LD and Autism Keyworker

Transformation Unit; Greater London; Hybrid; GBP 46,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

North London NHS Foundation Trust invites applicants for the LD and Autism Keyworker position. You will provide high quality support to children and young people with learning disabilities and autism, coordinating care across health, education and social care, and acting as a main contact for families.

The role aims to reduce crisis admissions, improve transitions, and promote community-based care. Band 6 registered professionals with experience in this field are encouraged to apply.

Qualifications

• Minimum Band 6 level (or equivalent) in a registered profession such as Learning Disability Nurse, Mental Health Nurse, PWP, Mental Health Social Worker, Occupational Therapist, or Speech & Language Therapist.
• Experience of direct work with children and young people with learning disabilities and/or autism displaying complex needs.
• Ability to work flexibly, safeguarding focus, and knowledge of related legislation.

Responsibilities

• Provide high quality support to children/young people and families, coordinating care across health, education and social care.
• Serve as a key contact for families and carers involved in LD & Autism programmes.
• Work with professionals across the system to enable community-based care and reduce crisis admissions.

Skills

Cross-agency coordination

Direct work with children

Safeguarding knowledge

Communication skills

Education

Minimum Band 6 level in a registered profession (e.g. RNLD, RMN, PWP, SW, OT, SLT)

Job description

Employer North London NHS Foundation Trust Employer type NHS Site St Ann's Hospital Town London Salary £45,953 - £54,254 Per annum inclusive of HCAS Salary period Yearly Closing 19/10/2026 23:59

LD and Autism Keyworker

NHS AfC: Band 6

Thank you for your interest in North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT).

As of 1 April 2026, NLFT has formally merged with Tavistock and Portman NHS Foundation Trust—marking the start of an exciting new chapter. This is a unique opportunity to join a forward-thinking organisation at a time of transformation, where we are strengthening access to mental health services, responding more effectively to complex and specialist needs, and advancing our work in education, research and innovation.

By bringing together our combined expertise, we are building a stronger, more collaborative Trust—one that delivers consistent, high-quality care and improved outcomes for the diverse communities we serve.

At the heart of our approach is The North London Way. We are committed to:

• Working collaboratively at every level, guided by our shared values
• Shaping a positive, inclusive culture where staff and service users thrive
• Empowering our teams with the skills, tools and autonomy to drive meaningful change
• Delivering excellence and continuously improving the quality of care we provide
• Embedding research, innovation and technology across our services
• Taking a trauma-informed approach in everything we do

We are proud to be an inclusive employer that values diversity. We actively welcome applicants from all backgrounds, particularly from our local communities, and are committed to creating opportunities for everyone—including apprentices, veterans and care leavers.

The North London Way to deliver: Better Mental Health, Better Lives, Better Communities.

As a values‑driven Trust, we recruit through our values. Our selection processes focus on behaviours, attitudes, and examples that reflect our organisational values and commitment to compassionate, high‑quality care.

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a set of technology that can perform various tasks that typically required human intelligence. Your application is your opportunity to demonstrate to us how you meet the requirements of the role.

We recognise that AI tools can support accessibility, equity and confidence for applicants. However, it’s important that examples and responses genuinely reflect your own experience and abilities, as these will be explored further during the selection process. AI must not be used to provide misleading or false information during any stage of the application journey.

North London NHS Foundation Trust is committed to ensuring that its recruitment processes are carried out with integrity, transparency, and fairness for all applicants. To help maintain these standards, we ask candidates to provide accurate and truthful information throughout the recruitment process.

If incorrect or misleading information is identified, this may affect the progression of an application, any employment offer, or continued employment. As part of our due diligence, the company may verify the information provided by applicants and take appropriate act ion where necessary.

We do not charge applicants any fees at any stage of the recruitment process, including applications, interviews, sponsorship arrangements, pre-employment checks, or employment offers. All vacancies are advertised through TRAC/NHS Jobs and candidates are assessed solely on their skills, qualifications, experience, and suitability for the role. If you are asked to make a payment in connection with an NHS job opportunity, please treat this as suspicious and contact the organisation directly using the details published on our official career's website.

You would join the Transforming Care LD and ASD Support Service across North Central London (NCL), providing coordination and direct support to children with learning disabilities and/or who are autistic and/or present with behaviours of concern. Our welcoming and supportive team is made up of a range of backgrounds including social work, Occupational Therapy and psychology trainings.

Our service provides targeted, intensive interventions for children and young people who are part of the LD & Autism cohort. Our work makes a difference in young peoples' lives by keeping them in the community, preventing avoidable admissions to Tier 4 inpatient mental health services and 52-week residential placements, and assisting young people in this cohort to be discharged from Tier 4 services and be supported back into the community.

Main duties of the job

You will provide high quality support to the children and young people and their families/carers, working as part of a team to help unblock the system, provide a bridge across different parts of the system including health, education, and social care, and be a key point of contact for families/carers who are part of the LD & Autism Programme. In addition, you will work with other professionals across the system to directly support families/carers across various settings to support the young person to remain in the community.

The 0-18 years Keyworker model aims to support reduction of the number of children in crisis and Tier 4 admissions, support timely assessments/formulations, provide children and families with the support that they need at the right time, improve transitions and quality of life, resulting in happy children and parents.

A key function will be to empower families and support them with navigating barriers across multiple services and organisations to effectively access the right support from the system. Our Keyworking model is about a set of functions introduced to the system via the Keyworking role, in addition to the current roles in place to support children, young people and their families. The Keyworking function will dynamically connect the system, coordinating care systemically to maximise local resources and work more effectively with families.

Working for our organisation

North London NHS Foundation Trust (NLFT) is committed to improving mental health care across North London to deliver excellent services to our local people.

Our Five-Year Strategy:

We will provide consistently high-quality care closer to home.

With our partners in North London and each borough we will ensure equity of outcome for all

We will offer great places to work, providing staff with supportive environment to deliver outstanding care.

We will be more effective as an organisation by pioneering research, quality improvement and technology.

In order to meet the needs of the Trust you may be required from time to time to work at different locations to your normal place of work. This may mean that you are required to work at any location that fall under Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey or Islington. The Trust reserves the right to require staff to work at such other places or locations as it considers reasonable and necessary on a temporary or permanent basis.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To be a key point of contact for families/carers allocated to you, identifying gaps in their support and enabling the system to work together to bridge those gaps

Where required, to provide high quality, direct support to the children and young people with complex needs and their families/carers when they need it most. To work closely with Tier 4 providers, local CAMHS providers (including crisis teams), social care and education to ensure that the system is working in a coordinated and joined up way for the young person and their family/carers and helping to reduce any blockages to accessing that support.

Facilitate the provision and implementation of tailored behavioural and emotional support to help a child or young person and their families/carers develop skills for progress and self‑management to meet their agreed goals and outcomes

Person specification

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE

• Minimum Band 6 level (or equivalent) in a registered profession such as Learning Disability Nurse (RNLD), Mental Health Nurse (RMN), Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner (PWP), Mental Health Social Worker (SW), Occupational Therapist (OT), Speech & Language Therapist (SLT). AND Appropriate registration held for that profession
• Experience of direct work with children and young people, or adults, in the context of learning disabilities and/or autism who are in crisis, with associated health, education and care needs.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS and ABILITY

• The ability to work flexibly and responsively to provide support when children, young people, families/carers need it most.
• Some knowledge of relevant legislation, guidance, government policy and research in relation to children and young people with learning disabilities and/or who are autistic, and an ability to apply that knowledge in an operational setting.
• An awareness of the risks associated with neurodevelopmental differences and social, emotional and mental health needs, with the ability to use this knowledge to safeguard the children and young people in your care; to promote and safeguard the welfare of children and young persons in your care, respond to and report any concerns about the welfare of a child promptly in line with local guidance on safeguarding children.
• The ability to provide structured support, deliver positive activities and ensure the achievement of agreed individual outcomes
• Ability to work therapeutically within and contribute to multi-agency risk assessments for children and young people with complex needs, including risks associated with behaviours of concern and support for children and young people with complex mental health needs.
• Ability to support positive, planned risk‑taking that promotes developmental growth and children and young people’s rights to community access.
• Ability to deliver good outcomes for children and young people and their families/carers, working within planned interventions agreed by the professional network.
• Ability to form and maintain appropriate professional relationships and boundaries with children, young people and families, carers, colleagues and the multi professional network.
• Knowledge of child development, autism, learning disabilities, attachment and trauma, and of personalised and co‑produced care planning.
• Ability to creatively engage, communicate and consult with children and young people with learning disabilities and/or who are autistic, and their families/carers about developing and improving their service.
• Ability to communicate clearly, effectively and concisely both verbally and in writing, and to promote a positive workplace culture that puts the children and young people’s needs at the centre of everything we do.
• Ability to manage your time effectively, adding value to the service where possible and using IT systems to maximise your efficiency
• Ability and willingness to use reflective practice in supervision and actively engage in developmental opportunities to maximise your own professional competence.

COMMITMENT TO EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES

• Ability to adhere to equal opportunities

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

• This post requires an enhanced level of Data Barring Service (DBS) Disclosure

Due to the high number of applications that are received for some posts, we reserve the right to close any vacancies before the stated closing date. Therefore, please ensure you apply without delay if you wish to be considered for this role.

In line with NHS protocols, only those applicants who demonstrate clearly how they meet our person specification will be shortlisted for interview. We regret that it is not possible to contact all applicants for every vacancy. If you have not been contacted within 4 weeks of the closing date, please assume you have not been shortlisted for the next stage.

You must already have the right to work in the United Kingdom or fully meet the eligibility criteria for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route. We welcome applications from candidates who require visa sponsorship; however, we can only consider these where all UKVI requirements are met. Before applying, please ensure that both you and the role satisfy the relevant UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) points‑based system criteria, as applications that do not meet these requirements cannot be progressed. For more information about the criteria, please click here

References will be required to cover your last 3 years of employment/training. One has to be from your current or most recent employer and the others from your previous employer. The references should be from persons with management responsibility or HR.

Please note, in order to progress your application your data will be processed by our 3rd party recruitment providers – North London Partners Shared Service, who conduct recruitment activities on behalf of North London NHS Foundation Trust. As part of pre‑employment checks your identity and right to work documentation will be verified remotely (in most circumstances), using a certified identity verification service provider TrustID. You will be asked to capture an image of the relevant documents as well as a “selfie” using your smartphone/tablet (if available) for facial matching. TrustID will also perform a digital address check using Trunarrative and Equifax, which is a soft check and does not leave a footprint on your credit rating. For more information, visit www.trustid.co.uk

The Trust uses electronic new starter forms on Trac to collect personal details. Information collected is securely stored and used to set up the employee record on the ESR HR system.

We are an equal opportunities employer and are committed to creating an inclusive, fair, and supportive workplace for all. We actively welcome applications from individuals who are under‑represented within our workforce and are dedicated to eliminating discrimination in all its forms.

As a Disability Confident (Two Ticks) employer, we guarantee an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role and are committed to making reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

By applying for this role, you accept in the event you are successful that your personal data may be transferred from the Trust to another NHS organisation where your employment transfers within the NHS. This is in accordance with the streamlining programme which is aimed at improving efficiencies within the NHS both to make costs savings for NHS organisations but also to save you time when your employment transfers.

Employer certification / accreditation badges

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.

Application numbers

This vacancy may close early if it receives a high number of applications. Please complete and submit your application in good time to avoid disappointment.