Specialist Maternity Support Worker (Complex Needs and Safeguarding)

Communication and working relationships Communicate clearly and effectively with the multi-disciplinary team, women and their families/visitors/carers As a key member of the maternity team supporting families with complex needs, you may be required to attend multi-agency meetings and work co-operatively with the multidisciplinary team to ensure patient safety and care. Respond appropriately to safeguarding queries, including supporting staff with immediate safety planning and advice on safeguarding referrals. Take telephone calls and high light cases for escalation to the midwives. Build excellent, therapeutic relationships with families to provide support and care in distressing and emotional events. Maintain confidentiality. Maintain professional boundaries when working with the public. Demonstrate honesty and integrity Recognise the importance of peoples rights and recognise individual beliefs, preferences and choices; respecting diversity and providing individualised care. Able to travel to different locations where required you will need your own car. Ability to deal sensitively with complex and difficult emotional circumstances. Recognising your own limitations and accessing further support as required. As a key member of the safeguarding and public health team you will work regularly with families experiencing multiple disadvantages (insecure housing, substance misuse, domestic abuse, contact with the criminal justice system) and children open to Early Help, Child in Need and Child Protection Plans. You may be required to contribute to multi-agency meetings and work co-operatively as part of the multi-disciplinary team to ensure patient safety and care. To take emergency action as necessary to safeguard women and babies including calling emergency services, supporting in clinical emergencies. Maintain high levels of written documentation and prepare reports for the purpose of safeguarding meetings. Take responsibility for participating with regular safeguarding supervision Support the midwifery team for women and birthing people who present in hospital with complex social support needs to identify and signpost to relevant services. Support service users who may require support with attending the hospital environment for planned wellbeing tours of the unit. Support with identifying reasonable adjustments to improve accessibility to maternity care. Support with birth planning and hospital passports Planning and organisation Undertake daily identified administrative and clerical tasks associated with maternity care which facilitate the smooth running of the service/ Assist with preparation and organisation of a variety of antenatal/postnatal and specialist clinics. Arrange appointments, scans etc with the support of midwives Transport specimens from the community to hospital setting as required. Support maintenance of data collection for audit and reporting purposes. Undertake social media posts for public health awareness Physical skills Venepuncture Basic observations Routine neonatal care Newborn blood spot screening Patient and client care To provide trauma-informed, compassionate care and support to families. To be able to have challenging conversations in a calm and supportive way, with an awareness of trauma-informed practice. Assist parents with personal baby care eg helping them to become confident in changing nappies, bathing their baby and performing eye and cord care. Assist with infant feeding including advice and practical breastfeeding support that meets our UNICEF Gold Baby friendly standards. Demonstrate the principles of sterilisation and safe preparation of artificial infant milk. Undertake parenting and infant observations on a 1:1 basis or with other professionals. To support and signpost/refer women and their families to access appropriate services and community support organisations such as drug and alcohol services, mental health team, domestic abuse support and family hubs. To undertake home visits, both jointly and independently, and where required accompany to appointment with other agencies/community groups to provide initial support to access services. To devise support plans, support with reasonable adjustments and escalate concerns as appropriate. Policy and service development Engage in QI projects and service improvement to develop new job role Finance, equipment and other resources Use Trust resources efficiently and suggest efficiency savings to more senior staff when appropriate People management and training Undertake annual mandatory training No management requirements To be involved in practice awareness raising sessions in the Trust and to reinforce the training provided to staff by the Public Health Midwife and Safeguarding Midwife. Information technology and training Undertake daily identified administrative and clerical tasks associated with maternity care which facilitate the smooth running of the service/ Daily use of electronic patient record Use spreadsheets to collect data for audit Research and development Support with service audit Freedom to act Line managed by Specialist Public Health Midwife Midwifery staff will identify service users who require support and refer these to the postholder. However, the post holder will also be expected to recognise families who have support needs and act accordingly. Regular review of case load with manager Will not be expected to make safeguarding referrals to escalate safely to midwives if and when safeguarding concerns are recognised. Please note: Priority will be given to applicants with recognised 'Priority' or 'At Risk' status, including NHS staff identified across Devon. Job description Job responsibilities Communication and working relationships Communicate clearly and effectively with the multi-disciplinary team, women and their families/visitors/carers As a key member of the maternity team supporting families with complex needs, you may be required to attend multi-agency meetings and work co-operatively with the multidisciplinary team to ensure patient safety and care. Respond appropriately to safeguarding queries, including supporting staff with immediate safety planning and advice on safeguarding referrals. Take telephone calls and high light cases for escalation to the midwives. Build excellent, therapeutic relationships with families to provide support and care in distressing and emotional events. Maintain confidentiality. Maintain professional boundaries when working with the public. Demonstrate honesty and integrity Recognise the importance of peoples rights and recognise individual beliefs, preferences and choices; respecting diversity and providing individualised care. Able to travel to different locations where required you will need your own car. Ability to deal sensitively with complex and difficult emotional circumstances. Recognising your own limitations and accessing further support as required. As a key member of the safeguarding and public health team you will work regularly with families experiencing multiple disadvantages (insecure housing, substance misuse, domestic abuse, contact with the criminal justice system) and children open to Early Help, Child in Need and Child Protection Plans. You may be required to contribute to multi-agency meetings and work co-operatively as part of the multi-disciplinary team to ensure patient safety and care. To take emergency action as necessary to safeguard women and babies including calling emergency services, supporting in clinical emergencies. Maintain high levels of written documentation and prepare reports for the purpose of safeguarding meetings. Take responsibility for participating with regular safeguarding supervision Support the midwifery team for women and birthing people who present in hospital with complex social support needs to identify and signpost to relevant services. Support service users who may require support with attending the hospital environment for planned wellbeing tours of the unit. Support with identifying reasonable adjustments to improve accessibility to maternity care. Support with birth planning and hospital passports Planning and organisation Undertake daily identified administrative and clerical tasks associated with maternity care which facilitate the smooth running of the service/ Assist with preparation and organisation of a variety of antenatal/postnatal and specialist clinics. Arrange appointments, scans etc with the support of midwives Transport specimens from the community to hospital setting as required. Support maintenance of data collection for audit and reporting purposes. Undertake social media posts for public health awareness Physical skills Venepuncture Basic observations Routine neonatal care Newborn blood spot screening Patient and client care To provide trauma-informed, compassionate care and support to families. To be able to have challenging conversations in a calm and supportive way, with an awareness of trauma-informed practice. Assist parents with personal baby care eg helping them to become confident in changing nappies, bathing their baby and performing eye and cord care. Assist with infant feeding including advice and practical breastfeeding support that meets our UNICEF Gold Baby friendly standards. Demonstrate the principles of sterilisation and safe preparation of artificial infant milk. Undertake parenting and infant observations on a 1:1 basis or with other professionals. To support and signpost/refer women and their families to access appropriate services and community support organisations such as drug and alcohol services, mental health team, domestic abuse support and family hubs. To undertake home visits, both jointly and independently, and where required accompany to appointment with other agencies/community groups to provide initial support to access services. To devise support plans, support with reasonable adjustments and escalate concerns as appropriate. Policy and service development Engage in QI projects and service improvement to develop new job role Finance, equipment and other resources Use Trust resources efficiently and suggest efficiency savings to more senior staff when appropriate People management and training Undertake annual mandatory training No management requirements To be involved in practice awareness raising sessions in the Trust and to reinforce the training provided to staff by the Public Health Midwife and Safeguarding Midwife. Information technology and training Undertake daily identified administrative and clerical tasks associated with maternity care which facilitate the smooth running of the service/ Daily use of electronic patient record Use spreadsheets to collect data for audit Research and development Support with service audit Freedom to act Line managed by Specialist Public Health Midwife Midwifery staff will identify service users who require support and refer these to the postholder. However, the post holder will also be expected to recognise families who have support needs and act accordingly. Regular review of case load with manager Will not be expected to make safeguarding referrals to escalate safely to midwives if and when safeguarding concerns are recognised. Please note: Priority will be given to applicants with recognised 'Priority' or 'At Risk' status, including NHS staff identified across Devon.