Clinical Nurse Specialist - Safeguarding Children

Swydd-ddisgrifiad a phrif gyfrifoldebau manwl

To work within the safeguarding nursing team in managing and overseeing practitioners and their cases of vulnerable children and families whilst working as part of the multidisciplinary team, delivering individualised care.

 Undertake direct patient facing risk assessments and safety planning to ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable children are identified and that appropriate plans are put in place. 

Act as a role model, demonstrating high standards of care and providing expert and professional clinical leadership in the specialist areas.

Demonstrate appropriate expert practice and highly specialist advice in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of care. Provide professional and clinical leadership and expertise in the speciality and to act as a resource for education and clinical expertise.

Promote and deliver high standards of practice at all times and assist in the development of the specialist service, through the use of evidence based practice and clinical standards.

Directly supervise, support, and advise clinical teams, by the provision of specialist knowledge and advice in relation to the safeguarding of children.

Review families of high concern and provide relevant child protection supervision/ guidance. To facilitate and support all staff to empower parents and carers to develop positive parenting skills to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, ensuring a patient focused approach is delivered.

To identify vulnerable children, young people and families early and provide effective programmes of support and care that protects and promotes their health and wellbeing. Provide a seamless high quality service from referral through to assessment, treatment and review.

Act as an advocate for service users to ensure a child orientated approach to the delivery of care in order to meet standards within the child protection legislation and guidelines.

Recognise and avoid situations that may be detrimental to the health and wellbeing of the individuals. Be responsible for assessing and recognising emergencies in the speciality. To interpret information and take appropriate action and to lead others to do the same.

Establish, develop and maintain effective working relationship between clinicians, practitioners and managers within the specialty, across the trust and partner agencies.

To contribute to child protection case conferences and strategy meetings in order to plan effectively to ensure optimum outcomes for vulnerable children. Provide support and guidance to staff who are required to attend these meetings and support individual practitioners’ pre and post conference discussions. The Specialist Nurse will be required to contribute and advice on the health aspect of the child protection plan.

To provide advice and assistance to practitioners in the preparation and production of formal reports and statements for case conference and court proceedings.

In conjunction with members of the Safeguarding Children’s Team, to help develop links with other agencies/ services, e.g. Social Care, Children’s Centre, Police.

To represent the Trust on multi-agency sub groups of the Local Safeguarding Children Partnership as required. To attend and participate at meetings and feedback relevant information to the team and frontline staff.

In conjunction with the Named and Lead Professionals implement and maintain Safeguarding Policies and Procedures in line with Local Safeguarding Children Partnership, Government Policies and Legislation.

Organise own work and manage caseload and practice, identifying and maintaining supportive networks for self and other staff members.

To be responsible for maintaining and increasing personal professional knowledge and to identify areas for developing further relevant skills.

In conjunction with the Head of Nursing/ Lead Nurse to inform and advise the managers on relevant issues relating to child protection from within the Trust. With the guidance of the Head of Nursing/ Lead nurse to help monitor and maintain current information with regard to Child Protection Policies and Procedures and make it available to staff.

To deliver formal safeguarding training sessions to specified staff on Child Protection and safeguarding issues, which facilitates learning and individual personal development. To incorporate various training methods to deliver the training material. This will include methods such as formal classroom taught session, scenario based examples and written resources.

To participate in dissemination of information post Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews.

The Nurse Specialist will be required to provide regular supervision to practitioners in the acute setting of the Trust at regular intervals as per child protection supervision policy. The Nurse Specialist will also be required to update and manage the supervision database and collate information from this process.

Due to the emotional impact of the role undertake regular support and supervision sessions with the Lead Nurse.

Monitor and review standards of practice on a regular basis and initiate corrective action plans.

Identify and intervene where circumstances contribute to an unsafe environment for children. To bring instances to the attention of the Head of Nursing for Safeguarding Children.

Maintain accurate, contemporaneous records of the advice that is given in relation to case management.

Contribute to Child Safeguarding Practice Reviews or other learning reviews under the guidance of the Head of Nursing/ Lead Nurse.

To participate in relevant audit and research projects in collaboration with colleagues, developing action plans and disseminating information.

Participate in key developments relating to the safeguarding of children so that high quality client focused services are promoted.

Collect data relevant to Child Protection work as requested. In conjunction with Trust Named Nurse provide statistics and data for Trust board reports.

In conjunction with the Head of Nursing/ Lead nurse and safeguarding team contribute to the development of policies and procedures. Assist the safeguarding leads with the strategic planning for the service, as an expert practitioner.

Please see attached Job Description for full details