Senior Clinical Keyworker

Job overview

The Keyworker model is part of the NHS long term plan, this includes a current commitment that ‘by 2023/24 children and young people with a learning disability and/or who are autistic with the most complex needs will have a designated keyworker, implementing the recommendation made by Dame Christine Lenehan in These are our children.

The Black Country has been successful in it’s implementation of the model and as such has been tasked alongside 1 other system nationally to be a ‘proof of concept’ for expanding the service to a keyworker model for all ages who have a diagnosis of Learning Disability and/or Autism.

The keyworker key functions are:

• -       Navigation -       Upskilling -       Empowerment -       Challenge of Systems

Main duties of the job

We recognise that our keyworkers need to be experienced to be effective in this pivotal role. Therefore, are keen to recruit keyworkers across Social care, NHS, voluntary sectors, and experts by experience, making allowance for Local Authority and NHS working terms and conditions to be continued where applicable. Black Country wish to attract a breadth of experience and relevant qualities, passion and vision.

The Senior Clinical Keyworkers role is to provide timely and appropriate support for those with the most complex of needs on the keyworker case load. The main function of the senior clinical keyworker is to provide ‘in reach’ keyworker input for any inpatients, navigating systems alongside our citizens as well as promoting the timely discharge whilst ensuring the right support is available from the wider system.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• The successful candidate must have a professional registration.
• To listen to the individual, taking time to understand their strengths and agree with them a plan to build on those strengths to support individual, and to keep them safe and well
• To provide a single point of support to help make the connections between the individual; their support network and the array of services & support available – signposting & supporting to gain access to services in timely way
• To work with multi-disciplinary teams to ensure planning is focused on the individual, & that teams are working together & being challenged when this is not happening in a way that is supportive.
• To build resilience with individuals, their support network and services by connecting with training; prevention & self-help approaches .
• To support the multi-agency identification of required early assessments and support a joined up, co-ordinated and responsive approach to completion,
• To support multi-disciplinary assessments and CETRs at an early stage
• To help to ensure gaps in professionals’ knowledge of what is available for this cohort is reduced and inform needs led future commissioning including post diagnostic support.
• To support improvement in quality of care and reduction of inequalities of individuals in the youth justice system.
• To assist individuals and families navigate services to support prior to crisis, or when needs not meeting care act criteria
• To support individuals to understand the roles of different professionals involved
• To build on existing Black Country good practice examples of multi-agency working and communication, flexible family support & access to psychological interventions.
• To support teams and services to develop and share their knowledge of examples of best practice across the Black Country system and thereby reduce inequalities
• To work co-operatively and responsively with individuals who are on the Dynamic Support Register.
• To support individuals and their families at, and be actively involved in, multi-agency meetings e.g. Care Education and Treatment reviews (CETR’s), Care Programme Approach (CPA) Meetings, Mental Health Act (MHA) Tribunals, Child in Need and other Multi agency meetings if applicable, demonstrating a high level of professional practice.
• To support production of needs and outcomes-based action plans with timescales, support update of existing CETR Action Plans, education health care plans (EHCP’s). Where applicable be part of Child Protection Strategy discussions, Initial/ongoing Child Protection Care Conferences, Core Groups, as well as supporting any Youth Offending meetings and processes as applicable, demonstrating a high level of professional practice.
• To increase the skills of front-line professionals, work alongside them and challenge the system.
• To co-produce personalised pen pictures which are strengths based
• To be part of the Dynamic Support Register team.
• Drive and implement appropriate national and local approaches in the working model e.g. AMBIT.
• To work with partner agencies to identify individuals who would benefit from being on the Dynamic Support Register.
• To undertake any other duties of a similar nature consistent with the responsibilities of this post in order to provide a quality keyworking service.
• To support the Professional Lead Keyworker in tasks such as supervision of the wider keyworker team.