West Yorkshire Learning Disability and Autism Keyworker

Barnardo’s

This job is now closed

Job summary

Are you an experienced practitioner looking for a dynamic role that makes a positive impact on the lives of children and young people with learning disabilities, autism or both?

Do you believe in transforming health, social care and educational systems for children and young people with learning disabilities, autism or both?

Barnardo's West Yorkshire Keyworker Service is recruiting and this could be the next role for you.

The NHS Long Term Plan (LTP) includes commitment that by 2023/24 children and young people with a learning disability, autism or both with the most complex needs will have a designated keyworker.

Initially, Learning Disability and Autism Keyworker support will be provided to children and young people who are inpatients or at risk of being admitted to hospital. Learning Disability and Autism Keyworker support will extend to the most vulnerable children with a learning disability and/or autism, including those who face multiple vulnerabilities such as looked after and adopted children, and children and young people in transition between services.

As Learning Disability and Autism Keyworker you will share your knowledge and expertise in this area of work with the wider team as well as provide guidance and advice to colleagues and work with the Programme Manager, Team Manager and Senior Keyworkers to provide a Service that will make a difference to children and young people and their families. You will be joining a team that is passionate about the work they do.

Main duties of the job

As Learning Disability and Autism Keyworker you will:

Have knowledge/experience of learning disabilities and autism (this can be lived experience).
Have responsibility for a caseload working with children, young people, their parents/carers and families to navigate what is a complex health and social care system so that their needs are met before reaching crisis point.
Build a trusting relationship with families so they get the support that they need at the right time, where possible local to them, in their community.
Secure wraparound support/care for children and young people with complex learning disabilities, autism or both.
Work alongside cross-sector multiagency professionals including health, education, youth justice, voluntary sector and social care.
Work with our co-production lead to ensure the Service is developed/co-produced with parents, carers, young people and those with lived experience.
Receive quality and reflective supervision/learning opportunities to develop you in the role.

This is an exciting and innovative role which gives you opportunity to work in partnership with the four West Yorkshire Health Trusts, the five local authorities, local advocacy organisations and the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise sector.

This contract is a permanent status, this post is subject to funding currently to 31st March 2024 when the contract is due to expire. Should funding not be extended further, you may be subject to a redundancy consultation or a TUPE arrangement.

About us

Barnardo's offers a hybrid working model covered under our `Work from Anywhere' Framework, therefore vacancies advertised with this as an opportunity are open for applicants to either work from home or any location within the UK, including Barnardo's Hub/Office that is a reasonable distance from your home address.

Flexibility

Barnardo's believe in creating equality of opportunity in the workplace and supporting people to manage their work-life balance; we are therefore open to offering flexible working arrangements.

At Barnardo's we believe in children no matter who they are, what they have done or what they have been through.

Please read about our basis and values following the link below.

https://www.barnardos.org.uk/who-we-are/our-values

You will be asked questions relating to them as part of the recruitment process for this role.

Barnardo's is committed to having a diverse and inclusive workforce for staff and volunteers. We actively encourage applications from disabled, Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within Barnardo's.

To understand the work of Keyworker Services, the remit and the Keyworker role please ensure you visit the websites below and read the relevant information before applying for the role:

https://www.england.nhs.uk/learning-disabilities/care/children-young-people/keyworkers/

https://www.ncb.org.uk/resources/all-resources/filter/social-care/these-are-our-children

https://www.longtermplan.nhs.uk/

Date posted

26 June 2023

Pay scheme

Other

Salary

£28,275 a year

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

B0033-23-0008

Job locations

Barnardos

Low Lane

Horsforth

Leeds

LS18 5QW

Job description

Job responsibilities

Barnardos is expanding its team of keyworkers who support children and young people with learning disabilities and young autistic people.

Keyworkers are:

Aspirational for every child and young person and their families

Passionate to enable people to reach their potential and have the best life they want.

Approachable

Non-judgemental / respectful

Compassionate

Honest and transparent

A great facilitator

Treats parents/carers as equals

The values each keyworker brings to the role are paramount; person centred, solution focused, creative and passionate about supporting children, young people, and their families.

This is a new service, working in partnership with the 4 West Yorkshire Health Trusts,5 LAs and VCSE sector and local advocacy organisations

The team is made up of a manager, an administrator, 2 senior project workers and five project workers (this role). (The West Yorkshire Health Trusts are: Bradford District Care Foundation Trust, Leeds & York Partnership Foundation Trust, South West Yorkshire Foundation Trust, Leeds Community Health)

The overall aims and objectives for the keyworker roles is that families get the support they need to navigate complex systems, supported by someone they have built a trusting relationship with.

Medium term we would hope that the support needed will be identified before the child, young person, family/carers reach crisis point.

The Keyworkers will work closely with the Health and Social Care professionals in supporting the navigation of the system and securing wrap around support and care for children, young people, with complex Learning Disabilities and/or Autism or both, and their families.

The keyworkers will work within the parameters of legislation, this will on occasion mean the keyworkers will act as an advocate on behalf of the child, young person and family to challenge professionals to support people within a positive risk-taking approach.

Function of the Keyworker Role The keyworker role has 2 main functions: a) Supporting children and young people with learning disabilities and young autistic people within their home or the setting where the child or young person is living or staying. Providing 1:1 support for the child or young person, and family. co-ordinating links with peers, community networks and other services, to secure the most appropriate provision to meet need now and in the future.

b) Understanding from the child or young person and their family experience, what supports a good family life and what gets in the way. This information will be shared by the keyworker in reports and at strategic meetings.

Skills, abilities, experience, and knowledge (please refer to these in your application) Your experience may have been gained in a personal or professional capacity.

Applications are encouraged from people with lived experience.

A good working knowledge of the social model of disability and a commitment to self-directed support.

Sound understanding of the theory and principles of person-centred practice. Experience of communicating with and supporting children and young people with learning disability and autism (or both)

Awareness and experience of safeguarding for children and/or vulnerable young adults.

Strong holistic understanding of the education, health and social care systems to fulfil the Key Working function.

Understanding of the Care Education and Treatment Review process and Dynamic Risk Registers.

Strong assessment skills, with an asset-based approach to identify strengths and needs and develop support plans that are co-produced and start with what is important to the young person and their family.

Ability to advocate, understand and manage legal processes to achieve positive outcomes for children.

Ability to communicate confidently across all agencies and departments both orally and in writing and handle complex correspondence including complex legal or medical information.

Ability to support young people and their family/carers to have a voice and to represent the views and wishes of the young person and their family/carers when necessary, in an assertive and clear manner

Communicate effectively with children, young people and families using a variety of communication skills, verbal and non-verbal and written and electronic.

Utilise a range of skills to support positive parenting and be able to apply skills and techniques to resolve or minimise conflict and distress. (desirable)

Ability to tailor information to make it accessible to individual young people where necessary.

Ability to question and challenge support that is offered to young people excellent negotiation skills. Ability to be solution focused.

Ability to coordinate support and achieve multi-agency buy in based on strong experience of health and social care and/or education systems and cross system knowledge. Skilled at time management.

Ability to maintain clear accurate records of work with each young person in accordance with local procedures on record keeping.

Barnardo's Keyworker Service (West Yorkshire)Nominal Location of Post Leeds Support Office Rockford House Low Lane Horsforth Leeds LS18 5QW

Barnardo's is taking an agile working approach meaning a blend of office and home working.

Funding, subject to review, for this pilot stage is available until 31st March 2024.