Band 4 Assistant Practitioner

Northfield District are looking for a Assistant practitioner with a NNEB or NVQ Level 3 in Child Care/CACHE or a Level 4 Certificate in Early Years Practice (OU) or a Level 3 BTEC National Diploma in Early Years (as per job description and person specification) to join our Health Visiting team.

Experience should include working with children and families in a variety of settings and the candidate must have an excellent knowledge of child development and ideally have some experience of working with children who have additional needs.

The role involves delivering key aspects of the Healthy Child Programme as part of services provided across the Northfield District. These aspects will include infant feeding, child development and child health clinics. Computer skills are essential, as is a positive attitude to change.

You will have good communication skills, be a team player and be well organised in order to work effectively, in partnership with colleagues in Children's Centres in the district, the Early Years Childcare providers and key health professionals. Successful applicants must be independently mobile with the ability to travel between clients' homes and health services across BCHC.

You will be supported in this role by a comprehensive induction programme, and internal training opportunities.

Be Part of Our Team...

Birmingham Community Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (BCHC) has more than 5000 staff working across Birmingham and the West Midlands in a wide range of community nursing and specialist healthcare roles. BCHC delivers over 100 clinical services, in people's homes, health centres, clinics and inpatient facilities. We deliver a wide range of services for children, young people, parents and families as well as adults and community services, two community hospitals, services for people with learning disabilities, the internationally recognised West Midlands Rehabilitation Centre and one of Europe’s leading Dental Hospitals and School of Dentistry. We deliver all of this with a commitment to integrated, personalised care that is rooted in our local communities. We have an ambition to deliver outstanding, integrated care as one of the key NHS providers in the West Midlands.

If you want to ‘Be Part of Our Team’ and work with a Foundation Trust which is continuously striving for better care and healthier communities, we want to hear from you.
1. To work under the supervision of the health visitor to deliver a holistic approach to supporting families, incorporating child development, public health and family support agendas.
2. To work collaboratively with other relevant agencies where appropriate, establishing effective links to support signposting and referrals where required.
3. To support health visitors in the provision of Well Baby clinics, undertaking duties as designated by the health visitor.
4. To undertake delegated home visits to provide support based on needs identified by the Health Visitors assessment, using care pathways where available.
5. To follow up clinic defaulters as requested by the Health Visitor accountable for the caseload.
6. To report back to the Health Visitor any concerns following any contact, in a timely manner.
7. To undertake developmental assessments of children in line with the Healthy Child Programme.
8. To undertake play therapy in homes and organise appropriate intervention for children with special needs.
9. To assist in developing programmes of care to promote normal child development.
10. To help set up and run groups based on service priorities and local need.
11. Promote the importance of attachment and bonding, play and stimulation to encourage child development through interaction with parent and child.
12. Provide advice and support to parents regarding behaviour management individually or in groups, utilising presentation skills and working with colleagues from other agencies and within the locally agreed programmes.
13. Provide health promotion information and advice to support work around the six public health high impact areas for the service, to include maternal mental health, breast feeding, healthy nutrition and weight, alongside other key public health agendas including immunisation, smoking, breast feeding and alcohol.
14. Provide information and guidance in relation to accident prevention, home safety and safe play.
15. Provide advice about treating common childhood illnesses and recognising when a child is ill.
16. To work flexibly as required, across the corporate team, to meet the needs of the service.
17. To maintain clear and concise records.
18. To enter all statistical information promptly onto computerised or manual records as required.
19. To attend meetings and in-service training as required.
20. To be aware of and respect the confidential nature of the work.
21. To effectively plan and organise the delegated workload, reporting back to the case holder as required.