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Bedfordshire 0-19 Services are excited to offer the right candidate the opportunity to join our team in a newly developed role as a Specialist Health Visitor for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

We are looking for an experienced and innovative SCPHN with a specialist interest in SEND to support our workforce in delivering a high quality, evidence based service. In this role, you will have the chance to be a clinical expert, leading and influencing a team that delivers evidence-based services to support children. You will also collaborate closely with partner agencies including parent carer forums to build effective systems that empower and support families.

Should we receive a high number of applications we reserve the right to close this vacancy at any point after 21-09-2025. The post holder will provide clinical leadership in the Bedfordshire 0-19 service with a specific focus on children with special education needs (SEND).

The SCPHN-SEND will be the clinical expert and responsible for ensuring the 0-19 service delivers an evidence-based and high-quality service in screening for and identifying needs appropriately. The post holder will have some strategic responsibility in liaising with partner agencies to ensure robust systemwide support is accessible to families.

Rated ‘Outstanding’ by the Care Quality Commission, we are proud to provide high quality innovative services across most of the east of England that enable people to receive care closer to home and live healthier lives. There’s one reason why our services are outstanding – and that’s our amazing staff who, for the seventh year running, rated us incredibly highly in the national staff survey. If you share our passion for innovative and high-quality care delivery, then please submit your application and join us on our exciting journey as a leading-edge specialist community provider. All are welcome to apply and our promise to you is a culture which prioritises staff engagement and development.

1. Provide leadership and management for early identification, assessment, support, intervention and review for the children with SEND and their families.
2. Develop and implement strategies and programmes of care to improve Health Visiting service provision in respect of SEND through education and health promotion.
3. Act as a resource and provide an advanced level of knowledge on specific diseases and conditions to provide support and guidance to the 0-19 team to improve service delivery and ensure better outcomes for children with SEND and their families.
4. To work closely with the 0-19 teams to support clinical practice ensuring excellence in SEND practice for children and their families and provide evidence-based care and hold a small caseload for families that require extra support and care due to SEND needs.
5. Establish referral pathways to refer clients to other agencies as appropriate.
6. To take an organisational leadership role to optimise partnership working with CCS Specialist Children’s Services, Children’s Social care and Children with Disability teams, the Local Authority SEND provision, Early Years specialist nursery provision, and the voluntary sector through formal networks, task and finish work, pathway development, communication and updates.
7. Be responsible for excellent communication with a wide range of organisations including Luton and Bedfordshire Local Authorities, voluntary groups, health professionals and the public ensuring that CCS is informed of any developments relating to SEND e.g specialist nursery provision.
8. To take the lead role in specialist education and training across the 0-19 service supporting the development of knowledge and practice.
9. Working in partnership with Practice lead team to develop training to meet the needs of the commissioned service in SEND delivery.
10. To facilitate the dissemination of appropriate information regarding conditions, support groups, local and national initiatives to parents and colleagues.
11. Work in collaboration with Co production (Start with people) team in relation to services for SEND families.
12. The post-holder will work within a clinical governance framework which is embedded in day-to-day practice. Bedfordshire Community Health Services is accountable for continuously improving the quality of its services, and safeguarding standards of care.
13. To co-ordinate the SEND champions meetings (3 monthly) and deliver training that can be disseminated to the wider teams. To establish up to date local support/facilities within each locality with the assistance of the SEND Champions.
14. To evaluate the impact of the role on improving outcomes for children with SEND.
15. Actively develop a more specialised service or activity which is based on clear evidence of need, in partnership with commissioners and to evaluate the impact of the role on improving outcomes for children with SEND.
16. Work with data management team to pull relevant, informative reports to analyse service delivery in respect of SEND and make changes to service delivery in response.
17. Analyse reports on data for service development and develop quality improvement measures to assure data quality, completeness and accuracy, as well as improvements to service delivery.
18. Understand the importance of national and local health initiatives and contribute towards achieving specified targets.
19. Plan and organise the workload for themselves. Support staff and be responsive to fluctuations in workload and resources.
20. Manage packages of care to meet identified, individual need which may be complex involving other professionals and agencies.
21. Undertake the role of Lead Professional where appropriate (as defined in Every Child Matters documentation).

1. To anticipate barriers to communication and use interpreters or tools as required.
2. To liaise and make appropriate referrals within Bedfordshire Community Services and with other agencies/ partners e.g. midwives, G.P Practices, Children and Learning (Local Authority) and Children’s Centres to improve the outcome for the child and family.
3. To support and teach clients and/or students as required in meeting their learning needs.
4. To produce accurate and complete records of communication consistent with NMC legislation and organisational policies and procedures.
5. To represent the health visiting service in interdisciplinary and multi-agency settings and take the lead when appropriate providing clinical and professional input.
6. To facilitate clear communication channels to work within partnership with clients and carers.
7. To listen appropriately and take into account any sensitive issues and communicate these to relevant persons/agencies ensuring that the child is protected and that disclosures are acted upon according to CCS, Bedfordshire Children Community Health Services safeguarding children’s policies.
8. To utilise a range of communication skills e.g. negotiation to gain commitment from others, formal presentations and problem solving to facilitate positive outcomes for the child and the family.
9. To utilise a range of communication methods with colleagues and Manager to include electronic communication.
10. Attend relevant CCS, Bedfordshire Children Community Health Services and team/locality meetings.
11. Ensure that all organisational-wide communication is accessed and adhered to accordingly via the nhsmail.net account given upon start of employment. This also applies to communication sent via internal or external mail, fax or memo and our Intranet.

This advert closes on Sunday 28 Sep 2025