Specialist Practitioner – MACPT Health Lead in Matlock

NHS AfC: Band 7

Main area Specialist Practitioner Safeguarding Children Grade NHS AfC: Band 7 Contract Secondment: 12 months (Until January 2028) Hours Full time - 37.5 hours per week (Monday - Friday.) Job ref 842-SCS-7928-26

Site County Hall Town Matlock Salary £49,387 - £56,515 pa, pro rata Salary period Yearly Closing 15/11/2026 23:59

The Trust is currently under-represented in terms of individuals from BME backgrounds and welcomes applicants from these communities. DCHS is also an LGBT inclusive employer. Selection will be on a basis of merit. The Trust has achieved the status of a Disability Confident Leader and guarantees to invite to assessment applicants who meet the criteria for the job vacancy. To ensure the diversity of the workforce and understand the differing needs of our communities, the Trust is committed to the principles of Positive Action.

Be outstanding – join an outstanding team!

Job overview

We are seeking two experienced and highly motivated safeguarding professionals to join our Safeguarding Service as the Specialist Practitioner (Safeguarding Children) - Multi-Agency Child Protection Team (MACPT) Health Lead . The post holders will provide specialist safeguarding leadership and act as the lead health representatives within the Multi-Agency Child Protection Team, ensuring that health information, expertise and professional challenge contribute effectively to safeguarding decision-making and child protection planning. These roles are central to strengthening partnership working across health, children's social care, education, police and wider agencies to achieve the best outcomes for children, young people and families.

The Families First Partnership programme represents a significant national transformation in the way services work together to support children, young people and families. Building on the recommendations of the Independent Review of Children's Social Care, the programme aims to strengthen early help, improve multi-agency collaboration and ensure families receive the right support at the right time through integrated, whole-family approaches.

This is an exciting opportunity to influence system-wide change, strengthen health's role within multi-agency safeguarding arrangements and contribute to the successful implementation of Families First Partnership reforms across Derbyshire.

Main duties of the job

• Act as the lead health representative within the Multi-Agency Child Protection Team (MACPT), ensuring that health information and expertise effectively contribute to safeguarding decision-making and child protection planning.
• Provide specialist safeguarding advice, consultation and professional challenge on complex safeguarding children cases across partner agencies.
• Support high-quality multi-agency assessment, planning and risk management for children and families where there are significant safeguarding concerns.
• Work collaboratively with Children's Social Care, Police, Education and other partner agencies to improve outcomes for vulnerable children, young people and families.
• Lead on the review, analysis and presentation of health information to inform safeguarding decision-making and strategic planning.
• Contribute to safeguarding quality assurance, service improvement, audit and learning activities across the organisation and wider partnership.
• Provide safeguarding supervision, training and support to health professionals and partner agencies as required.
• Support the implementation of the Families First Partnership programme and Family Help arrangements, promoting integrated working and whole-family approaches.
• Work closely with the Health Co-ordinator and key system partners to strengthen health's contribution to multi-agency safeguarding and early intervention service

Working for our organisation

Our purpose is to provide community health services to a patient population of over one million people in Derbyshire and Derby, as part of Joined Up Care Derbyshire.

We employ around 4,200 substantive staff, caring for patients in 11 community hospitals and more than 30 health centres, as well as in clinics, GP practices, schools, care homes and, increasingly, in people’s own homes and via virtual consultations.

• It is Trust policy that for posts that are for a time limited period, applicants who are currently employed by an NHS organisation will only be appointed on a secondment basis and should have approval from their line manager this is possible before applying. Applicants who are not employed by an NHS organisation, will receive a fixed term contract.

Person specification

Education, qualifications and training

• Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (Health Visitor or School Nurse Qualification)
• First Degree
• Evidence of Post Basic Continuing Professional Development in Safeguarding Children and Adults
• Evidence of Post Basic Continuing Professional Development in Safeguarding Children
• Management or Leadership Qualification
• Training Qualification (NSPCC, FETC, RNT)
• Supervision Qualification
• Experience of delivering training

Experience and knowledge required

• Awareness of legal framework underpinning safeguarding (adult and children)
• Knowledge of safeguarding procedures
• Knowledge of Families First Partnership Programme
• Management or leadership Experience

Skills and Attributes

• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal
• Report writing skills
• Experience of audit process

Aptitude and Personal Qualities

• Ability to work individually and as part of a team
• Approachable
• Confidence to challenge professional practice or others in difficult situations with respect
• Ability manage own well-being
• Awareness of issues affecting equality and diversity

Derbyshire Community Health Services NHS Foundation Trust (DCHS) is one of the largest providers of specialist community healthcare in England and we currently employ around 4,500 staff. We deliver a variety of services across Derbyshire, caring for nearly 1.8 million patients each year.

We deliver patient care through 11 community hospitals, 4 minor injury units, 29 health centres and a learning disability centre. Another key part of our service is out in the community where we care for people in their own homes via therapists, health visitors and district nurses, and promoting public health in the wider community. As a Trust we care for patients of all ages with a special focus on the needs of elderly people and the very young.

DCHS has been recognised as a top 10 NHS organisation to work for in the UK by the Health Service Journal and NHS Employers in their Best Places to Work 2015 campaign. The Trust is also the runner-up in the category for the best NHS community trust employer.

Our vision is to see the health of local communities improve through partnership working, putting people at the centre and looking to the future.

1. To get the basics right - For each other, local people and communities
2. To act with compassion and respect - For each other, local people and communities
3. To make a positive difference - For each other, local people and communities
4. To value and develop teamwork - With our partners and within DCHS
5. To value diversity and inclusivity - Of each other, local people and communities.

The majority of our locations offer free parking facilities for staff.

We understand that AI can be a useful tool when completing your application. However, we are seeing an increasing over-reliance of AI tools, which can negatively affect your application as it reduces a candidate’s individuality, and makes it difficult for us to gain a clear and authentic understanding of your experience, skills, and in turn your suitability for the role.

All submissions must be truthful and if you do use AI, it should only be used to enhance your application and not create your supporting statement in its entirety.

Your supporting statement should be in your own words and must accurately reflect your personal experience and achievements.

As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for our service and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement whether that's job share, part time or another flexible pattern.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.

If you have problems applying, contact

Address Recruitment Team, Walton Hospital, Whitecotes Lane, Chesterfield, S40 3HW

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