Job summary
- Main area
- Looked after Children
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 7
- Contract
- Permanent
- Hours
- Full time
- Part time
- Job share
- Flexible working
- Job ref
- 395-EC074-26
- Employer
- NELFT NHS Foundation Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- Grays Health Centre
- Town
- Grays
- Salary
- £47,810 - £54,710 p.a. (plus HCAS) pro rata
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 24/03/2026 23:59
Employer heading
Specialist Children Looked After Nurse
NHS AfC: Band 7
Joining #TeamNELFT means you’ll become part of a welcoming and supportive working environment. We’re CQC rated Good, and we want you to join us on the journey towards an Outstanding rating. NELFT has sites across North East London, and Essex. We provide community and mental healthcare services to adults and children within these areas.
The Trust has award winning equality and diversity initiatives and staff health and wellbeing activities. We invest heavily in your development, because when you are valued and supported, we provide the best care to our patients. We are a Level 3 Disability Confident Leader, have been featured in the Working Families Top 10 Employers benchmark for five consecutive years, and we have achieved a Carers UK Level 1 Accreditation. Along with our staff networks and training opportunities, we work hard to embed a just and compassionate culture here at NELFT.
Find out more about NELFT careers and what makes our Trust a great place to work, in this video
Job overview
We are looking for an enthusiastic and experienced nurse who is passionate about delivering and improving healthcare outcomes to children and young people in care.
As a specialist nurse, you will be pivotal in the service's ambition to innovate and enhance the Initial Health Assessment model so that experience of children looked after is the best it can be as early on as possible.
Main duties of the job
You will need to have comprehensive knowledge and experience of working with children in care and wider system partnership working . The post holder will need to demonstrate an understanding of the health needs of looked after children and be a strong advocate for their voice to be heard. The role will support the implementation of service development, standard setting, clinical audit and benchmarking, to deliver needs-led evidence-based care that supports the local and national priorities for children in care. This post holder will be central in the care and assessment of children who are looked after, planning their care and transition beyond care into adulthood.
You will also play a key role in supporting the progression of a number of projects to improve services across NELFT and work closely with key stakeholders. This role will also involve close working with locality based partnerships to work effectively to safeguard and promote the welfare of looked after children.
Working for our organisation
Our Values 2025 - 2030
Working with our colleagues, patients and carers we have co-produced three new values that we aim to embed within our culture here at NELFT.
They are:
- We are kind.
- We are respectful.
- We work together with our communities.
These three values help us to strive to provide the best care by the best people.
Probationary Period
This post will be subject to a probationary period.
Starting with Us
NELFT places great importance on new starters being properly welcomed into the Trust. All new starters will join the Trust on the first Monday of each month and undertake a comprehensive induction of up to two weeks, including mandatory training, systems training and the allocation of equipment. As part of the process, new starters will also have the opportunity to meet the executive team, senior managers, and attend several drop-in sessions focusing on engagement, health and wellbeing, and key processes. The induction will be held at our head office in Goodmaynes, Essex.
High Cost Area Supplement - Fringe
This post also attracts payment for High Cost Area Supplement of 5% of the basic salary (with a minimum of £1,192 to a maximum of £2,011 p.a. pro rata for part time).
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification for more details around roles and responsibilities for this position
Certificates of Sponsorship
Although we are a registered sponsor organisation, we are unable to offer sponsorship for all job roles. Please check your eligibility under the UKVI points-based system. When calculating the basic salary for sponsorship, HCAS (High-Cost Area Supplement) is not included to ensure fairness and consistency within our Trust.
Use of AI
Please see attached document regarding acceptable use of AI during the recruitment process.
Person specification
Experience
Essential criteria
- Registered Nurse first level
- Significant experience post registration working within community health care
- Teaching/Mentoring Qualification/working towards
- Have significant clinical experience of the health needs of children and young people and the health needs of looked after children
Knowledge
Essential criteria
- aware of Current legislation and guidance in relation to Looked After Children and Safeguarding Children
- Providing clinical / management supervision
- Have proven negotiation and leadership skills
Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability to develop effective working relationships with all agencies
Desirable criteria
- Experience of Development of guidelines and policies
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Michael Caruana Smith
- Job title
- Assistant Director Children's Services
- Email address
- [email protected]
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