SHSCT _ Community Children's Nurse Band 6

Branch: Southern HSC Trust area (SHSCT)
Location: Dromalane-Dromalane House
Directorate: Children & Young People's Services
Salary: Band 6 (£38,682 - £46,580)
Contract Type: Permanent
Opening date: 11/11/26
Closes: Wed, 25 November 2026 @ 4:00 PM
Interview Dates: To be confirmed

Notes: If you are submitting a manual application, please post it to: Recruitment Shared Services, Rosewood Villa, Longstone Hospital Site, 73 Loughgall Road, Armagh, BT61 7PR. Applications received after the advertised closing date/time cannot be considered, so please allow enough time for postage.

A waiting list may be created for similar posts that may arise while the waiting list is live, this may include temporary or part-time posts. This will be managed in line with the updated HSC waiting list principles effective from 1 April 2026.

Where a part-time waiting list is required, one part-time waiting list will be created regardless of any specific hours advertised, this waiting list will cover all future vacancies where part-time posts arise. A part-time post is defined as any post that has less than 37.5 hours per week.

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Flexible Working
We welcome flexible working requests from day one. All HSC organisations offer a range of flexible working options. The options available for this post will depend on the requirements of the role.
Find out more about flexible working options on our website.

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Community Children's Nurse Band 6
Job Title: Community Children's Nurse
Band: 6
Directorate: Children & Young Peoples Services
Initial Location: Dromalane House, Newry (waiting list will be created for Band 6 Community Children's Nursing posts Trustwide)
Reports To: Community Children's Nursing Team Leader
Accountable To: Lead Nurse for Community Children's Services

Job Summary
Maintain clinical competence and deliver family centred care to Children & Young people (CYP) in the community with acute and chronic illness, complex health needs and palliative and end of life care needs.

Support the Community Children's Nursing Team Leader to ensure the delivery and development of the Community Children's Nursing (CCN) Service based on assessed need and in line with strategic direction.

Key Duties / Responsibilities

• Carry continuing responsibility for a caseload of CYP, and be responsible for the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of care, in consultation and co-operation with the child/young person, parents/carers, community nursing colleagues and other disciplines.
• Coordinate discharges and transitions for children with complex nursing needs to include initial hospital discharge, and subsequent transitions between hospital, home, and school and between different services and directorates, ensuring excellent communication, robust interagency working and timely discharge/transition arrangements.
• If assessment identifies the need for a short break/care package, facilitate this in partnership with child/young person, parents/carers and other disciplines as required.
• Act as Nurse in Charge on shift and deputise for the CCN Team Leader as required.
• Establish and maintain a communication network with Acute Paediatric Services, Child Development Clinic, Children with Disability Social Work Team and other professionals across Primary Care which will facilitate service development and establish close links between all professionals and agencies involved in the child's care.
• Contribute to the pursuit of excellence within CCN services.
• Support the training and development of CCN staff nurses.
• Provide competency based training, ongoing support and review of necessary knowledge and skills to Health Care workers and other formal carers providing care to children and young people with complex needs within the home and other community settings.
• Train parents/carers in the nursing care procedures, required to maintain their child's health, eg; enteral feeding, tracheostomy care, home ventilation.

Professional Responsibilities

• Comply with NMC Code of Professional Conduct.
• Ensure practice reflects the standards set in the NMC Code of Professional Conduct: Professional Standards of Practice and Behaviour for Nurses and Midwives.
• Comply with NMC requirements to ensure continuing professional development.
• Comply with Regional Safeguarding Policies and Procedures and ensure Trust Policies and Procedures for safeguarding are adhered to.
• Undertake the role of clinical supervisor within the framework of Clinical Supervision.
• Keep accurate records, submit statistical returns and compile reports as required in accordance with the requirements of clinical governance and NMC requirements.
• Work in partnership to develop policies, procedures, standards, and guidelines to improve own practice and that of others.
• Assist the CCN Team Leader with the setting and monitoring of standards of care.

Clinical Responsibilities

• Maintain clinical competence in all aspects of the Community Children's Nursing role.
• Work in partnership with CYP and their families to meet their identified needs; planning, assessing, implementing and evaluating an agreed plan of care whilst keeping the CYP at the centre of any decisions and actions that may impact on outcomes of care delivery.
• Act as an advocate for CYP and their families to ensure equity and consistency of service delivery, while focusing on the individual package of care/support required.
• Communicate in ways that empower CYP and their families to make informed choices about their health and health care, enabling informed consent.
• Communicate openly with parents/carers being sensitive to their needs, addressing concerns and referring onward as necessary.
• Provide effective clinical leadership to support and inspire colleagues to improve standards of care and promote continuous improvement in the management of CYP.
• Support the Community children's Nursing on call rota.

Collaborative Working

• Participate and promote multidisciplinary working within the team and across all programmes of care.
• Liaise with the multidisciplinary team, voluntary agencies and all other relevant personnel on a regular basis to promote and ensure effective communication is maintained and good work practices are facilitated.

Organisational and Management Responsibilities

• Reassess staffing rotas in response to unexpected absences/shift changes and adjust accordingly, to meet the needs of the service.
• Supervise/support CCN Staff nurses and Health Care Workers.
• Ensure safe environment for care of CYP and, in the presence of risk, complete a risk assessment, and develop an action plan to reduce the risk identified.
• Prepare, implement and review orientation and induction programmes for students, new members of staff in association with CCN Team Leader and other staff.
• Observe any signs of ill health or stress in staff and report to the CCN Team Leader.
• Act on and report complaints, incidents and accidents to the CCN Team Leader.
• Support auditing of Record Keeping within the CCN Team.
• Supervise the maintenance of stores and equipment and with due economy requisition supplies, repairs and replacement of equipment, ensuring all members of the team make proper and economic use of equipment and supplies.
• In conjunction with the CCN Team Leader, participate in the short and long term strategic development of the CCN Service.
• Maintain professional integrity at all times and promote a positive image of the CCN Service.

Educational Responsibilities

• Act as an effective role model for all staff.
• Identify own educational needs with the CCN Team Leader.
• In conjunction with Practice Education Team and university link tutors act as a facilitator and practice supervisor/Assessor for pre and post registration students and staff undertaking the return to practice programme.
• Support the education and training of team members, Health Care Workers and staff in education and other areas as required, ensuring the robust application of competency based process.
• Participate in the development and implementation of induction and preceptorship programmes for newly appointed staff.
• Assist in assessing learning needs of staff and maintaining a suitable learning environment. Participate in the clinical teaching of students, CCN Staff Nurses and Health Care Workers to ensure staff develop the competencies relevant to their practice.
• Encourage and facilitate the sharing of ideas and examples of good practice.
• Keep up to date with current evidence based practice.

General Management Responsibilities

• Review individually, at least annually, the performance of CCN Staff Nurses and Health Care Workers as delegated by CCN Team Leader, provide guidance on personal development requirements and advise on and initiates, where appropriate, further training.
• Support the maintenance of staff relationships and morale amongst staff.
• Delegate appropriate responsibility and authority to the level of staff within his/her control consistent with the delegation framework, effective decision making, while retaining overall responsibility and accountability for results.
• Participate, as required, in the selection and appointment of staff in accordance with procedures laid down by the Trust.
• Take such action as may be necessary in disciplinary matters in accordance with procedures laid down by the Trust.

General Requirements
The post holder will be required to:

• Ensure the Trust's policy on equality of opportunity is promoted through his/her own actions and those of any staff for whom he/she has responsibility.
• Co-operate fully with the implementation of the Trust's Health and Safety arrangements, reporting any accidents/incidents/equipment defects to his/her manager, and maintaining a clean, uncluttered and safe environment for patients/clients, members of the public and staff.
• Adhere at all times to all Trust policies/codes of conduct, including for example: Smoke Free policy; IT Security Policy and Code of Conduct; standards of attendance, appearance and behaviour.
• Contribute to ensuring the highest standards of environmental cleanliness within your designated area of work.
• Co-operate fully with regard to Trust policies and procedures relating to infection prevention and control.
• All employees of the Trust are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their business within the Trust including patients/clients, corporate and administrative records whether paper-based or electronic and also including emails. All such records are public records and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Employees are required to be conversant with the [org name] policy and procedures on records management and to seek advice if in doubt.
• Take responsibility for his/her own ongoing learning and development, in order to maximise his/her potential and continue to meet the demands of the post.
• Represent the Trust's commitment to providing the highest possible standard of service to patients/clients and members of the public, by treating all those with whom he/she comes into contact in the course of work, in a pleasant, courteous and respectful manner.

This Job Description will be subject to review in the light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time. It is a standard condition that all Trust staff may be required to serve at any location within the Trust's area, as needs of the service demand.

Personnel Specification: Community Children's Nurse Band 6
Children & Young Peoples Services
Hours: Reduced hours will be considered (minimum 30hrs/wk)

Notes to applicants: 1. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria. 2. Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form. Please note the Trust reserves the right to use any desirable criteria outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form how you meet the desirable criteria. 3. Proof of qualifications and/or professional registration will be required if an offer of employment is made – if you are unable to provide this, the offer may be withdrawn.

Essential Criteria
Section 1 (measured at shortlisting):

• Registered Nurse (Child) on the live NMC Register.
• 3 years post registration experience as a Registered Children's Nurse.
• Community Nursing Specialist Practice Qualification (SPQ) in Community Children's Nursing or due to complete Community Nursing Specialist Practice Qualification (SPQ) in Community Children's Nursing within next 2 months.
• Hold a full current driving license valid for use in the UK and have access to a car on appointment.

Section 2 (measured at interview/selection):

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills to meet the needs of the post.
• Leadership and organisational skills.
• Ability to work effectively as part of a team.
• Ability to influence and manage change effectively.
• Ability to effectively prioritise workload.
• Flexibility with regard to working arrangements to meet the demands of the post.
• In-depth understanding and knowledge of all issues related to Community Children's Nursing.
• Knowledge of current research relevant to specialty.
• Knowledge of professional issues.
• Knowledge of current developments and strategic direction.

As part of the Recruitment & Selection process it may be necessary for the Trust to carry out an Enhanced Disclosure Check through Access NI before any appointment to this post can be confirmed. Successful applicants may be required to attend for a Health Assessment. The Trust is an equal opportunities employer.

HSC Values

• Working Together: We work together for the best outcome for people we care for and support. We work across Health and Social Care and with other external organisations and agencies, recognising that leadership is the responsibility of all.
• Compassion: We are sensitive, caring, respectful and understanding towards those we care for and support and our colleagues. We listen carefully to others to better understand and take action to help them and ourselves.
• Excellence: We commit to being the best we can be in our work, aiming to improve and develop services to achieve positive changes. We deliver safe, high-quality, compassionate care and support.
• Openness & Honesty: We are open and honest with each other and act with integrity and candour.

All staff are expected to display the HSC Values at all times.