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Job Title: Neurodiversity Worker - Building Bridges
Starting Salary: £42,839 progressing to £47,181 per annum - Pay award pending
Hours: 37
Base Location: x1 East - Stevenage / x1 West - Hemel Hempstead
Contract Type: Permanent
Directorate: Children's Services

About the team

The Building Bridges service aims to reduce the overall number of children in care by preventing episodes of care and reunifying children in care with their families and communities where this is safe and in the best interests of the child. Research shows that outcomes for children are better when they are supported to stay with their families rather than when in care.

Building Bridges is a non-case holding, intensive intervention service working alongside the social care Area Teams who take case responsibility.

About the role

The Neurodiversity worker will provide specialist advice and support to professionals and families who are in / open to the Building Bridges service and where neurodivergence (diagnosed or undiagnosed) is a feature of their presentation.

Key aspects of this role will see you:

• Support the assessment and formulation of need of children open to the Building Bridges service (this does not mean diagnostic assessment of Autism or ADHD)
• Input into the planning of interventions to be delivered by the ‘Staying Together’ or ‘Reunification’ workers to ensure neurodiversity needs are met
• Build the capacity of the wider team through training, case consultations and trouble-shooting
• Develop ‘parents as practitioners’ by coming alongside families to help them to develop and use strategies to support their children
• Support signposting and ‘warm handovers’ to the Neurodiversity Support Hub and work closely with this resource to increase the support network
• Provide advocacy for and within families where neurodiversity is impacting on the progress of plans and professional understanding: where further support is needed to make reasonable adjustments and where environmental / relational change is needed to affect change and avoid pathologising
• Work closely with the Transforming Care Team, Advisory teachers and PALMS as well as other services and professionals to ensure clear pathways and consistent practice, brokering joint work / consultation where this is in the best interests of the child
• Make / support referrals to the Complex Case Consultation Panel
• Monitor outcomes and evaluate the support provided
• Participate in statutory and network meetings
• Provide observations to clinicians undertaking formal assessments
• Help parents make sense of their own needs in relation to potential neurodivergence
• Work effectively within a diverse team, with a range of experiences and specialisms including child and parental mental health and trauma.

About you

Essential:

• A track record of working in safeguarding families with complex needs and the ability to make autonomous decisions
• Intimate understanding of neurodivergence evidence base and best practice (meets Autism Capabilities Framework level 2 or above, evidence of specific CPD in the SEMH field)
• A demonstrable understanding of intersecting needs
• Ability to work in a multi disciplinary environment, negotiate joint formulation and plans
• Upholding and modelling a needs led (rather than diagnostic) approach
• Be trauma aware and knowledgeable about how acute distress impacts on children and families
• Preferably will be conversant in AMBIT, NVR and ARC (however training will be provided)
• A flexible, holistic, person centred approach valuing trust, empowerment and professional curiosity
• Experience of delivering training / providing advice and guidance in relation to specific children / families
• Ability to manage networks of professionals and provide challenge where needed
• Ability to scaffold relationships within families
• IT system proficiency, accurate and sympathetic recording

This is a new role which will give an exceptional person the opportunity to shape the position and contribute to an important proof of concept of how to meet intersecting needs. Ensuring that neurodivergence is not a barrier to families staying together when they are in acute distress is part of our commitment to the most vulnerable children and parents we work with. If you are passionate about trauma, mental health and neurodiversity and want to put the pieces of the puzzle together so families can move forward with the right support, this role is for you.

We welcome applications from candidates who currently reside in the UK with established proof of right to work documentation. We are not able to offer sponsorship at this time for this role.

This job role is Level 11. Please locate the job profile here: Job profiles - Health and social care

To hear more about this opportunity please contact Deborah Sheppard (deborah.sheppard@hertfordshire.gov.uk) or Emma Frusciante Emma.Frusciante@hertfordshire.gov.uk for an informal discussion about the role.

Benefits of working for us

How to apply

As part of your application, please upload your most recent CV. Ensure your CV is up to date with your employment history (including any employment gaps), and including any training/qualifications. We encourage you to include examples of where you have demonstrated the requirements/criteria in the advert / job profile to allow the panel to fully recognise your skills and abilities. You will have the opportunity to include a short covering paragraph within your application to give us a little more information about your skills, knowledge, and experiences.

Additional information

We are changing
Hertfordshire County Councilis undergoing Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). If you are employed by Hertfordshire County on 1 April 2028, it is expected that most roles will transfer to the newly-created unitary councils on existing terms and conditions under TUPE (Transfer of Undertakings – Protection of Employment) principles.

LGR is one of the biggest changes we will face in a generation. It will reshape how we work and how services are organised and gives us a real opportunity to build something better. To find out more, visit https://www.hertfordshire-lgr.co.uk/

Disability Confident
We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer and guarantee an interview to anyone disclosing a disability whose application meets the minimum criteria for the post.

Safeguarding
This role has been identified as requiring a Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check.

Driving required
You’ll need to have the ability to drive and/or travel around Hertfordshire, either using your own mode of transport or a company car to travel to other locations.

English Fluency
The ability to converse at ease with members of the public and provide advice in accurate spoken English is essential for the post (for those whose language is a signed language the provision of a sign language interpreter who speaks English to the necessary standard of fluency will be required). Further information about the legal requirement can be found here.