This role may be perfect for you if you are currently, or have been, a Healthcare Assistant. At Noah’s Ark you'll have opportunity to build on your experience and be trained to a more specialist level.

ABOUT NOAH'S ARK CHILDREN'S HOSPICE

We exist to help babies, children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions, and their families, make the most of every day. Our mission is to enable those we support to enjoy life as children, not patients; as families, not just as carers.

Because everyone deserves to live life as themselves, beyond their condition or circumstances. We do this by listening to families. We know one size doesn’t fit all, so we cater our services to each individual person we support. We can do this from the point of diagnosis.

Our help is available wherever it is needed. Our expert staff and trained volunteers can provide support in a families home, in the community, or at our state-of-the-art building, The Ark, in Barnet.

We work in collaboration with key NHS Trusts and other care providers to deliver the very best support to children and families. We have created a space where children with complex needs are accepted as they are, safe to play, explore, express themselves and build confidence.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We’re expanding our team and are looking for more Specialist Carers to join our charity. You’ll be joining an award-winning, certified Outstanding team, who do all they can to empower children and families to experience as much life as possible.

As a Specialist Carer, you’ll provide life-changing care for babies, children and young people with life-limiting or life-threatening conditions. You’ll do this by working in collaboration with their family, multidisciplinary teams and your other Noah’s Ark colleagues.

You’ll be encouraged to put the experience of children and families at the heart of all you do. As well as understanding their clinical needs, you’ll get to know what’s important to each child you support. Whether it’s knowing what their favourite song to listen to is, how they like to play, or what sooths them when they are sad - at Noah’s Ark it’s so important that each child is treated as an individual. You’ll focus on what children can do, rather than their limitations, and will support them to experience things they may never have thought possible.

And by providing care for children, either at our state-of-the art building, The Ark, or out in the community, you’ll be allowing parents and cares to take some time for themselves. The hours of care you’ll provide will make a huge difference, allowing them to live life outside of their child’s condition. By creating this time, you’ll be creating choice – something which can feel impossible for the families we support.

As a Band 4 Specialist Carer you will be a senior carer in our team and will pass on your skills and experience by supporting and training junior colleagues. You will actively lead care planning reviews, projects and meetings.

Your commitment to children and families will continue through to end-of-life care. You’ll be a guiding reassuring presence for families, and working with other healthcare professionals to create as much comfort as possible.

ABOUT YOU

You’ll have experience caring for babies, children and young people with complex health needs and will be competent in a range of complex nursing skills. You’ll understand the power of play and will enjoy creating experiences and activities for those you are caring for.

Aside from experience, we look for individuals who share our core values of kindness, excellence, and courage. We’ll support you to go above and beyond to be there for the children and families we support – we ask that you share this mission with us.

You’ll thrive working autonomously, confident in your ability to deliver care on your own out in the community. You’ll know the value of collaboration, and will work closely with your team members, other healthcare professionals and the families you support to provide the very best care.

Creativity and play will be central to your approach to care, with the ability to build long-term relationships with the children and families you care for.

You will understand and adhere to policies and procedures at all times, underpinned by competency in clinical skills, working under the delegation of a registered children’s nurse.

You will be available to work a variety of shits, including days, evenings, nights and weekends. You will have a full UK driving license and access to your own car. You will be paid for travel time, reimbursed for car parking and will have a generous mileage allowance.

WHAT YOU'LL GET

You’ll join an award-wining, certified Outstanding team who hold the highest standards for holistic paediatric palliative care. 95% of families surveyed reported having a very positive experience of Noah’s Ark – you’ll help bring that number even higher.

You’ll receive extensive ongoing training, led by our dedicated Learning and Development Team, so you can deliver the very best care.

When you’re not providing support out in the community, you’ll be based at our stunning hospice building The Ark, set on a 7.5-acre nature reserve.

You’ll start with 25 days holiday, rising by a day every year up to 30 days, life assurance, and a generous pension plan. We also have free parking, delicious subsided meals from our in-house café, and a dedicated wellbeing team who put on regular events for the entire charity.

You’ll join a workplace where that scores above the hospice average for staff engagement (according to the independent staff engagement survey), with 92% of staff feeling they are able to be their full selves at work.

Please see the attached job description for more information about this opportunity.

OUR COMMITMENT TO DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

We believe that everyone deserves to be treated equally. It is central to our charities mission.

We ensure that no member of staff, or job applicant, is treated less favourably because of their sex, age, sexual orientation, pregnancy, race, colour, nationality, ethic or national origin, religion, disability, gender identity or martial status.

We are a Disability Confident Employer and will guarantee an interview to those candidates with a disability if they meet the minimum requirements of the role.

We particularly welcome and encourage applications from groups who are currently under-represented in our staff

DBS

This role requires an enhanced DBS disclosure with Child Barring. Our recruitment checks, induction, as well as ongoing support and supervision reflect our commitment to safeguarding the families we support.

Please note - we will only be accepting direct applications for this role.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications for the role. Therefore, we kindly advise you to submit your application as early as possible.