Caudwell Children

Autism Nurse Practitioner and Designated Safeguarding Lead

The closing date is 17 March 2026

Job summary

This is an exciting opportunity to work in a supportive and collaborative environment. To take the lead in ensuring that appropriate arrangements for keeping children and young people safe are in place at Caudwell Children. To promote the safety and welfare of children and young people involved in Caudwell Childrens activities at all times.

Main duties of the job

Safeguarding-You will lead on the development, implementation, and review of Caudwell Childrens safeguarding and child protection policies, ensuring compliance with local and national guidance. The role includes ensuring all staff, volunteers, trustees, children, and families understand safeguarding procedures and know how to raise concerns.The post holder will receive and manage safeguarding information, assess risk, and take appropriate action in line with policy, including referrals to statutory agencies such as childrens social care or the police. They will liaise with external agencies, maintain secure safeguarding records, and report regularly to senior management and the board of trustees.

Clinical Responsibilities-The post holder will provide enhanced clinical support to the family support team and lead autism assessments from referral to discharge, including contributing to ADOS and ADI-R assessments. They will communicate assessment outcomes sensitively and undertake clinical work with children and families, providing advice, resources, and autism-specific strategies. The role includes risk assessment and management, contributing to multidisciplinary team working, service development, audit, and research. The post holder will support family involvement in service planning, provide mentorship and supervision, and work collaboratively to ensure high-quality, evidence-based practice that respects the views, culture, and wellbeing of children and families.

About us

We are seeking an experienced and enthusiastic Designated Safeguarding Lead and to join our dedicated, experienced and growing team of professionals as we embark on a journey of expansion.

Established in 2000, Caudwell Children aims to change peoples 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 #jointhechange and help us in our mission!

Our facilities provide a state-of-the-art base within the grounds of Keele University, Staffordshire, with the option of informal homeworking arrangements up to 40% of working week after passing probation.

Details

Date posted

17 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

B0338-25-0020

Job locations

Caudwell International Children's

Centre, Innovation Way

Keele

Staffordshire

ST5 5NT


Job description

Job responsibilities

Duties and responsibilities Safeguarding

Take a lead role in developing and reviewing Caudwell Childrens safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures ensuringcompliancewithlocalandnationalguidelines.

Take a lead role in implementing Caudwell Childrens safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures: ensuring all safeguarding and child protection issue concerning children and young people who take part in Caudwell Childrens activities are responded to appropriately.

Make sure that everyone working or volunteering with or for children and young people at Caudwell Children, including the board of trustees, understands the safeguarding and child protection policy and procedures and knows what to do if they have concerns about a childs welfare.Make sure children and young people who are involved in activities at Caudwell Children and their parents know who they can talk to if they have a welfare concern and understand what action the organisation will take in response.

Receive and record information from anyone who has concerns about a child who takes part in Caudwell Childrens activities. Take the lead on responding to information that may constitute a child protection concern, including a concern that an adult involved with Caudwell Children may present a risk to children or young people. This includes: a. assessing and clarifying the information b. making referrals to statutory organisations as appropriate c. consulting with and informing the relevant members of the organisations management d. following the organisations safeguarding policy and procedures.

Liaise with, pass on information to and receive information from statutory child protection agencies such as: a. the local authority child protection services b. the police. This includes making formal referrals to agencies when necessary.Store and retain child protection records according to legal requirements and the organisations safeguarding and child protection policy and procedures.Work closely with the board of trustees and senior team to ensure they are kept up to date with safeguarding issues and are fully informed of any concerns about organisational safeguarding and child protection practice.

Report regularly to the management team and board of trustees on issues relating to safeguarding and child protection, to ensure that child protection is seen as an ongoing priority issue and that safeguarding and child protection requirements are being followed at all levels of the organisation.Be familiar with and work within inter-agency child protection procedures developed by the local child protection agencies.Be familiar with issues relating to child protection and abuse, and keep up to date with new developments in this area.

Attend regular training in issues relevant to child protection and share knowledge from that training with everyone who works or volunteers with or for children and young people at Caudwell Children.Attend team meetings, supervision sessions and management meetings as arranged.Work flexibly as may be required and carry out any other reasonable duties. Appointment to this role is subject to satisfactory vetting and barring checks.Provideleadershipandsupportonsafeguardingpoliciesandpractices, conductregulartrainingsessionsandupdatesforstaffonsafeguardingmatters,includingspecificissueslikeonlinesafetyandchildprotection.

Clinical Responsibilities

Provide enhanced clinical support to the family support team in relation to families and children accessing the clinical services. Lead on a child/young persons autism assessment from referral to discharge.Support ADOS and ADI-R assessments with children on the autism service pathway.Communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment and formulation of children and families accessing the clinical pathway.Undertake clinical work with individuals, providing advice, resources and strategies, as appropriate, using specialist skills and autism specific approaches where required.Where necessary, undertake risk assessments and risk management for children and their families and to provide advice to other professions on aspects of risk assessment and risk management.Contribute to the development of the multi-disciplinary team.

As part of the team engage actively in practice development, evaluation, audit and research activities to inform evidence-based practice.Support service teams to ensure children and families are involved in future programme planning and delivery.Communicate with children, families and all stakeholders in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture.Provide mentorship and clinical supervision for practice education placements.Where appropriate, share and disseminate research findings with professional colleagues in the interests of practice development.Work collaboratively with all members of the MDT.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Duties and responsibilities Safeguarding

Take a lead role in developing and reviewing Caudwell Childrens safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures ensuringcompliancewithlocalandnationalguidelines.

Take a lead role in implementing Caudwell Childrens safeguarding and child protection policies and procedures: ensuring all safeguarding and child protection issue concerning children and young people who take part in Caudwell Childrens activities are responded to appropriately.

Make sure that everyone working or volunteering with or for children and young people at Caudwell Children, including the board of trustees, understands the safeguarding and child protection policy and procedures and knows what to do if they have concerns about a childs welfare.Make sure children and young people who are involved in activities at Caudwell Children and their parents know who they can talk to if they have a welfare concern and understand what action the organisation will take in response.

Receive and record information from anyone who has concerns about a child who takes part in Caudwell Childrens activities. Take the lead on responding to information that may constitute a child protection concern, including a concern that an adult involved with Caudwell Children may present a risk to children or young people. This includes: a. assessing and clarifying the information b. making referrals to statutory organisations as appropriate c. consulting with and informing the relevant members of the organisations management d. following the organisations safeguarding policy and procedures.

Liaise with, pass on information to and receive information from statutory child protection agencies such as: a. the local authority child protection services b. the police. This includes making formal referrals to agencies when necessary.Store and retain child protection records according to legal requirements and the organisations safeguarding and child protection policy and procedures.Work closely with the board of trustees and senior team to ensure they are kept up to date with safeguarding issues and are fully informed of any concerns about organisational safeguarding and child protection practice.

Report regularly to the management team and board of trustees on issues relating to safeguarding and child protection, to ensure that child protection is seen as an ongoing priority issue and that safeguarding and child protection requirements are being followed at all levels of the organisation.Be familiar with and work within inter-agency child protection procedures developed by the local child protection agencies.Be familiar with issues relating to child protection and abuse, and keep up to date with new developments in this area.

Attend regular training in issues relevant to child protection and share knowledge from that training with everyone who works or volunteers with or for children and young people at Caudwell Children.Attend team meetings, supervision sessions and management meetings as arranged.Work flexibly as may be required and carry out any other reasonable duties. Appointment to this role is subject to satisfactory vetting and barring checks.Provideleadershipandsupportonsafeguardingpoliciesandpractices, conductregulartrainingsessionsandupdatesforstaffonsafeguardingmatters,includingspecificissueslikeonlinesafetyandchildprotection.

Clinical Responsibilities

Provide enhanced clinical support to the family support team in relation to families and children accessing the clinical services. Lead on a child/young persons autism assessment from referral to discharge.Support ADOS and ADI-R assessments with children on the autism service pathway.Communicate in a skilled and sensitive manner, information concerning the assessment and formulation of children and families accessing the clinical pathway.Undertake clinical work with individuals, providing advice, resources and strategies, as appropriate, using specialist skills and autism specific approaches where required.Where necessary, undertake risk assessments and risk management for children and their families and to provide advice to other professions on aspects of risk assessment and risk management.Contribute to the development of the multi-disciplinary team.

As part of the team engage actively in practice development, evaluation, audit and research activities to inform evidence-based practice.Support service teams to ensure children and families are involved in future programme planning and delivery.Communicate with children, families and all stakeholders in a way that respects their views, autonomy and culture.Provide mentorship and clinical supervision for practice education placements.Where appropriate, share and disseminate research findings with professional colleagues in the interests of practice development.Work collaboratively with all members of the MDT.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Essential Criteria:
  • Previous experience in a Lead Safeguarding role, adult or Children.
  • Relevant safeguarding training and qualifications, Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) training
  • Previous experience of working with children/young people with Special education needs and disabilities SEND e.g. Autism, Intellectual disability.
  • Experience of working with families in the community.
  • Experience of working within an MDT and knowledge of neurodevelopmental pathway assessment tools.
  • Experience of undertaking standardised formal assessments.
  • Ability to work with a high degree of accuracy.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Excellent IT skills.
  • Ability to plan and prioritise workloads.
  • A positive can-do attitude with a flexible approach to work.
  • Able to meet the physical requirements of the role after reasonable adjustments have been made for illness or disability.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills to effectively convey safeguarding policies, procedures and using skills when conversing with young people/families.
  • Is able to adapt communication skills when working with children/young people and families.
  • Ability to build relationships with children/young people, families, and staff, fostering a culture of trust and safety. Being self-motivated and having a flexible and proactive approach.
  • Working with limited supervision or direction and has the ability to work off their own initiative.
  • Self-motivated with a flexible and proactive approach.

Desirable

  • Desirable Criteria:
  • ADOS training desirable
  • ADIR training desirable
  • Knowledge of statutory and voluntary agencies.
  • Experience of working in the Third Sector.
  • Experience of working in CQC and ISO regulated organisations.
  • Experience of working with volunteers.
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • Essential Criteria:
  • Previous experience in a Lead Safeguarding role, adult or Children.
  • Relevant safeguarding training and qualifications, Designated Safeguarding Lead (DSL) training
  • Previous experience of working with children/young people with Special education needs and disabilities SEND e.g. Autism, Intellectual disability.
  • Experience of working with families in the community.
  • Experience of working within an MDT and knowledge of neurodevelopmental pathway assessment tools.
  • Experience of undertaking standardised formal assessments.
  • Ability to work with a high degree of accuracy.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
  • Excellent IT skills.
  • Ability to plan and prioritise workloads.
  • A positive can-do attitude with a flexible approach to work.
  • Able to meet the physical requirements of the role after reasonable adjustments have been made for illness or disability.
  • Strong verbal and written communication skills to effectively convey safeguarding policies, procedures and using skills when conversing with young people/families.
  • Is able to adapt communication skills when working with children/young people and families.
  • Ability to build relationships with children/young people, families, and staff, fostering a culture of trust and safety. Being self-motivated and having a flexible and proactive approach.
  • Working with limited supervision or direction and has the ability to work off their own initiative.
  • Self-motivated with a flexible and proactive approach.

Desirable

  • Desirable Criteria:
  • ADOS training desirable
  • ADIR training desirable
  • Knowledge of statutory and voluntary agencies.
  • Experience of working in the Third Sector.
  • Experience of working in CQC and ISO regulated organisations.
  • Experience of working with volunteers.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Additional information

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Caudwell Children

Address

Caudwell International Children's

Centre, Innovation Way

Keele

Staffordshire

ST5 5NT


Employer's website

https://www.caudwellchildren.com/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer details

Employer name

Caudwell Children

Address

Caudwell International Children's

Centre, Innovation Way

Keele

Staffordshire

ST5 5NT


Employer's website

https://www.caudwellchildren.com/ (Opens in a new tab)


Employer contact details

For questions about the job, contact:

HR Admin

Tina Baker

tina.baker@caudwellchildren.com

01782433732

Details

Date posted

17 December 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 7

Salary

Depending on experience

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Full-time

Reference number

B0338-25-0020

Job locations

Caudwell International Children's

Centre, Innovation Way

Keele

Staffordshire

ST5 5NT


Privacy notice

Caudwell Children's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)