Children & Young People Autism Assessment Pathway Navigator

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

The closing date is 14 May 2025

Job summary

We are recruiting to an exciting, newly commissioned post of an Autism Pathway Navigator, to support and guide families across east and west Cumbria during the diagnostic Autism assessment process.

The Autism Pathway assessment is the process for children and young people who are being assessed for an autism spectrum disorder. The pathway begins at referral, and is completed when family carers and the young person have been offered opportunity to discuss the outcome of the assessment. The role of the Pathway Navigator has been developed specifically to support family carers during the pathway and to ensure a better experience in response to feedback from family carers that the Pathway is difficult to understand and navigate.

Our team provide an effective system of support and supervision, which may include 1:1, pair or group supervision, covering management, clinical and safeguarding supervision.

You will work closely with the Pathway Navigator's already working around the county, to provide equity of service for families across Cumbria.

Main duties of the job

As an integral and highly valued member of the Autism Pathway team, the Pathway Navigator, they will support the Autism Pathway team (which includes Community Paediatricians, Speech and Language Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Physiotherapy, Children's Community Nurses and the business support teams) to manage the waiting list for the autism pathway, being a point of contact / liaison for parents and families whose children are awaiting assessment. This will include performing welfare checks and ensuring families are kept up to date with their children's progress along the pathway.

The Pathway Navigator will support children/ young people and family carers understanding of the Autism Pathway through the provision of information and advice and enhance connection to local communities.

The Pathway Navigator will take a lead role in advocating for the child, young person and family carers within the service and wider MDT Team, and will also support the understanding of the autism assessment process with external agencies, partner organisations and referrers.

The post holder will establish and facilitate a point of contact for families and carers supporting children / Young People who are being assessed for Autism.

Liaise with clinical colleagues when specific cases need action i.e. pursuing reports, appointments etc

Ensure Autism Tracker is updated to correctly reflect current position for reporting.

About us

At NCIC, we have an ambition to deliver outstanding healthcare services to the population of North Cumbria. The Trust is committed to creating a centre of excellence in providing rural and remote healthcare and provides a wide range of community and acute services throughout our county.

Our 5 key principles demonstrate our belief in the delivery of 'safe, high quality care every time':

Being a clinically led organisation

Quality and safety at the heart of our Trust

A positive patient experience every time

A great place to work

Managing our money well

As an organisation we are serious about supporting a diverse workforce that reflects our local community and are very much focused on being an inclusive and compassionate place to work.

Across the North East and North Cumbria we are working together to deliver our ambition to be the greenest region in England by 2030. All staff are expected to support sustainability.

Date posted

30 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

262-A-25-7102344

Job locations

North Cumbria

Springboard CDC

Carlisle

CA2 7HE


Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification for further information regarding the role and the essential and desirable criteria required to be met by applicants.

Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment.Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed.

If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme or Armed Forces Covenant and you meet all the essential criteria for a post, you will be guaranteed an interview.

Relocation assistance may be available for successful applicants moving to the region for certain posts. Please see our Policy for eligible vacancies.

Please ensure that you document evidence of meeting all the essential criteria in the supporting information.

If sufficient response is received this post could be closed earlier than the specified closing date, please apply as soon as possible to ensure that your application is considered.

Important Information

Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.

For candidates applying using a Hotmail account or have strict firewall settings please ensure the following:

  • Junk Mail is checked regularly

Disclosure and Barring Service:

On 28 November 2020, the new Disclosure and Barring Service filtering rules will come into effect.

The changes mean that:

  • youth cautions, reprimands and final warnings will no longer be subject to automatic disclosure
  • the multiple conviction rule has been removed, meaning that if an individual has more than one conviction, regardless of offence type or time passed, each conviction will be considered against the remaining rules individually, rather than being automatically disclosed.

If you are unsure about whether you need to disclose certain criminal record information, free confidential advice may be sought from one of the charity bodies listed below. These bodies can advise you on what you are legally required to declare and may also be able to advise you on how you can disclose criminal record information to a prospective employer and your legal rights when doing so.

Nacro Tel: 0300 123 1999, or email: helpline@nacro.org.uk

Unlock Tel: 01634 247350, email advice@unlock.org.uk or complete the online form on the Unlock website

Please note the cost of the DBS check is increasing from 2nd December and the new cost will be

Standard DBS check £21.50, Enhanced DBS check £49.50 + any admin costs.

The Trust is committed to safeguarding adults and children therefore if the post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended) the successful candidate(s) will be subject to a criminal records check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction. DBS charges are as followsif applicable to the post:

Standard Check: £18 + Administration cost of £3.85 = £21.85. Deducted at £6.85 from 1st month salary and £5 deducted from salary over following 3 months.

Enhanced Check: £38 + administration cost of £3.90 = £41.90. Deducted at £11.90 from 1st month salary and £10 deducted from salary over following 3 months.

As part of the one of the largest employers in the UK NCIC future employees will have also access to the following benefits.

A lease car may be available for this position; further details will be provided upon appointment if applicable.

27-day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years

Flexible working Scheme

Excellent opportunities for development

Competitive NHS Pension scheme

Access to NHS discounts with retailers and leisure companies

EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) a free, confidential counselling and information service to assist with personal or work-related problems

These schemes are subject to availability

Job description

Job responsibilities

Please see attached job description and person specification for further information regarding the role and the essential and desirable criteria required to be met by applicants.

Please note, due to changes implemented by the Government to the UK immigration policy, individuals who require a Health and Care Visa or a Skilled Worker Visa may no longer be eligible for sponsorship where the UKVI salary threshold is not met or if the occupation is not included in the updated Immigration Salary List (ISL). Applicants must check their eligibility to be employed in any role they are interested in applying for, prior to completing an application for employment.Any applicants who do not meet the eligibility criteria will not be progressed.

If you are applying under the Disability Confident Scheme or Armed Forces Covenant and you meet all the essential criteria for a post, you will be guaranteed an interview.

Relocation assistance may be available for successful applicants moving to the region for certain posts. Please see our Policy for eligible vacancies.

Please ensure that you document evidence of meeting all the essential criteria in the supporting information.

If sufficient response is received this post could be closed earlier than the specified closing date, please apply as soon as possible to ensure that your application is considered.

Important Information

Candidates who have been successfully shortlisted for interview will be asked via an email notification to log on to their Trac account to select an interview time. This will usually be within 2 weeks of the closing date.

For candidates applying using a Hotmail account or have strict firewall settings please ensure the following:

  • Junk Mail is checked regularly

Disclosure and Barring Service:

On 28 November 2020, the new Disclosure and Barring Service filtering rules will come into effect.

The changes mean that:

  • youth cautions, reprimands and final warnings will no longer be subject to automatic disclosure
  • the multiple conviction rule has been removed, meaning that if an individual has more than one conviction, regardless of offence type or time passed, each conviction will be considered against the remaining rules individually, rather than being automatically disclosed.

If you are unsure about whether you need to disclose certain criminal record information, free confidential advice may be sought from one of the charity bodies listed below. These bodies can advise you on what you are legally required to declare and may also be able to advise you on how you can disclose criminal record information to a prospective employer and your legal rights when doing so.

Nacro Tel: 0300 123 1999, or email: helpline@nacro.org.uk

Unlock Tel: 01634 247350, email advice@unlock.org.uk or complete the online form on the Unlock website

Please note the cost of the DBS check is increasing from 2nd December and the new cost will be

Standard DBS check £21.50, Enhanced DBS check £49.50 + any admin costs.

The Trust is committed to safeguarding adults and children therefore if the post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended) the successful candidate(s) will be subject to a criminal records check with the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The cost of the DBS must be met by the successful candidate(s) through salary deduction. DBS charges are as followsif applicable to the post:

Standard Check: £18 + Administration cost of £3.85 = £21.85. Deducted at £6.85 from 1st month salary and £5 deducted from salary over following 3 months.

Enhanced Check: £38 + administration cost of £3.90 = £41.90. Deducted at £11.90 from 1st month salary and £10 deducted from salary over following 3 months.

As part of the one of the largest employers in the UK NCIC future employees will have also access to the following benefits.

A lease car may be available for this position; further details will be provided upon appointment if applicable.

27-day holiday scheme rising to 33 after 10 years

Flexible working Scheme

Excellent opportunities for development

Competitive NHS Pension scheme

Access to NHS discounts with retailers and leisure companies

EAP (Employee Assistance Programme) a free, confidential counselling and information service to assist with personal or work-related problems

These schemes are subject to availability

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • oEvidence of ability to study successfully at NVQ level 4 or equivalent
  • oInformation technology skills sufficient to the undertaking of the post

Experience

Essential

  • oExperience of supporting children / family / carers of those with autism.
  • oManaging own workload with effective liaison with others.
  • oAble to work autonomously and as a member of the multi-disciplinary team

Desirable

  • oLived experience with children with autism, and learning disabilities
  • oExperience of multi-agency working, preferably including childcare, health and social care
  • oExperience of community / voluntary / parent / partner agency links

Knowledge

Essential

  • oKnowledge of strategies and interventions relevant to children and young people with autism
  • oKnowledge of issues affecting families and parenting needs of children
  • oKnowledge of available support services and referral routes
  • oKnowledge of legislation and developments relevant to the field of children and autism.

Desirable

  • oUp to date knowledge and awareness of safeguarding matters

Skills and Aptitudes

Essential

  • oAn ability to be flexible and adapt to the changing needs of the developing service.
  • oGood interpersonal skills
  • oAbility to build relationships and trust with family carers
  • oAbility to deal with difficult situations and/or individuals in a calm, fair but effective manner
  • oUnderstanding of different professional roles and perspectives
  • oCriminal records Bureau enhanced clearance.
  • oAbility to travel frequently to different work bases.

personal circumstances

Essential

  • oFull driving licence

Other Requirements

Essential

  • o Demonstrate importance of Equality and Diversity
Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

  • oEvidence of ability to study successfully at NVQ level 4 or equivalent
  • oInformation technology skills sufficient to the undertaking of the post

Experience

Essential

  • oExperience of supporting children / family / carers of those with autism.
  • oManaging own workload with effective liaison with others.
  • oAble to work autonomously and as a member of the multi-disciplinary team

Desirable

  • oLived experience with children with autism, and learning disabilities
  • oExperience of multi-agency working, preferably including childcare, health and social care
  • oExperience of community / voluntary / parent / partner agency links

Knowledge

Essential

  • oKnowledge of strategies and interventions relevant to children and young people with autism
  • oKnowledge of issues affecting families and parenting needs of children
  • oKnowledge of available support services and referral routes
  • oKnowledge of legislation and developments relevant to the field of children and autism.

Desirable

  • oUp to date knowledge and awareness of safeguarding matters

Skills and Aptitudes

Essential

  • oAn ability to be flexible and adapt to the changing needs of the developing service.
  • oGood interpersonal skills
  • oAbility to build relationships and trust with family carers
  • oAbility to deal with difficult situations and/or individuals in a calm, fair but effective manner
  • oUnderstanding of different professional roles and perspectives
  • oCriminal records Bureau enhanced clearance.
  • oAbility to travel frequently to different work bases.

personal circumstances

Essential

  • oFull driving licence

Other Requirements

Essential

  • o Demonstrate importance of Equality and Diversity

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

Employer details

Employer name

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

North Cumbria

Springboard CDC

Carlisle

CA2 7HE


Employer's website

https://www.ncic.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer details

Employer name

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust

Address

North Cumbria

Springboard CDC

Carlisle

CA2 7HE


Employer's website

https://www.ncic.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

For questions about the job, contact:

Deputy General Manager

Elizabeth Malpass

Elizabeth.Malpass@ncic.nhs.uk

07760991123

Date posted

30 April 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 4

Salary

£26,530 to £29,114 a year per annum pro rata

Contract

Fixed term

Duration

12 months

Working pattern

Full-time, Part-time

Reference number

262-A-25-7102344

Job locations

North Cumbria

Springboard CDC

Carlisle

CA2 7HE


Supporting documents

Privacy notice

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust's privacy notice (opens in a new tab)