend safeguarding children meetings as the representative for NELFT, including Local Safeguarding Children Board sub groups and to deputise for the Named Professional as directed.

You will be required to provide safeguarding children supervision for a defined group of staff and support staff in the preparation of written reports both in relation to formal Child Protection procedures and for legal proceedings.

PLEASE NOTE THIS VACANCY MAY CLOSE EARLY DUE TO HIGH VOLUME OF APPLICATIONS.

Working for our organisation

Probationary Period

This post will be subject to a probationary period. Internal applicants are exempt from the probationary period (unless you are an internal applicant currently part way through a probationary period or currently a bank member of staff).

High Cost Area Supplement

This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £1,258 to a maximum of £2,122).

COVID-19 Vaccination

We continue to encourage all staff to ensure that they have been double vaccinated and received their booster. We recognise that taking the vaccine provides the best defence against COVID 19 for our patients, our staff and their families.

Use of AI

Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early should sufficient applications be received.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Duties and main responsibilities

Adhere to and implement Local and National policies for Child Protection/Safeguarding Children and adults within professional practice.

Provide advice to NELFT practitioners via the Safeguarding Children Advice Service on day-to-day management of children and families where there are safeguarding children concerns. This may be by responding to telephone calls, InPhase alerts or email enquiries.

Support cover arrangements for the Safeguarding Children Advice Service under the supervision of a senior colleague.

Work collaboratively with the Safeguarding Adults team to embed the ‘Think Family’ approach.

Work closely with the Named Professionals for Safeguarding Children and the wider safeguarding team in order to ensure that staff can access advice and support readily at the point of need and embed the think family approach.

Support the work of the safeguarding team with health practitioners and their managers in developing high standards of practice in relation to the management of vulnerable children and their families.

Assist fellow Specialist Safeguarding Children Advisors and Named Professionals in supporting staff involved in the Child Protection processes, attending Child Protection conferences, strategy meetings and other interagency / professional meetings as the need arises and/or briefing practitioners in relation to these meetings.

Provide safeguarding children supervision for a defined group of staff as agreed, in line with NELFT’s Safeguarding Supervision Policy.

Support the delivery of the annual Safeguarding Children/adult Audit Programme.

Provide support to staff involved in the Child Protection processes, attending Child Protection conferences, strategy meetings and other interagency / professional meetings as the need arises

Support new or inexperienced staff with writing effective referrals to social care, escalations and child protection reports.

Support staff in the development of chronologies for FII and Perplexing presentation cases or in respect of CSPRs and DHRs where there are children involved

Support the dissemination of Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews and Learning Reviews/SCIE recommendations to inform and improve practice and influence policy / procedures in line with Local safeguarding Children Partnership Procedures.

Assist in the delivery of NELFT Safeguarding Children/Adult Training.

Assist in ensuring procedures are distributed, understood and implemented by professionals, in the light of new local and national policy.

Education and Development

Identify personal training and educational requirements in conjunction with the Safeguarding Named Professionals, Specialist Safeguarding Children Advisors and the Workforce Development Unit and attend relevant mandatory and other training pertinent to role. Participate in Annual Appraisals. Participate in the planning, delivery and evaluation of safeguarding training, both single agency and multi-agency Undertake the role of mentor, preceptor and clinical support as required to newly appointed staff. Assist in the induction of new staff of other disciplines. To identify the training needs of staff through safeguarding children supervision and support the development and commissioning of training to meet identified themes and trends.

Please see the attached job description and person specification for more information about this role and working at North East London NHS Foundation Trust. We encourage you to refer closely to this when completing your application.

We welcome your application even if you do not meet all the criteria listed in the person specification. Any development needs to help you succeed in the role, can be discussed at the interview stage.

Person specification

Qualifications

Essential criteria

Registered Nurse, Social Worker or Allied Health Professional Current registration with NMC or HCPC Teaching/Mentoring Qualification/working towards Evidence of on –going Safeguarding Children level 3 training

Desirable criteria

Safeguarding Children Supervisor Attended a Leadership Programme Safeguarding training additional training

Experience

Essential criteria

Minimum of two years’ experience post registration Experience of interagency work Involved in Audit Undertaking report writing and participation on safeguarding reviews

Desirable criteria

Experience of developing policies and guidelines

Knowledge

Essential criteria

Demonstrates a good knowledge of operational safeguarding processes

Skills

Essential criteria

Excellent interpersonal and communication skills Good IT skills Ability to maintain a balanced objective prospective on all situations

Desirable criteria

Ability to supervise and support staff in individual and group settings

Benefits

We believe in bringing your authentic and best self to work, in order to deliver the best care to our patients. We are committed to supporting our employees holistically. Here is a snapshot of what is on offer at NELFT:

A long-standing and award-winning approach to equality and diversity with supportive networks for ethnic minority staff, staff with disabilities or long term/chronic conditions and LGBT staff. A commitment to supporting colleagues to achieve a work life balance, through flexible working opportunities and our effortsto support our working parents and carers. This has resulted in us being recognised as a ‘Top 10 Family Friendly Employer’ from the Working Families Charity. Proactive health and wellbeing support, including access to our employee assistance programme, staff psychological support, individual wellbeing conversations and a network of health and wellbeing ambassadors. Detailed information about our wellbeing and benefits offer can be found in this link.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us and for our patients, and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that’s a job share, part time hours or another flexible pattern.