Special Needs Nursery Keyworker

Medway Community Healthcare

This job is now closed

Job summary

Join our Special Needs Nursery Team and be part of this exciting time.

The Child Health Service is now recruiting a part time nursery keyworker to work within the Special Needs Nursery.

You will work directly with a small team to deliver therapy intervention within a nursery environment. You will support children with additional needs to participate in activities which promote their speech and language, gross and fine motor skills and social interaction skills. This will be an excellent opportunity to further develop your interest in children with special needs.

We are a large multi-agency team who work together to offer children an integrated approach to therapy, through holistic assessments and intervention. You will have access to in-house training and we will offer regular clinical supervision to help you develop your skills.

Interested? For an informal chat about the role please call Becci Brown, Team Lead for Physical Therapies, on 07849516548

Main duties of the job

To work as a member of the Child Health Service Special Needs Nursery facilitating nursery-based sessions for children with additional needs.
You will work under the supervision of a trained nursery nurse and alongside other keyworkers.
To assess developmental skills of the children attending the nursery setting and to implement strategies and therapy goals as outlined by the therapists.
To promote socialisation for the child and enable familiarisation with the nursery environment.
To undertake related administrative duties including electronic health records and taking responsibility for organising defined specific areas of work.

About us

So what else?

This is your chance to join a progressive and innovative service in a social enterprise that is patient and staff focused - you'll even have the opportunity to become an MCH shareholder.

We encourage staff to get involved in exploring new ways of working and service development.

We'll provide well established, in-service training, one to one supervision, and appraisals with regular support.

You'll be able to develop your skills in a friendly and supportive team.

Would you like to work flexibly?In the NHS, we are reminded every day of how important work life balance is. As a flexible working friendly organisation, we want to be sure that you can work in a way that is best for us, for our patients and for you. Speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate a flexible working arrangement.

The small print

Informal visits can be arranged on request.

We will offer you the choice of two pension schemes; the NHS Pension scheme and the scottish widows group pension scheme.

MCH encourages all staff to be double COVID vaccinated to protect themselves, their colleagues, their family and their patients.

Date posted

11 February 2025

Pay scheme

Agenda for change

Band

Band 3

Salary

£24,071 to £25,674 a year Pro rata

Contract

Permanent

Working pattern

Part-time

Reference number

813-359-1124-MH-B

Job locations

Snapdragons Centre

Cliffe Road

Strood

ME2 3DL

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. Communication and relationship skills

Provide and receive complex information. Exchange condition related information with patients and relatives, who may have communication difficulties.

To be able to independently encourage patients and families to engage in therapeutic activities and to reassure.

To keep up to date and accurate records outlining your contact with the individual child/family.

To liaise with colleagues across the multi-disciplinary team to coordinate care and input.

2. Knowledge, training and experience

To have qualification of NVQ level 3 or equivalent experience.

To have an understanding of a minimum of three therapeutic specialities eg OT, speech & language and physiotherapy.

To have an understanding of a multidisciplinary team approach and the benefits this has to the child and their family.

To have a good understanding of all red flags and know when to refer back to qualified practitioner.

3. Analytical and judgement skills

To be able to evaluate patients general conditions adapting treatment as necessary.

4. Planning and organisational skills

To be able to plan a nursery session under the guidance of the nursery nurse and ensure resources are suitable.

To be able to make adjustments to treatment plan/approach through direct liaison with qualified staff.

To ensure consent is gained for all treatment.

5. Physical skills

To be able to deliver therapeutic treatment by using a very broad spectrum of skills including physical manipulation, sensory skills, communication skills and moving and handling of children both in and out of equipment and orthoses.

6. Responsibility for patient / client care

To implement holistic therapeutic treatment in one package of care using skills from all five professionals (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech & language, dietitian and podiatry) in line with the prescribed therapy care program.

To be able to work independently in education settings but understand a clear pathway of responsibility back to qualified staff should the treatment plan need long term change.

7. Responsibility for policy and service development implementation

To implement holistic therapeutic treatment in one package of care using skills from all five professions (physiotherapy, occupational therapy, speech & language, dietitian and podiatry) in line with the prescribed therapy care program. You will follow policies and procedures and may participate in discussion regarding proposed changes.

8. Responsibilities for financial and physical resources

Ensure the safe use of equipment within the clinic setting.

9. Responsibilities for human resources (HR)

To demonstrate own duties to other support workers and students and provide practical training to any level of staff if appropriate.

10. Responsibilities for information resources

To update the childs records and attend any meetings deemed necessary by the professional lead.

11. Responsibilities for research and development (R&D)

Participate in any departmental audit and make suggestion on areas requiring audit.

12. Freedom to act

To work autonomously within a controlled environment and to support Nursery Lead during external visits.

13. Physical effort (refer to effort factor questionnaire)

To be able to use moderate effort over a full shift with appropriate breaks. This physical effort is required to assist to walk, stand or crawl plus other therapeutic activities. Some treatment happens on the floor and requires working at this level following the assessment.

14. Mental effort (refer to effort factor questionnaire)

To be able to concentrate over a full shift with mainly predictable work patterns.

15. Emotional effort (refer to effort factor questionnaire)

To be able to deal calmly and effectively with highly distressed families and children. Often working with children who have challenging behaviour. Occasionally working in unpleasant environments.

16. Working conditions (refer to effort factor questionnaire)

Occasional/frequent exposure to highly unpleasant working conditions.