Specialist Children’s Practitioner

Job overview

Interviews will be held on 07 May 2024.

The Let’s Connect Wellbeing Network offers and exciting and innovative role that will support the wellbeing of all citizens in the community over the age of eighteen who may feel isolated and is open to those who use, or have used, mental health services as well as people who have never used services but feel they would benefit from social contact and support.

You will work to break isolation by supporting people to meet others and support them to make connections, friendships to become aware of other community offers . You will be facilitate social network meetings and also provide one to one Wellbeing Mapping sessions.

You will be welcomed into an enthusiastic and creative team covering the whole of Berkshire but have a focus on either the East or West of the county.

You will have a good experience and understanding of the important place this work takes as a response to the Community Mental Health Framework and the NHS Long Term Plan.

Main duties of the job

Specifically:

1)To build a good working knowledge with a broad range of BHFT teams and organisations across Berkshire with a focus on your area.

2) You will be confident to work out in the community most of the time but have a strong and flexible approach to meeting and communicating with your team and managers

3) To embed a positive approach to mental health and wellbeing built on assets of individuals and their community with a focus on person centred support and recovery to relieve social isolation

4) To be able to discuss the LCWN with confidence and knowledge to relevant people and audiences

5) To authentically coproduce with the local community to play an important part of the development of a Let’s Connect Wellbeing Network that is proactive and empowering for the person and influences all stakeholders.

6) To promote an integrated model of working within the community with BHFT, VCSE and community organisations. You will support the development of integration at every opportunity so that local services and organisations put people at the heart of their own recovery plans and that movement between services become seamless.

7) You will work within a strong team-based approach with a clear vision and supportive ethos.

Working for our organisation

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is a specialist mental health and community health services trust. Rated ‘outstanding’ by the CQC, we’re committed to providing the best possible care to people across Berkshire.

We value diversity and are proud to be a Stonewall Top 100 Employer.We work hard to create an inclusive environment where you’ll be supported by friendly and professional colleagues to flourish.

Our values at Berkshire Healthcare:

Caring for and about you is our top priority

Committed to providing good quality, safe services

Working Together with you to develop innovative solutions

We welcome people who share these values to come and work for us.

Benefits of working for us include:

Flexible working options to support work-life balance.

27 days’ annual leave rising with service + opportunity to buy and sell

Generous NHS pension scheme

Excellent learning and career development opportunities

‘Cycle to Work’ and car leasing scheme

Access to a range of wellbeing tools and services

Discounts at hundreds of popular retailers and restaurants

Staff networks for race, diversity, disabilities and armed forces community to support equality

Generous maternity, paternity, adoption and special leave.

Free parking across Trust sites

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The “must haves” for this role:

Experience and understanding of the Let’s Connect Wellbeing Network and the context.

A strong commitment to this non-clinical role and integrated care.

Confidence and ability to self-organise and yet be closely linked to the team.

Have own transport and a full driving licence and be prepared to travel widely within Berkshire.

For further information about the role, please see attached job description and person specification. We strongly encourage you to review how you meet the criteria in the person specification and write about this point-by-point in your supporting statement for the best chance of being shortlisted. For further application tips – see the help with your application document attached once you click apply.

If you’re someone who shares our passion for excellence and care, you belong at Berkshire Healthcare!

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants where required.

Person specification

Education/Qualifications/Training

Essential criteria

Qualification (or equivalent experience) in mental health or other related field, to degree level or equivalent experience.

Desirable criteria

Direct experience of mental health either personally or as a carer, alongside work experience in a relevant field.

Continuous Professional Development

Essential criteria

Commitment to continuous professional development and willingness to undertake any training as may be required

Previous Experience

Essential criteria

Experience of working in services for people with long term mental health needs or other ways of gaining experience to demonstrate ability at this level direct experience

A proven track record of successfully participating in teams that work with mental health and wellbeing

Desirable criteria

Experience of delivering person centred, assets and strengths -based work

Experience of working with team members who have direct experience, peer support and/or volunteers

Demonstrate empathy, tenacity and hope when working alongside people with sever mental health issues.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Essential criteria

Experience and knowledge of the key underpinning approaches and models governing the Let’s Connect Wellbeing Network Recovery Approach, strengths-based, coproduction, person centred, inclusion

Comprehensive understanding of promoting the assets of people with a broad range of mental health and wellbeing needs

Understanding policy context of how tackling loneliness and isolation in the community has an important role in prevention and also how community resources, including its members, can promote positive health outcomes.

Demonstrates skills that show an ability to self-manage and adapt to play your part to enable the work of the LCWN to meet the needs of the service at the highest level

Excellent verbal and written communication and IT skills

Experience of partnership working negotiation and liaison with other agencies.

To be able to participate in the use and development of information systems appropriate to the needs of the LCWN culture and ethos. Also to ensure all systems are up to date

Keep up to date with published (and other methods) knowledge base for this area of work

Excellent motivational, communication and listening skills; able to build rapport and trust with a range of people, especially citizens, BHFT patients and community members.

Shows creativity and stimulates and encourages new ideas.

Ability to use peer and group supervision creatively

Advanced IT skills including Word, Excel and use of Teams as a working tool.

Desirable criteria

Understanding or the importance of integrated working across partners, agencies and groups

Demonstrates a high level of interpersonal skills, self-awareness and empathy in all situations. Ability to create and drive a culture of continuous improvement.

An understanding of human rights and social justice issues and the inequalities encountered by those who are most disadvantaged in British society.

Additional Requirements

Essential criteria

Ability to work flexible hours including occasional evenings and weekend sessions meetings, community events etc.

Ability to travel efficiently across Berkshire in line with the requirements of the role.

Berkshire Healthcare helps people manage their health in their local area, through a range of specialist and community services across the county. We promote independence and quality of life through community and mental health services and aim for seamless delivery of the best care in the right place. We get to know communities and the people in them so we can deliver the best services that meet their health needs.

Our team of 4,300 staff provide specialist mental health and community health services to a population of around 900,000 within Berkshire. We provide healthcare to people in their own homes and from different sites across the county.

We are committed to equal opportunities and welcome applications from all sections of the community, regardless of any protected characteristics. Reasonable adjustments will be made for disabled applicants where required.

Appointment to any position is conditional on the satisfactory completion of the core NHS Employment Checks Standards. Information disclosed in your application will be checked and any offer of appointment may be withdrawn if you knowingly withhold information or provide false or misleading information.

Please ensure your application is submitted with a valid email address for your referees in order to minimise delays in the recruitment process. Short-listed applicants will be contacted by email, therefore applicants are advised to check their email accounts regularly.

Applicants are advised that as a result of the high level of response we receive for some of our vacancies, we may expire any of them prior to the advertised closing date.

Berkshire Healthcare Foundation Trust is committed to improving the health of its staff, patients and the wider community by providing a smoke free environment. A smoke free policy is in operation and smoking is not permitted on any of the Trust’s sites.

NO AGENCIES TO CONTACT BERKSHIRE HEALTHCARE DIRECTLY PLEASE

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