Specialist Nurse for Children Looked After and Hillingdon

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced, enthusiastic and committed professional to join the Harrow and Hillingdon Children Looked After Team as a Specialist Nurse for Children Looked After. We are looking for a nurse who has experience of working with children, young people and families within the community, and a sound knowledge of the needs of children looked after.

The successful candidate will support the Named Nurse for Children Looked After, work autonomously and undertake high quality statutory health assessments and health promotion activities in accordance with the guidance document ‘Promoting the Health and Wellbeing of Looked After Children’ (DH & DoE 2015 / 2022).

The post is Band 7, 37.5 hours per week, based at Westmead Clinic.

As an NHS Trust we strongly encourage and support vaccination as this remains the best way to protect yourself, your family, your colleagues and patients in our healthcare settings.

The specialist nurse will work as an integral part of the Harrow and Hillingdon Looked After Children multi‑agency service, providing a seamless pathway for the holistic care of Children Looked After. The post holder will improve health and well‑being outcomes for children looked after within Harrow and Hillingdon, provide direct clinical service, contribute to the identification and assessment of health needs, and collaborate with carers, health professionals and partner agencies.

Essential criteria:

• NMC Registered Nurse – significant post‑qualification experience in paediatrics nursing, community nursing, mental health nursing, or practice nursing
• Diploma, degree or equivalent experience relevant to clinical practice
• Evidence of continuing professional development (ability to work to postgraduate level)
• Safeguarding training at Level 3

Desirable criteria:

• Registered Health Visitor / School Nurse / Specialist Community Public Health Nurse qualification
• Nurse prescribing
• Mentorship Module / ENB 998

Essential criteria:

• Able to maintain quality in own work area and encourage others to do so
• Able to accept responsibility for decisions and actions
• Able to develop and maintain communication with clients and colleagues about difficult matters and in difficult situations
• Able to work within a clinical governance framework
• Maintenance of accurate and relevant case notes, records and documentation
• Leadership and management development potential
• Reliable, flexible and adaptable

Desirable criteria:

• None listed

Essential criteria:

• Delivery of services both universal and targeted to 0‑19 years including vulnerable children
• Experience of working directly with looked‑after children and care leavers
• Planning and delivering training (health promotion)
• Experience of working as a member of a team but also able to work autonomously
• Experience of integrated or joint working to deliver a high quality of care and to achieve health outcomes

Desirable criteria:

• Contributing towards strategic planning of services
• Management experience or evidence of advanced practice

Essential criteria:

• Knowledge of the childhood vaccination programme
• Risk management
• Infection control legislation and maintenance of standards
• Policies, guidance and working practices that underpin integrated working and development of services that aim to improve outcomes for parents‑to‑be, children and families
• Child protection procedures

Desirable criteria:

• Information and data collection
• Resource allocation and management

Essential criteria:

• Provision of high quality evidence‑based care
• Health needs assessment, care planning and ongoing monitoring and evaluation
• Excellent IT, report writing and communication skills
• Clinical audit
• Prioritisation / time management
• Motivation and delegation

Desirable criteria:

• Line management