Autism / LD Specialist

NESSIE IN ED CIC (Nessie), aims to support children and young people's emotional and mental health by providing a range of therapeutic services; supporting families; supporting professionals and linking closely with other services and the national agenda. We are a people first, not for profit organisation who values diversity and lived experience., Position Overview: We are seeking three highly skilled and compassionate Autism/LD Specialists to join our thriving Neuro-diversity support team. You will be working as part of a team in supporting children and young people with Emotional Based School Attendance across Cambridgeshire and Peterborough identifying underlying factors to their difficulties and addressing need through Nessie's targeted levels of support.

The Autism/LD Specialist will play a key role in providing individualised support and interventions to neurodiverse individuals and their families, helping them to thrive and reach their full potential. More training will be provided to enable the specialists to run groups and 1-1 targeted support.

Main Duties and Responsibilities:

• Conduct child centred, holistic assessments to identify the strengths, challenges, and unique needs of individuals with autism


• Develop and implement individualised therapeutic treatment plans and intervention strategies based on evidence-based practices and the specific needs of each child/young person


• Provide direct support and skill-building activities to neurodiverse children and young people focusing on areas such as communication, social skills, emotional support, and daily living skills


• Collaborate with families, caregivers, and other members of the support team to ensure a holistic and coordinated approach to care


• Offer guidance and support to parents and caregivers, providing education and resources to help them better understand and support their loved one with autism


• Monitor progress and outcomes, regularly evaluating the effectiveness of interventions and making adjustments as needed


• Stay informed about the latest research, developments, and best practices in autism intervention and support


• Advocate for the needs and rights of neurodiverse individuals, promoting inclusion, accessibility, and understanding within the community


General:

• To contribute to the development of best practice within the service.


• To maintain up-to-date knowledge of legislation, national and local policies and procedures in relation to Mental Health and Primary Care Services


• All employees have a duty and responsibility for their own health and safety and the health and safety of colleagues, patients and the general public


• All employees have a responsibility and a legal obligation to ensure that information processed for both patients and staff is kept accurate, confidential, secure and in line with the Data Protection Act (1998) and Security and Confidentiality Policies


• It is the responsibility of all staff that they do not abuse their official position for personal gain, to seek advantage of further private business or other interests in the course of their official duties


• It will be the duty of every employee while at work to take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and of other people who may be affected by their acts or omissions at work


What to Expect from this role:

• Your work will usually be split between online / from home working, educational settings, working in the community and occasionally in the family's home. You will be attending meetings, organising your workload, typing reports and updating caseload activities, and running creative or engaging groups. You will be supporting children and young people across Primary, Secondary and Specialist educational settings


• The role can be emotionally draining as you could be dealing with sensitive and traumatic issues. In some cases, the young people may not be ready to engage with you, and therefore not all interactions will have a positive outcome. However, enabling children and young people to overcome wide-ranging challenges and difficult situations means that your role can be extremely varied and highly rewarding


• You will need a driving license and your own vehicle, You will usually take regular or further training relating to:


• Policy and legal frameworks and procedures (including data protection and confidentiality)


• Child protection and safeguarding


• Assessment methods


• Equality and diversity


• Self-harm and suicide risk prevention


• Mental health support


• Neurodiversity


• LGBTQ+ and Gender


• Bereavement and loss


• Safeguarding


• Anxiety


• EBSA


• Trauma


• Attachment


You'll need to attend in-house and online training sessions to maintain your professional knowledge and skills. You will also undergo regular supervision.

Criminal Records Bureau

This post is classed as having a high degree of contact with children or vulnerable adults and is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. An enhanced disclosure will be sought through the Criminal Records Bureau as part of Hertfordshire County Council's pre-employment checks. If you are invited to an interview, you will receive more information.


• Minimum second-class Bachelor's Degree from a UK University or an overseas qualification of an equivalent standard in a relevant subject (e.g. psychology, social work etc.)


• 2 years of experience of working within a professional setting concerned with the mental health of neurodiverse children and young people and their families


• Advanced level of clinical competence and experience of having worked with this clinical group for at least 2 years


• Experience of working as part of a multi-disciplinary team with children and young people and their families


• Experience of working within a professional setting concerned with the mental health, development and wellbeing of the children and young people and their families


Skills

You'll need to demonstrate that you have:

• Ability to be flexible and creative in facilitating engagement with children and young people and their families


• Ability to adopt a multi-agency working, especially in relation to complex cases with multiple needs, where a more systemic approach is required


• Ability to adapt communication style according to the varying needs and levels of comprehension of children and young people underrepresented communities and with complex needs


• Ability to maintain a reflective stance in emotive/challenging interactions with children and their carers


• Ability to use supervision to reflect on practice


• Ability to organise own time and diary


• Ability to follow policy and make proposals for change


• Ability to maintain accurate records


• Ability to remain calm under pressure and when dealing with challenging or confrontational behaviour


• Competent IT skills in order to record and maintain accurate data


• Ability to advocate for the needs for children and young people from underrepresented communities and their families


• Ability to maintain an observational stance, particularly in relation to children and young people who do not express themselves verbally


• Understanding of evidence-based practice and the ability to demonstrate how this influence clinical practice


Professional Development