Job summary
The Lighthouse is the first UK Child's House, a national leader in trauma-informed, multidisciplinary support for children and young people who have experienced child sexual abuse. Based in Camden and serving North Central London, we provide integrated health assessments, therapeutic interventions, advocacy through the criminal justice process, and video recorded interviews led by clinical psychologists. Our model has influenced policy and practice across the UK, improving well-being for children and carers, and increasing convictions.
We are seeking an experienced, professionally registered Social Worker to join our team of social workers and ChISVAs. If you want to shape how social workers respond to children as victims of crime, and you are ready to deepen your expertise in complex safeguarding, this is an exceptional opportunity to work within a unique and nationally influential service.
Main duties of the job
You will bring substantial experience in safeguarding and direct work with children and families, sound knowledge of trauma-informed practice, and confidence working in a busy, emotionally demanding environment. You will value reflective supervision, psychological safety and effective partnership working, and you will be comfortable engaging in both formal processes and collaborative, relationship-based approaches to practice.
Our commitment to inclusion
We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace whose teams reflect the diversity of the children and families we support. We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and other ethnicities, and from men, who are underrepresented in our service in order for us to provide a service that reflects our children and families experiences and uniqueness.
About us
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (UCLH) is one of the most complex NHS trusts in the UK, serving a large and diverse population. We provide academically led acute and specialist services, to people from the local area, from throughout the United Kingdom and overseas. Our vision is to deliver top-quality patient care, excellent education, and world-class research. We provide first-class acute and specialist services across eight sites:
University College Hospital (incorporating the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Wing)
National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery
Royal National ENT and Eastman Dental Hospitals
University College Hospital Grafton Way Building
Royal London Hospital for Integrated Medicine
University College Hospital Macmillan Cancer Centre
The Hospital for Tropical Diseases
University College Hospital at Westmoreland Street
We are dedicated to the diagnosis and treatment of many complex illnesses. UCLH specialises in women's health and the treatment of cancer, infection, neurological, gastrointestinal and oral disease. It has world class support services including critical care, imaging, nuclear medicine and pathology.
We are committed to sustainability and have pledged to become a carbon net zero health service, embedding sustainable practice throughout UCLH. We have set an ambitious target of net zero for our direct emissions by 2031 and indirect emissions by 2040.
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will play a pivotal role in early intervention, guiding each childs journey from initial referral through to recovery. As part of our duty system, you will provide timely advice, safeguarding oversight and risk management at the point of referral, ensuring that concerns are identified, escalated and responded to appropriately. The role involves undertaking integrated, holistic assessments that bring together multidisciplinary perspectives, and delivering direct therapeutic and practical support to children and their carers. You will work closely with CAMHS clinicians, our paediatric health team and NSPCC therapeutic practitioners to coordinate care and ensure a seamless response. You will manage a complex caseload with a high degree of autonomy, maintaining safe, effective practice, and you will actively contribute to ongoing service development, helping to strengthen our approach to the treatment, protection and recovery of children who have experienced sexual abuse
Act as the lead practitioner for each child on your caseload, offering steady support throughout their recovery and ensuring that their voice and lived experience guide every stage of our practice.
Contribute to the Lighthouse duty system by reviewing referrals, offering safeguarding oversight and ensuring that any concerns are promptly escalated to the Consultant Social Worker.
Act as the key point of coordination for children, young people and their families during their time with the Lighthouse, fostering strong collaboration within families and across partner agencies.
Demonstrate the ability to manage a busy and complex workload, meet competing deadlines and use time efficiently.
Take a proactive approach to identifying obstacles, resolving problems and supporting the child, young person and their safe family members, acting as their main point of contact within the service.
Ensure that children, young people and families have clear, ongoing access to information about what to expect, including guidance on the criminal justice process, social care pathways and the roles of the Lighthouses multidisciplinary team.
Provide advice and support to help families make informed decisions, ensuring that children, young people and carers understand their rights throughout their involvement with the service.
Participate in Lighthouse multidisciplinary assessments and contribute to care planning to ensure coordinated, trauma-informed responses.
Develop, review and recommend safety plans for children and their families, ensuring they align with safeguarding legislation, pan-London procedures and established best practice.
Support families in overcoming barriers that may prevent access to recommended services and ensure smooth transitions into community-based provision where onward referrals are made.
Use specialist knowledge of child sexual abuse and trauma to deliver direct interventions that assess needs, strengthen resilience and promote recovery for children and their carers.
Offer expertise on issues related to child sexual abuse, working collaboratively with community partners and engaging in joint planning, reviews and coordinated interventions with multidisciplinary colleagues.
For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.
Come and be a part of the best NHS trust in England to work for, according to our staff*
* UCLH top trust to work at in England - In the most recent NHS staff survey UCLH had the highest percentage of staff who said they would recommend us as a place to work, out of all general acute or acute/community NHS trusts in England for the third year in a row.
UCLH recognises the benefits of flexible working for staff To find out more, visit: Flexible working.
To discover more about what makes UCLH a great place to work, visit: Why Choose UCLH?
Job description
Job responsibilities
You will play a pivotal role in early intervention, guiding each childs journey from initial referral through to recovery. As part of our duty system, you will provide timely advice, safeguarding oversight and risk management at the point of referral, ensuring that concerns are identified, escalated and responded to appropriately. The role involves undertaking integrated, holistic assessments that bring together multidisciplinary perspectives, and delivering direct therapeutic and practical support to children and their carers. You will work closely with CAMHS clinicians, our paediatric health team and NSPCC therapeutic practitioners to coordinate care and ensure a seamless response. You will manage a complex caseload with a high degree of autonomy, maintaining safe, effective practice, and you will actively contribute to ongoing service development, helping to strengthen our approach to the treatment, protection and recovery of children who have experienced sexual abuse
Act as the lead practitioner for each child on your caseload, offering steady support throughout their recovery and ensuring that their voice and lived experience guide every stage of our practice.
Contribute to the Lighthouse duty system by reviewing referrals, offering safeguarding oversight and ensuring that any concerns are promptly escalated to the Consultant Social Worker.
Act as the key point of coordination for children, young people and their families during their time with the Lighthouse, fostering strong collaboration within families and across partner agencies.
Demonstrate the ability to manage a busy and complex workload, meet competing deadlines and use time efficiently.
Take a proactive approach to identifying obstacles, resolving problems and supporting the child, young person and their safe family members, acting as their main point of contact within the service.
Ensure that children, young people and families have clear, ongoing access to information about what to expect, including guidance on the criminal justice process, social care pathways and the roles of the Lighthouses multidisciplinary team.
Provide advice and support to help families make informed decisions, ensuring that children, young people and carers understand their rights throughout their involvement with the service.
Participate in Lighthouse multidisciplinary assessments and contribute to care planning to ensure coordinated, trauma-informed responses.
Develop, review and recommend safety plans for children and their families, ensuring they align with safeguarding legislation, pan-London procedures and established best practice.
Support families in overcoming barriers that may prevent access to recommended services and ensure smooth transitions into community-based provision where onward referrals are made.
Use specialist knowledge of child sexual abuse and trauma to deliver direct interventions that assess needs, strengthen resilience and promote recovery for children and their carers.
Offer expertise on issues related to child sexual abuse, working collaboratively with community partners and engaging in joint planning, reviews and coordinated interventions with multidisciplinary colleagues.
For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.
Come and be a part of the best NHS trust in England to work for, according to our staff*
* UCLH top trust to work at in England - In the most recent NHS staff survey UCLH had the highest percentage of staff who said they would recommend us as a place to work, out of all general acute or acute/community NHS trusts in England for the third year in a row.
UCLH recognises the benefits of flexible working for staff To find out more, visit: Flexible working.
To discover more about what makes UCLH a great place to work, visit: Why Choose UCLH?
Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential
- a.Professional social work qualification and current Social Work registration
- b.An understanding of sexual and domestic violence, trauma and the long-term mental health effects of sexual violence especially on children.
- c.Knowledge of up to date Pan London child protection procedures and statutory guidance relating to multidisciplinary safeguarding.
- d.An understanding of systems and barriers faced by vulnerable children in accessing services to support their experience of recovery from child sexual abuse particularly for black, Asian and minority ethnic groups.
Experience
Essential
- a.Significant experience of post qualifying/training professional background in a children's service organisation.
- b.Experience of undertaking assessments, care planning and direct work interventions with children and families.
- c.Experience of direct work with children and carers affected by Child sexual abuse.
- d.Experience of anti-racist practice or practice that is focused on addressing barriers for vulnerable children particularly those from minoritised groups in accessing support services.
Desirable
- e.Experience reviewing referrals and undertaking triage tasks as part of duty systems.
- f.Experience providing safeguarding advice to professionals.
Communication
Essential
- a.Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- b.Ability to handle complex or sensitive information during discussion with individual or groups
- c.Able to communicate effectively to all disciplines and modeling systemic appreciation approaches that encourage reflection and allow for different perspectives to be heard.
- d.Excellent oral, written and presentation skills including willingness to speak at public events and conferences
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- a.Decision-making skills
- b.Able to manage time effectively
- c.Able to prioritise objectives and workload
- d.Committed to supporting and adding to a reflective learning culture within the lighthouse
Quality
Essential
- a.Ability to prioritise work in the face of competing demands in a busy service.
- b.Ability to manage workloads and deliver to deadlines within resources
- c.Ability to review work in accordance with Lighthouse and Barnahus quality standards.
- d.To support data analysis and collation when requested.
Health and Safety
Essential
- a.Monitor and maintains health, safety and security of self and others
- b.Safeguarding risk management techniques and skills
Information Processing
Essential
- a.Able to utilise ICT to full potential
Person Specification
Knowledge
Essential
- a.Professional social work qualification and current Social Work registration
- b.An understanding of sexual and domestic violence, trauma and the long-term mental health effects of sexual violence especially on children.
- c.Knowledge of up to date Pan London child protection procedures and statutory guidance relating to multidisciplinary safeguarding.
- d.An understanding of systems and barriers faced by vulnerable children in accessing services to support their experience of recovery from child sexual abuse particularly for black, Asian and minority ethnic groups.
Experience
Essential
- a.Significant experience of post qualifying/training professional background in a children's service organisation.
- b.Experience of undertaking assessments, care planning and direct work interventions with children and families.
- c.Experience of direct work with children and carers affected by Child sexual abuse.
- d.Experience of anti-racist practice or practice that is focused on addressing barriers for vulnerable children particularly those from minoritised groups in accessing support services.
Desirable
- e.Experience reviewing referrals and undertaking triage tasks as part of duty systems.
- f.Experience providing safeguarding advice to professionals.
Communication
Essential
- a.Excellent written and verbal communication skills
- b.Ability to handle complex or sensitive information during discussion with individual or groups
- c.Able to communicate effectively to all disciplines and modeling systemic appreciation approaches that encourage reflection and allow for different perspectives to be heard.
- d.Excellent oral, written and presentation skills including willingness to speak at public events and conferences
Skills and Abilities
Essential
- a.Decision-making skills
- b.Able to manage time effectively
- c.Able to prioritise objectives and workload
- d.Committed to supporting and adding to a reflective learning culture within the lighthouse
Quality
Essential
- a.Ability to prioritise work in the face of competing demands in a busy service.
- b.Ability to manage workloads and deliver to deadlines within resources
- c.Ability to review work in accordance with Lighthouse and Barnahus quality standards.
- d.To support data analysis and collation when requested.
Health and Safety
Essential
- a.Monitor and maintains health, safety and security of self and others
- b.Safeguarding risk management techniques and skills
Information Processing
Essential
- a.Able to utilise ICT to full potential
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).
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.
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).
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
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address
University College London Hospital
235 Euston Road
London
NW1 2BU
Employer's website
https://www.uclh.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)
