Nursery Nurse

The Methodist Church in Britain; Hampstead; On-site; GBP 21,000 - 29,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Induction and support

Career progression

Flexible working

Job summary

Devon Partnership NHS Trust is seeking a Nursery Nurse for a fixed-term maternity cover post (up to 12 months) at 30 hours per week within the Community Perinatal Service. You will support mothers with perinatal mental health, care for babies, and strengthen the parent-infant relationship.

Requirements include a Level 4 qualification or equivalent experience and completion of the Care Certificate within six months.

Qualifications

• Level 4 qualification or above, or equivalent experience.
• Care Certificate within the first six months if not already held

Responsibilities

• Help mothers with perinatal mental health problems to care for their babies.
• Ensure babies' emotional and physical needs are met.
• Engage in activities that promote the parent-infant relationship.
• Demonstrate and teach sound infant care to colleagues.
• Keep practice in line with safeguarding and child protection policies.
• Involve specialist safeguarding services when necessary.
• Work within multidisciplinary perinatal teams across clinics and community bases.

Skills

Child development

Infant wellbeing

Mother-infant interaction

Teamwork

Reflective practice

Safeguarding knowledge

Education

Level 4 qualification

Care Certificate

Tools

IT skills

Job description

This fixed-term maternity cover post, for up to 12 months at 30 hours a week, sits in the Community Perinatal Service at Devon Partnership NHS Trust. The Nursery Nurse helps mothers with perinatal mental health problems care for their babies and supports the parent-infant relationship. Teams are multidisciplinary and based in antenatal clinics and community mental health bases across Devon. Applicants need a Level 4 qualification or equivalent experience, and must complete the Care Certificate within six months of starting.

What the job involves

• Help mothers with perinatal mental health problems to care for their babies
• Ensure babies' emotional and physical needs are met
• Engage in activities that promote the parent-infant relationship
• Demonstrate and teach sound care of infants under two to colleagues
• Keep practice in line with the Trust's safeguarding and child protection policy and Devon child protection procedures
• Involve specialist safeguarding services when necessary
• Work within multidisciplinary perinatal teams alongside psychiatrists, nurses, social workers, midwives and health visitors

What’s required

Qualifications

• Level 4 qualification or above, or equivalent experience
• Care Certificate within the first six months if not already held

Experience

• Recent hands-on work with young babies, contributing to service development
• Supporting close and loving mother and baby relationships
• Relevant post-qualification experience
• Observing babies' physical and psychological changes and building staff skills in monitoring them
• Working independently and as part of a team
• Community working and home visiting

Skills & knowledge

• Detailed knowledge of child development, infant emotional wellbeing, developmental milestones and age-appropriate play
• Knowledge of the Children Act, child protection guidelines and children's safeguarding
• Primary health care and UNICEF infant feeding and nutrition for young infants
• Ability to apply learning in practice and demonstrate reflective practice
• Understanding of infant brain development, emotional regulation and mother-infant interaction in the first 1001 critical days
• Understanding of working with mothers and infants in the perinatal period with mental illness, and awareness of evidence-based parent-infant resources

Nice to have

• IT skills
• Experience of managing or supporting staff
• Experience of working in a mental health setting
• Awareness of the National Service Framework for Children and other government initiatives
• Ability to manage difficult situations or advise others to act appropriately

What’s offered

• Comprehensive induction with ongoing support
• Supervision and professional development within an established multidisciplinary team
• Career progression opportunities across professional groups
• Part-time and flexible working applications considered and supported where possible