Autism Nurse Practitioner in Silverdale

We are seeking an experienced and enthusiastic Autism Nurse Practitioner to join our dedicated, experienced and growing team of professionals as we embark on a journey of expansion. This is an exciting opportunity to work in a supportive and collaborative environment.

About Caudwell Children: Caudwell Children aims to change people’s lives, change the way society perceives and treats disabled and autistic people and change the way that charities operate, through the provision of child-centred practical and emotional services, passionate campaigning and demonstrating best practice. We believe in a world where disabled and autistic children have the choice, opportunity, dignity and understanding they deserve.

Main Duties & Responsibilities:

• To lead assessments for children, young people and families that attend for diagnostic assessment for autism.
• To support and participate in ADOS/ADIR assessments for children on the autism service pathway.
• To support families and deliver feedback on their assessment, ensuring families are supported with relevant signposting and information.
• To support parents and arrange events to ensure families have support prior to and post assessment - this will involve some weekend work.
• To provide support and information to other areas of the charity that the post holder will collaborate with.
• To ensure case lead has relevant information to manage the caseload, which may involve preparation of documents and clinical information to support the assessment.
• To collate clinical assessments and information and ensure that these can be contributed to a clinical report in a timely manner.
• The post holder should have IT skills and be able to construct reports – training will be provided.
• As a member of the MDT team, the post holder will support the case lead and other professionals, offering clinical advice both within the service and other agencies.
• Provide mentorship and clinical supervision for students and colleagues.
• Retain compliance with professional regulating body e.g., NMC, ensuring revalidation is planned and complete.

Clinical:

• To provide support for young children and their parents/carers referred to the service based upon the appropriate use, interpretation and integration of complex data from a variety of sources including psychological, self-report measures, observations, assessments and semi-structured interviews.
• To support the use of diagnostic tools as part of the assessment to provide and/or contribute to the diagnosis of neurodevelopmental disorders.
• Support recruitment and open days to facilitate new staff, offering support and being involved in new starter induction pathways.
• To contribute to diagnosis and recommendation options as outlined by the case lead and MDT.
• To exercise autonomous professional responsibility for their own practice.
• To contribute to and/or use evidence-based, integrated working tools and processes to support the assessment process.
• Participate and implement all aspects of governance to ensure compliance e.g., audits, meeting targets and ensuring best practice is followed across the charity.
• To undertake risk assessments for young children and their parents/carers.
• To communicate, in a skilled and sensitive manner, information on the assessment, formulation and recommendations for young children and their parents/carers who are under their care.
• To maintain accurate and accessible records and adhere to Information Governance requirements.
• To demonstrate high level communication skills, both written and verbal, within all agencies, families and children.
• Teaching, training, and supervision of staff, volunteers and students.
• To receive and partake in regular clinical professional supervision.
• To gain additional experience and skills relevant to the profession and/or the charity as agreed with the clinical lead to enhance the service and personal development.

Support and Enhance Service Development:

• To contribute to a culture that is productive, accessible, inclusive and flexible to meet the needs of the local population.
• Work closely with colleagues in the multi-disciplinary and multi-agency setting including statutory and voluntary sector who are involved with young people.
• Work as an autonomous practitioner to the standards set out within the relevant professional’s organization care standards and relevant clinical standards - NMC code of conduct.
• Adhere to Charity policies and procedures.
• Be aware of and act in accordance with local Safeguarding Children Board procedures.
• Effectively plan and prioritise the competing demands of caseloads, assessments, report writing and multi-professional working on a daily basis.
• Have the flexibility required to respond rapidly to unplanned work.
• Keyboard skills required for inputting data and clinical notes.
• Responding to emails and producing reports.
• Frequently sitting, standing, and walking.

Duties and responsibilities in developing and Implementation of Support Services:

• To work closely with the Family Support and Community Engagement Workers, maintaining an up-to-date directory of local services and building knowledge and understanding of community and statutory services available to families.
• Provide emotional support and advice to families facing various challenges.
• Provide a clinical escalation for Family support workers and community engagement workers.
• Advocate for families by connecting them with community resources and services, ensuring their needs are met.
• Maintain accurate records of family interactions and progress.
• Identify community events to raise awareness and support families.

General:

• Ensure compliance with professional standards in relation to your relevant professional governing body.
• Demonstrate commitment to ongoing personal and professional development, maintaining professional portfolios and training profiles.
• Keep up to date and integrate any relevant new initiatives, regulations and legislation as appropriate to your role.
• Attend training as appropriate to the role, applying knowledge gained to the workplace.
• Engage in Support and Supervision sessions, where appropriate, to reflect on practice enhancing communication and quality of service.
• Work effectively and collaboratively as a member of the team, building and maintaining good working relationships with all colleagues, stakeholders and professionals from external agencies.
• Have an awareness of relevant health and safety regulations and legislation.
• Be responsible for your own health and safety and that of anyone else whom your acts and omissions may affect.
• Ensure compliance with statutory and non-statutory bodies, including CQC, ISO 9001 and the Health & Safety Executive.
• Adhere to all Caudwell Children policies and procedures.
• Demonstrate commitment to Caudwell Children’s mission, vision and values.
• On occasion and when necessary, work flexible hours to meet the needs of the business.
• Willingness to travel in order to meet the needs of the post.

This Job Description is not exhaustive. The post holder may be required to carry out any other task as deemed appropriate for the level and responsibilities of the post.

Person Specification:

• Evidence of registration with the NMC registration.
• Experience in the assessment and diagnosis of autism.
• Experience of undertaking standardised formal assessments.
• Experience of working with children and families.
• Experience of working with children with ASD and/or complex needs/learning disability.
• Experience of delivering training to a range of audiences using a variety of complex multi-media materials suitable for presentations within public, professional and academic settings.
• Knowledge of a range of neurodevelopmental disorders.
• Well-developed skills in the ability to communicate effectively, orally and in writing, complex, highly technical and/or clinically sensitive information to clients, their families, carers and other professional colleagues both within and outside the organisation.
• Skills in effective report writing and the interpretation of test results.
• Skills in providing consultation to other professional and non-professional groups.
• Excellent team working and communication skills.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills.
• An openness and willingness to learn new skills and to put these into practice.
• Able to meet the physical requirements of the role after reasonable adjustments have been made for illness or disability.
• ADIR trained.

The Charity is committed to safeguarding children and young people and therefore adopts a safer recruitment approach through a robust recruitment and selection process. All posts within the Charity are subject to DBS checks, in line with the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974). This role is eligible for an enhanced disclosure check.

Caudwell Children is a Disability Confident employer committed to offering an interview to all applicants who meet the minimum criteria and declare they have a disability as defined in the Equality Act 2010. We are committed to creating a diverse environment and will not discriminate for any reason against any person because of their age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion and belief, sex or sexual orientation. We particularly encourage applications from people who identify as Black, Asian or from a Minority Ethnic background and other underrepresented groups.

Location: Caudwell International Children’s Centre (CICC).

Up to £38,950 per annum, depending on qualifications and experience.

Hours: Full-time (37.5 hours per week), although part-time will be considered at a minimum of 3 days.