Job title: Specialist Keyworker
Location: Coopers Lodge Coventry, and across Coventry and Warwickshire
Salary: £32,000
Hours: 37 hours per week
Job type: Permanent (also a potential 12 month maternity cover)

Reference: LK SKW 23.5

Why Join Us?

Do you have experience of working with young people and adults who are autistic and/or have Learning Disabilities?

Do you want to make a difference to their experience of services?

Do you have a real passion for making a positive impact for young people and young adults?

We can offer a chance for you to join the Specialist Keyworker Team, who are agents of change as they are champions of Autism and Learning Disabilities. They hear the young persons’ voices, explore the unmet need and unblock the barriers to seeking the right support at the right time.

About the service

Starting in January 2021, the Keyworker Service was created as part of the NHS Long Term Plan commitment that, by 2023/24, children and young people with a learning disability, autism, or both, and with complex needs, would have a designated keyworker.

The primary aim of the team is to ensure that the voice of the young person is heard – providing strategic support by looking at the background and history of the young person, and identifying blockages and challenges in their support journey so that reasonable adjustments are made and to avoid unnecessary hospital admission.

Our keyworkers work with children and young people aged between 0–25, who are at risk of mental health hospitalisation or who are currently inpatients.

Key responsibilities

Develop and maintain a strong, positive relationship with children and young people with a learning disability, autism or both, who are inpatients or at risk of being admitted to hospital, to ensure children, young people and their families get the right support at the right time and that local systems are responsive to meeting their needs in a holistic and joined up way.
To hold services across the system to account ensuring children and families get the right support at the right time.
Provide support to access the right help at the right time across complex systems particularly the transition between children and adult’s services.
Coordinate provision, care and assessments related to the child or young person, working with other agencies and services to ensure agreed actions are carried out – (inc. those agreed as part of Care Education Treatment Review – CETRs).
Follow-up on any actions from CETRs to ensure they have been assigned, and that progress is being made.
Communicate clearly with the child, young person, and their family to help them understand and navigate the system, for example conveying complex legal and medical information around Tier 4 admissions in a clear, accessible way.
Identify, guide, and refer to other services where needed e.g. carer support services, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), short breaks provision etc.

Essential requirements

A proven understanding of the needs and characteristics of children and young people with a diagnosis of Autism and or complex communication difficulties.
Strong, holistic understanding of the education, health, and care system to fulfil keyworking function of holding services to account.
Experience of working with children and/or young people with learning disability, autism or both and complex needs and their families.
A proven understanding of strategies and resources that will support children and young people with Autism and or complex communication difficulties and awareness of locally available provision, as well as how to apply in practice.
Legislative knowledge and relevant national policies including; Children and Families Act, Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act and Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS), 117 After Care Procedures, the Care Act, Equality Act, Chronically Sick & Disabled Persons’ Act, SEND Code of Practice, Education Act, Keeping Children Safe In Education.
Experience of working with families and liaising with multi-disciplinary professionals and working across agencies.
Experience of supervising others.
Relevant Professional qualification, e.g., social worker, nurse, occupational therapist, speech & language therapist, Teacher, JNC Youth Work and evidence of post graduate training specific to Autism, Learning Disabilities with children/ young people and/or adults.
Ability to drive and with access to a vehicle to aid working across Coventry and Warwickshire

What we can offer you

The following are just some of the benefits that Coventry and Warwickshire Mind offer its employees:

Working culture – based on core values of trust, honesty, inclusivity, enabling, effective and an unapologetic drive for excellence for children and young people.
Annual leave – 25 days plus bank holidays plus an extra day for every two completed holiday years.
Wellbeing day – 1 day, per holiday year, to be used to take care of your own mental health and wellbeing.
Life insurance policy – Coventry and Warwickshire Mind are covered by a Life Insurance policy. The death in service payment is 2 x gross salary (tax free).
Employee development – Active encouragement not only to assist performance in the current role but also for the benefit of personal development via various means. Access to Coventry and Warwickshire Mind CPD training and opportunities to access external CPD training.
Flexible working – A range of options available for all employee’s dependant on role and responsibilities.
Pension – Minimum 5% employee and 3% employer contribution, with an ethical investment policy option.
Sick pay – On completion of a 6-month probationary period,Coventry and Warwickshire Mind employees will be eligible to a period of paid sick leave.

Mandatory questions

If you are submitting a CV, you MUST include answers to the following questions (these can also be found on our application form):

Do you have any unspent convictions or conditional cautions?
If yes please give details of date(s) of offence(s), nature of offence(s) and sentence(s) passed.
Are there any restrictions regarding your employment in the UK, e.g., do you require a work permit? If yes, please provide details.
Are you the partner or relative of anyone currently connected with Coventry and Warwickshire Mind (either as a volunteer, service user or employee)? If yes, please confirm their name and project, if known.
Do you hold a UK driving license?

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Closing date: Friday 23rd May 2025

Interview date: Wednesday 28th May 2025 (This date cannot be changed, please ensure your availability)

Only successful applicants will be notified. We reserve the right to close the application window early and without notice should a suitable number of applications be received.

Coventry and Warwickshire Mind values diversity and difference. We welcome applicants from all sections of the community, particularly under-represented groups and people with lived experience of mental health issues.

Coventry and Warwickshire Mind is a leading mental health service provider and an equal opportunities employer.

Coventry and Warwickshire Mind

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Specialist Keyworker