Safeguarding Children Clinical Nurse Specialist

• Act as a role model, demonstrating high standards of care and providing expert and professional clinical leadership in safeguarding related matters.
• Demonstrate appropriate expert practice and highly specialist advice in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of care.
• To work within the safeguarding nursing team in managing and overseeing practitioners and their cases of vulnerable children and families whilst working as part of the multidisciplinary team, delivering individualised care.
• Directly supervise, support, and advise clinical teams, by the provision of specialist knowledge and advice in relation to the safeguarding of children.
• To identify vulnerable children, young people and families early and provide effective programmes of support and care that protects and promotes their health and wellbeing.
• To contribute to child protection case conferences and strategy meetings in order to plan effectively to ensure optimum outcomes for vulnerable children.
• Participate in the delivery of safeguarding children training.
• Provide regular supervision to practitioners in the acute setting of the Trust

• To work within the safeguarding nursing team in managing and overseeing practitioners and their cases of vulnerable children and families whilst working as part of the multidisciplinary team, delivering individualised care.
• Act as a role model, demonstrating high standards of care and providing expert and professional clinical leadership in the specialist areas.
• Demonstrate appropriate expert practice and highly specialist advice in the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of care. Provide professional and clinical leadership and expertise in the speciality and to act as a resource for education and clinical expertise.
• Promote and deliver high standards of practice at all times and assist in the development of the specialist service, through the use of evidence based practice and clinical standards.
• Directly supervise, support, and advise clinical teams, by the provision of specialist knowledge and advice in relation to the safeguarding of children.
• Review families of high concern and provide relevant child protection supervision/ guidance.
• To identify vulnerable children, young people and families early and provide effective programmes of support and care that protects and promotes their health and wellbeing. Provide a seamless high quality service from referral through to assessment, treatment and review.
• Act as an advocate for service users to ensure a child orientated approach to the delivery of care in order to meet standards within the child protection legislation and guidelines.
• Establish, develop and maintain effective working relationship between clinicians, practitioners and managers within the specialty, across the trust and partner agencies.
• To contribute to child protection case conferences and strategy meetings in order to plan effectively to ensure optimum outcomes for vulnerable children. Provide support and guidance to staff who are required to attend these meetings and support individual practitioners pre and post conference discussions.
• In conjunction with the Named and Lead Professionals implement and maintain Safeguarding Policies and Procedures in line with Local Safeguarding Children Partnership, Government Policies and Legislation.
• Organise own work and manage caseload and practice, identifying and maintaining supportive networks for self and other staff members.
• Actively participate in local, national and international networking to maintain and develop expert level of knowledge in the specialty.
• To deliver formal safeguarding training sessions to specified staff on Child Protection and safeguarding issues, which facilitates learning and individual personal development.
• The Nurse Specialist will be required to provide regular supervision to practitioners in the acute setting of the Trust at regular intervals as per child protection supervision policy.
• Due to the emotional impact of the role undertake regular support and supervision sessions with the Lead Nurse.
• Identify and intervene where circumstances contribute to an unsafe environment for children.

Essential

• Awareness of recent research and developments relating to Child Protection work and its implications for practice.
• Knowledge of the current Government guidelines relating to Child Protection work.
• An understanding of the implications of the Children Act 1989 & 2004 in relation to Child Protection work.
• Awareness of the effects of culture and family dynamics on parenting and child rearing practices, and of the implication of these for Child Protection work.
• An understanding of the roles and responsibilities of other statutory and voluntary agencies in Child Protection.
• To have awareness and knowledge of issues in clinical supervision and consultation when working with professionals and lay staff.

Desirable

• Understanding the principles of a learning organisation
• Understanding of local authority policy and practice
• Understanding of current NHS policy
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office
• Experience of contributing to research projects