Job description

Job responsibilities

A Keyworker Assistantwill receive step-down clients from the CYP LD/A Keyworker Team at North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare to address those moving down to amber and those flagging as green on the Dynamic Support Register. The Keyworker Assistant should have the ability to bring the Parents or Childs viewpoint into every care discussion, either from their own personal experience or on behalf of the family they are representing. Keyworker Assistant experiences are varied though may come from:

Direct experience of caring or living with a child or young person who has either a learning disability, autism or both

Experience of being a Parent or carer for someone with a learning disability, autism or both

Experience of working to support people who present behavioural challenges in the community.

The Keyworker Assistant functions will be supporting families to achieve:

A voice to ensure families and CYP are sewn into all discussions around them and have a high level of empathy and tact.

Gather information and feedback to further support their ongoing stabilisation

Gather the right information to ensure the right services are engaged with and are involved

Offer practical solutions

Emotional support, to be able to offer that support whilst maintaining resilience.

Escalate to keyworkers if there is a change in need and requires a change in rag rating.

Establish and maintain good relationships with the CYP, their Family and carers and with the providers supporting the CYP (For example Social Care, NHS, Education and the Voluntary Sector Colleagues)

Advocate for the families and CYP in keyworker team meetings, and Multi-Disciplinary Team Meetings and also Meetings by Exception DSR)

Highlight with your Team Lead any issues that you are aware of where services fail to deliver agreed care packages to children and young people with learning disability/autism or both.

Proactively work with step-down ambers and those flagging as green on the DSR- as directed by the Team Lead. The Postholder will hold own caseload.

The post holder will work closely with the Keyworker Team and Team Lead to ensure safe transition of clients stepping down from key working and in the safe discharge and/or stepping up of clients as appropriate.

The post holder will be able to use tact and persuasive skills and have experience in situations that require these.

The post holder will be willing to adapt their communication style to meet the need of the CYP, i.e. Makaton/PECS/Social Stories, and will have the skills or willing to be trained in this. For example, when the CYP is in crisis they will need to manage conflict, and deal with heightened emotions. Need tact and to be able to think on the feet.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• A minimum of a NVQ Level 3 / BTEC National, Certificate/Diploma, Vocational A-LEVELS/ An ONC (Ordinary National Certificate) / OND (Ordinary National Diploma) qualification in one of the below: - o childcare, o social work, o youth work, o counselling or o education

Desirable

• A relevant apprenticeship, such as the Early Intervention Practitioner or Children, Young People and Families Practitioner apprenticeships

Experience

Essential

• Good understanding of the pilot and of the needs of LD/A children, and young people, including their parents/carers
• Experience in responding effectively in emails, letters and documents, to parents, professionals and the operation of Lorenzo which is the trust database.
• Experience in Learning Disabilities and Autism, with evidence of training.
• Experience (paid or voluntary) of working with families and children in either a health, social, education or voluntary role.

Desirable

• Experience of working/caring for CYP with a LD or AS diagnosis.
• Experience of dealing with Parents in person on the phone.
• Experience of facilitating multi-disciplinary

Knowledge

Essential

• Good organisational and planning skills Empathy in good communication and written form.
• Flexible and adaptable approach to work. Excellent IT skills essential including MS office and zoom/Teams/Skype.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills.
• Ability to organise and prioritise workload to achieve agreed deadlines with a minimum of supervision.
• Highly developed verbal and written communication skills.

Desirable

• Knowledge of issues concerning CYP with learning disabilities and autism.
• Knowledge of social media platforms.
• A level of training in nonverbal communication or willingness to participate in the training. For example, PECS, Makaton, tac pac.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare Trust

Address

Dragon Square

Stoke on Trent

ST5 7HL

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.combined.nhs.uk/working-together/join-our-team/ (Opens in a new tab)