Specialist Safeguarding Practitioner (Children in Care)

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly skilled Specialist Safeguarding Practitioner focussed on Children in Care and Care Leavers, to join the Safeguarding Children and Adult's Team within Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT). The post-holder will provide expert advice on Children in Care and Care Leavers issues, polices, procedures and clinical practice which will enable the Trust and its workforce to conform to mandatory and statutory frameworks relating to the Children in Care and Care Leavers' agenda. The Specialist Safeguarding Practitioner (Children in Care and Care Leavers) will act as lead health practitioner for a defined cohort of young people ensuring their health assessments are undertaken and health plans implemented working with other agencies as necessary. Partnership working across the health economy, with Commissioners and with other agencies is fundamental to this role. The post holder will work closely with the Named Nurse for Children in Care and Care Leavers and with the Safeguarding Team as part of the Nursing and Quality Directorate. Safeguarding is integral to Governance arrangements within LSCFT and we are looking for someone with a commitment to high standards and belief in delivering reliable and sustainable service provision in an area of work across the ICB that is demanding and challenging but rewarding.

LSCFT is seeking a professional who values, and is committed to, providing advice, support, training, and clinical supervision to a wide range of health professionals. Applicants should have experience of working with situations that may present challenges for services and staff. Applicants should have an understanding of the national and local issues involved in Children in Care and Care Leavers and a proven ability to engage in effective multi-disciplinary teamwork.

Our Vision is to provide the best mental health, learning disability, autism and community based services for the populations we serve. As an integrated mental health, learning disability and community Trust, Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including:

• Primary and secondary mental health care for children and adults including specialist inpatient child and adolescent mental health provision, perinatal mental health, forensic services including low and medium secure care.
• Specialist community support for children and adults with learning disabilities and autism, including intensive support.
• Community physical health and well-being services for children and adults.
The Trust was first established in 2002 and employs approximately 7,000 staff who provide care from more than 400 sites. The organisation offers opportunities for medics, mental health and general nurses, allied health professionals, psychology, administration and clerical staff, apprentices and volunteers. Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust supports flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, home/remote working, and flexi-time. For more information visit our website via Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS FT.

The successful applicant will support the development of single and multi-agency, safeguarding policies, procedures and clinical practice, ensuring practice is current and up to date in line with local and national priorities. The applicant will be required to support organisational safeguarding arrangements, contribute to the trust's quality and assurance framework and support the team in fulfilling statutory safeguarding duties. The post is being offered as a part-time post for 26.25 hours which are to be worked on a rotational basis over two weeks. The successful candidate will be required to work 4 days a week and 3 days the following week. The post is offered on a Band 7 salary scale (Agenda for change terms and conditions). The post will be based at Daisyfield Mill in Blackburn, although there will be an expectation to travel across the LSCFT footprint.Working for our organisation Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust provides a range of services including secondary mental health care across this area. Specialist provision comprises inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care. The Trust also provides a range of physical health and well-being services in the community alongside a range of partners in the Lancashire, Cumbria and Sefton area. Lancashire & South Cumbria Foundation Trust encourages flexible working, we believe that a positive work/life balance benefits NHS employees through improved health and wellbeing. We would consider working patterns such as; term time, part time, compressed hours, flexi-time and career breaks. We encourage applicants to state clearly on their application forms this request and discuss these options at interview.