Job Summary
Are you passionate about making a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families facing life-limiting conditions? We are looking for a compassionate, motivated Child & Wellbeing Practitioner to join our dedicated Children’s Community Palliative Care Team.
As a Child & Wellbeing Practitioner, you will play a vital role in supporting babies, children, and young people with complex and life-limiting conditions, as well as their families, within their homes and community settings.
- Provide holistic emotional and practical support tailored to each child and family.
- Promote wellbeing, resilience, and quality of life.
- Work collaboratively within a multi-disciplinary team including nurses, therapists, social care, and education professionals.
- Support advance care planning and memory-making activities.
- Deliver compassionate care aligned with family wishes and cultural values
This is a citywide role
Main duties of the job
To guide and assist the nurses & short break facilitators in assessing the emotional needs of the child and immediate family.Developing an individualised plan of care.
Enabling the short break facilitators to provide distraction techniques utilising therapeutic, sensory and developmental play activities.
To attend and contribute to team meetings, case load updates and meetings relevant to the child.
To participate in the development of projects which lead to service improvements.
To liaise and create links with the mortuary, funeral directors, and other agencies as part of end-of-life care for child and immediate family.
To provide support in a variety of different settings appropriate to the child and siblings e.g. hospice, home, schools.
To collate data in relation to deaths of children under the care of the palliative care team.
To participate in any audits within the team and to obtain feedback from families on the service they received.
Provide a resource for staff and professionals seeking advice on pre and post bereavement.
To have an awareness and understanding of local and national agencies, policies and guidelines relating to Palliative Care, End of Life Care, Counselling and Bereavement.
Work in accordance with Organisational policies, procedures and guidelines and assist in their formulation and/or general review.
To lead by example and act as a positive role model for all staff.
Maintain clear reports and records in appropriate files/documentation.
Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential
- Undergraduate degree relevant to childhood studies
- Advanced communication skills
Desirable
- Bereavement training
- Child development/social work qualification
- Counselling skills training
Knowledge and Skills
Essential
- Working knowledge of safeguarding procedures
- Knowledge of bereavement and grief
- Understanding of spiritual, cultural and religious needs
- Understanding of Equality and Diversity
- Proficient IT skills word, power point, excel, EPR
Desirable
- Awareness of voluntary agencies
- Awareness of literature and government legislation regarding children and young people
- Knowledge of practical support following a child death
- Knowledge of childhood illness and disability
Training and Experience
Essential
- Minimum two years experience in a child care setting
- Evidence in working with child and family facing difficult circumstances including bereavement
- Experience of supporting child and family with social, economic, psychological events
- Experience of facilitating play/therapeutic group work with child and siblings
- Experience of working within a multi-disciplinary team
Desirable
- Experience working with children and young people in groups or individually
- Experience working in a healthcare, hospice, palliative care environment and community
- Experience of working with children with palliative care needs and or children with complex healthcare needs
Attributes
Essential
- Highly motivated individual
- Team player
- Good role model
- Keen and quick to learn
- Awareness of self/resilient
- Punctual
- Honest, reliable and trustworthy
- Good communication skills
- Flexible and adaptable
Other
Essential
- Access to car and holds full UK driving license
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).
Closing Date: 22 March 2026
