Job summary
Are you passionate about supporting families in their infant feeding journey? If so, we want you!
We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic and motivated person with initiative and drive to join our innovative infant feeding team. As part of the ABSS legacy, we have created an infant feeding support practitioner role, initially on a 12 month fixed-term contract.
Our 0-19 service delivers high quality public health nursing, that promotes and improves health inequalities to children, young people and their families in Southend-On-Sea. You will need to have excellent communication and organisational skills, experience working with children and families to identify and support their health and development needs, have the ability to work autonomously and as part of an integrated skill mix team.
Main duties of the job
You will be a member of the infant feeding team within Children, Young People & Families Public Health Service (CYP&FPH) to support families with their breastfeeding and feeding choice journey.
Your role will support the specialist health visitors, and the wider diet & nutrition team, to deliver high standard, quality care to the families of Southend. You will be required to contact mothers/Caregivers antenatally and postnatally to advise of feeding choices/support and offer follow up as needed.
You will provide Infant Feeding peer support, including to dads and partners, across the city of Southend in a variety of locations including family centres, home, or group setting, working Monday-Friday. You will also provide one to one support under the delegation of the infant feeding leads, actively support Southend Supports Breastfeeding Scheme, helping to raise the profile of breastfeeding within Southend, undertake delegated Health reviews for children and health promotion, delivering baby massage as appropriate.
About us
Southend-on-Sea City Council is a unitary Local Authority and the 0-19 service is based within the Public Health department. Staff moving from NHS to Local Authority can maintain their NHS pension. We also offer parking permits for work use across the City.
The City is a diverse and busy University town with an attractive seafront, public parks and leisure activities and excellent transport links. Accessible from both Liverpool Street and Fenchurch Street stations. It offers traditional seaside living that makes it a fantastic place to live and work.
Working at Southend City Council gives you not only the opportunity to make a difference in the City you love, but we also have a range of employee benefits, via our partners. The successful applicant will need to:
Contribute to the vision
of the organisation and city.
Contribute to the
Councils Corporate Plan and adhere to the Councils Values and Behaviours.
Contribute to the
Councils success by accepting new tasks, helping team members, learning new
skills, and striving to improve personal and team results.
As a council, our staff are: Inclusive, Collaborative, Proud, and Honest.
Job description
Job responsibilities
The postholder will be required to contact mothers/Caregivers antenatally
and postnatally to advise of feeding choices/support and offer follow up
support if needed or requested.
Provide Infant Feeding peer support across the city of Southend in a
variety of locations including family centres, home, or group setting, working Monday-Friday.
Provide
one to one support under the delegation of the infant feeding leads
Under
the leadership of the infant feeding team, deliver a support group offer for
dads and partners
To ensure that care plans are completed and updated according to the
familys needs and report back to the appropriate team member any significant
changes in the familys circumstances that may impact on health outcomes or
safety of others.
Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with professionals
groups including but not limited to: Midwives, Health Visitors, GPs and family
centres.
To support training programme delivery across the Infant Feeding and Diet
& Nutrition Pathway, in line with UNICEF recommendations
To be proactive in liaising with non-statutory/voluntary/community-based
agencies
Please see attached job description for full details
Job description
Job responsibilities
The postholder will be required to contact mothers/Caregivers antenatally
and postnatally to advise of feeding choices/support and offer follow up
support if needed or requested.
Provide Infant Feeding peer support across the city of Southend in a
variety of locations including family centres, home, or group setting, working Monday-Friday.
Provide
one to one support under the delegation of the infant feeding leads
Under
the leadership of the infant feeding team, deliver a support group offer for
dads and partners
To ensure that care plans are completed and updated according to the
familys needs and report back to the appropriate team member any significant
changes in the familys circumstances that may impact on health outcomes or
safety of others.
Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with professionals
groups including but not limited to: Midwives, Health Visitors, GPs and family
centres.
To support training programme delivery across the Infant Feeding and Diet
& Nutrition Pathway, in line with UNICEF recommendations
To be proactive in liaising with non-statutory/voluntary/community-based
agencies
Please see attached job description for full details
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NNEB or NVQ Level 3 child and development
- At least three years experience working in a community infant feeding related role within the last five years
- Breastfeeding Counsellor qualification
Desirable
- Trained in a peer support programme such as the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers or The Breastfeeding Network.
- Trained in baby massage and able to deliver in a group or on one-to-one basis.
- Food hygiene certificate
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrate a high level of communication skill which is sensitive and enables parents to absorb and act on advice whilst conducting themselves with professionalism when representing the organisation
- Be able to keep clear and contemporaneous records electronically in line with CYP&FPH Service policies
- Demonstrate empathy and reassurance between persons involved, within the scope of the role
- Able to work effectively and in partnership with external organisations including midwifery, infant feeding teams within the hospital setting, family centres, voluntary groups
- Be familiar with statutory agencies standards e.g. CQC, UNICEF BFI and evidence ability to apply these in practice
- Confidently delivery group support sessions, planning and assessing, highlighting concerns to the infant feeding leads
- Knowledge and recent training on the diet & nutrition public health agenda
- A clear understanding of the benefits of breastfeeding and an interest in promoting infant feeding within a diet & nutrition pathway.
- Evidence of willingness to undertake further training e.g. BFI 2 day training, delivery of group sessions, attendance at Education Forum, Skills & Drills sessions, identifying learning needs and participating in the annual conversation
Desirable
- Undertake delegated Health reviews for Children and health promotion including, but not limited to, 3-5 month contact (or evidence skills acquired in delivery of a similar programme which can be transferable)
Additional Information
Essential
- Driving licence, access to car and appropriate business insurance required.
- Ability to travel to various locations around the city e.g. home visits, family centres, community groups
- Ability to carry equipment e.g. scales
- Manual dexterity required to be able to manoeuvre from floor to standing e.g. measuring and weighing babies on a safe surface, including the floor
- To ensure health monitoring equipment is operating to a high standard, maintained and calibrated.
Behaviours
Essential
- Driving Positive Change - has a future focused approach that can easily respond to different and changing demands. Possesses a positive attitude so that they may adapt to the pace of change. Embraces new technologies and new ideas.
- Trust and Respect - creates mutual trust and remove barriers to help develop a highly collaborative and respectful working relationship with key partners and colleagues. Values feedback and respectfully listens to other peoples opinions.
- Strong Leadership - Leads by example, and through their behaviours and positive professional approach to work. Encourages team motivation and achievements. They actively challenge bad behaviour, respect other peoples views, and are open, transparent and supportive.
- Acting with integrity and behaving responsibly - Takes ownership of their work, responsibility for their actions and decisions and accountable for their performance and development. Acting with integrity and behaving responsibly is key to ensure the Council and its employees achieving an excellent reputation with residents, partners and businesses.
- Building relationships to work well together - Works to reach common goals; sharing information, supporting colleagues, welcoming feedback, building good relationships and partnerships to improve productivity and effectiveness. Applies an inclusive approach to staff, customers, residents and the community as a whole to deliver efficient and effective services
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- NNEB or NVQ Level 3 child and development
- At least three years experience working in a community infant feeding related role within the last five years
- Breastfeeding Counsellor qualification
Desirable
- Trained in a peer support programme such as the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers or The Breastfeeding Network.
- Trained in baby massage and able to deliver in a group or on one-to-one basis.
- Food hygiene certificate
Experience
Essential
- Demonstrate a high level of communication skill which is sensitive and enables parents to absorb and act on advice whilst conducting themselves with professionalism when representing the organisation
- Be able to keep clear and contemporaneous records electronically in line with CYP&FPH Service policies
- Demonstrate empathy and reassurance between persons involved, within the scope of the role
- Able to work effectively and in partnership with external organisations including midwifery, infant feeding teams within the hospital setting, family centres, voluntary groups
- Be familiar with statutory agencies standards e.g. CQC, UNICEF BFI and evidence ability to apply these in practice
- Confidently delivery group support sessions, planning and assessing, highlighting concerns to the infant feeding leads
- Knowledge and recent training on the diet & nutrition public health agenda
- A clear understanding of the benefits of breastfeeding and an interest in promoting infant feeding within a diet & nutrition pathway.
- Evidence of willingness to undertake further training e.g. BFI 2 day training, delivery of group sessions, attendance at Education Forum, Skills & Drills sessions, identifying learning needs and participating in the annual conversation
Desirable
- Undertake delegated Health reviews for Children and health promotion including, but not limited to, 3-5 month contact (or evidence skills acquired in delivery of a similar programme which can be transferable)
Additional Information
Essential
- Driving licence, access to car and appropriate business insurance required.
- Ability to travel to various locations around the city e.g. home visits, family centres, community groups
- Ability to carry equipment e.g. scales
- Manual dexterity required to be able to manoeuvre from floor to standing e.g. measuring and weighing babies on a safe surface, including the floor
- To ensure health monitoring equipment is operating to a high standard, maintained and calibrated.
Behaviours
Essential
- Driving Positive Change - has a future focused approach that can easily respond to different and changing demands. Possesses a positive attitude so that they may adapt to the pace of change. Embraces new technologies and new ideas.
- Trust and Respect - creates mutual trust and remove barriers to help develop a highly collaborative and respectful working relationship with key partners and colleagues. Values feedback and respectfully listens to other peoples opinions.
- Strong Leadership - Leads by example, and through their behaviours and positive professional approach to work. Encourages team motivation and achievements. They actively challenge bad behaviour, respect other peoples views, and are open, transparent and supportive.
- Acting with integrity and behaving responsibly - Takes ownership of their work, responsibility for their actions and decisions and accountable for their performance and development. Acting with integrity and behaving responsibly is key to ensure the Council and its employees achieving an excellent reputation with residents, partners and businesses.
- Building relationships to work well together - Works to reach common goals; sharing information, supporting colleagues, welcoming feedback, building good relationships and partnerships to improve productivity and effectiveness. Applies an inclusive approach to staff, customers, residents and the community as a whole to deliver efficient and effective services
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.
