Job summary
An exciting opportunity has arisen to join a brand new service, the Virtual Autism Hub, as a Specialist Autism Navigator.
The Virtual Autism Hub is developing and is aiming to provide an innovative source of all age autism community support to empower autistic people and their parent/carers. Initially the organisation will be under the auspices of LPFT with the intention of becoming a separate community organisation. The organisation goes beyond statutory support and will work closely with the voluntary sector, in particular local, volunteer-led support groups.
Specialist Autism Navigators will be instrumental in ensuring that the autistic people and their families and carers in Lincolnshire are directed and supported to the most appropriate available services to support them, including access to wider voluntary, charitable and social enterprise groups
Main duties of the job
You will provide advice, signposting and access support where needed to those considering or awaiting assessment for autism, those who self-identify as autistic or those who have been formally diagnosed/recognised as autistic. They will have an excellent working knowledge of local autism services (including statutory and VCSE) and ensure that all signposting information is current and accurate. They will work within the wider virtual autism hub to provide a community support offer to Lincolnshire.
Specialist Autism Navigators will have up to date knowledge and experience of autism and be aware of current best practice guidelines in supporting autistic people. They will not provide clinical support or interventions, although can signpost and support individuals to access this where available.
About us
Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust provides mental health services and a number of learning disability, autism and social care services in the county of Lincolnshire. Employing around 2,800 staff, and serving a population of over 766,000, our people lie at the heart of everything we do.
You could be part of a Trust rated by staff as one of the best mental health and learning disability trusts in England, in an area heralded as a fantastic place to live and work. We firmly believe the key to high quality care is a contented workforce. This is reflected in our Care Quality Commission rating of 'outstanding' for well-led and 'good' overall. In the most recent National NHS Staff Survey, our staff rated us as the number one trust nationally for staff morale and one of the top scoring NHS Trusts in the Midlands for being compassionate and inclusive. We're really proud of this!
We are also leading the way in transforming care, with multi-million-pound transformation of patient environments and radical redesign of community services.
This is the time to join and help redesign our services of the future. We offer options for flexible working and provide a wide range of training and promotion opportunities in all professions. We support and celebrate diversity, have active staff networks groups and are always looking at what more we can do to support our staff.
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will be required to perform the following:
- The navigator will be expected to develop their specialist knowledge of local services, using existing information and developing links with service providers and voluntary groups, keeping up-to-date with service changes and developments in relation to autism specifically.
- To engage with autistic people and parent/carers.
- To identify in general terms, services and benefits that the service user and their family may be entitled to and support them to apply for these, in accordance with their wishes.
- Develop with service users an appropriate course of action, including contacting services on their behalf, supporting them to attend meetings and contact services themselves.
- To work with people with a range of needs dealing with issues ranging from social isolation, accessing an autism diagnosis and other statutory services and accessing post diagnostic support where available.
- Promote autonomy and empowerment of service users.
- Ensure the service users voice is heard in meetings with professionals.
- Navigators should be able to identify when there is a need for urgent action or step-up in support and alert the relevant outside professional(s) and Team Manager.
- Develop effective liaison with support organizations including autism and disability support groups e.g. SHINE, Managed Care Network etc.
- Interact with other agencies on behalf of service users, including social care, education, DWP.
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will be required to perform the following:
- The navigator will be expected to develop their specialist knowledge of local services, using existing information and developing links with service providers and voluntary groups, keeping up-to-date with service changes and developments in relation to autism specifically.
- To engage with autistic people and parent/carers.
- To identify in general terms, services and benefits that the service user and their family may be entitled to and support them to apply for these, in accordance with their wishes.
- Develop with service users an appropriate course of action, including contacting services on their behalf, supporting them to attend meetings and contact services themselves.
- To work with people with a range of needs dealing with issues ranging from social isolation, accessing an autism diagnosis and other statutory services and accessing post diagnostic support where available.
- Promote autonomy and empowerment of service users.
- Ensure the service users voice is heard in meetings with professionals.
- Navigators should be able to identify when there is a need for urgent action or step-up in support and alert the relevant outside professional(s) and Team Manager.
- Develop effective liaison with support organizations including autism and disability support groups e.g. SHINE, Managed Care Network etc.
- Interact with other agencies on behalf of service users, including social care, education, DWP.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Vocational Qualifications at level 4 or 5/ Foundation Degree in relevant field, or equivalent experience within a previous work or volunteering setting
Desirable
- Level 3 Autism or equivalent understanding
- Level 3 Peer Support
- Level 3 Care Navigator training will be provided to successful candidates
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with autistic people and/or parent/carers in a service or voluntary sector setting
- Working knowledge of national autism policies
- Experience of working in partnership or being involved with organisations with shared aims
Desirable
- Experience of working alongside volunteers and/or personal volunteer experience
- Evidence of being involved and making a difference in projects that benefit autistic people and/or parent/carers
Skills
Essential
- IT literate
- Competent to use Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook, and quick to learn the use of other software programmes as relevant
- Ability to work on own initiative and organise own workload, including email inbox
- Able to organise and conduct 1:1 meetings with service users in a variety of settings
- Commitment to and a working knowledge of equality and diversity
- Detailed understanding of the needs of autistic people and/or parents/carers
- Competence in communicating with service users in distress
- Preferred means of communication may be verbal and/or written, subject to agreement)
- Rapport gaining and engagement skills
- Ability to complete a range of forms on behalf of service users
- Assist service users to attend appointments
Desirable
- Motivational interviewing skills
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Vocational Qualifications at level 4 or 5/ Foundation Degree in relevant field, or equivalent experience within a previous work or volunteering setting
Desirable
- Level 3 Autism or equivalent understanding
- Level 3 Peer Support
- Level 3 Care Navigator training will be provided to successful candidates
Experience
Essential
- Experience of working with autistic people and/or parent/carers in a service or voluntary sector setting
- Working knowledge of national autism policies
- Experience of working in partnership or being involved with organisations with shared aims
Desirable
- Experience of working alongside volunteers and/or personal volunteer experience
- Evidence of being involved and making a difference in projects that benefit autistic people and/or parent/carers
Skills
Essential
- IT literate
- Competent to use Microsoft Word, Excel and Outlook, and quick to learn the use of other software programmes as relevant
- Ability to work on own initiative and organise own workload, including email inbox
- Able to organise and conduct 1:1 meetings with service users in a variety of settings
- Commitment to and a working knowledge of equality and diversity
- Detailed understanding of the needs of autistic people and/or parents/carers
- Competence in communicating with service users in distress
- Preferred means of communication may be verbal and/or written, subject to agreement)
- Rapport gaining and engagement skills
- Ability to complete a range of forms on behalf of service users
- Assist service users to attend appointments
Desirable
- Motivational interviewing skills
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.
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.
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).
