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Main area Children with Learning Disabilities Grade Band 6 Contract Permanent Hours
- Full time
- Flexible working
- Compressed hours
37.5 hours per week (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm; Option to work condensed hours consisting of 3 x 9.5 hour shifts and 1 x 9 hour shift during the operational hours of the team.) Job ref 364-B-513
Site Holmer Court Town Colchester Salary £39,959 – £48,117 per annum Salary period Yearly Closing 26/10/2026 23:59 Interview date 06/11/2026
Please be aware that, due to current allocation constraints, Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) are being prioritised for registered roles at this time.
Our Trust cares for more than 100,000 patients at any one time across our community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex and parts of Bedfordshire and Suffolk.
We want you to be part of our journey of transformation, where our patients and their families are at the heart of everything we do and to achieve our vision to be the leading health and wellbeing service in the provision of mental health and community care.
You’ll be part of a Trust where you will be supported to be your authentic self and be the best you can be, where we will help you to grow, develop and thrive.
The Trust is recognised by the University of Essex and is a top provider of apprenticeships for people looking to be an assistant practitioner, senior health care support worker (CAP). Our trailblazing CAP apprenticeship won a national HSJ Award.
We are also recognised as a Veteran Aware Trust and holder of gold accreditation from the Ministry of Defence Employment Recognition Scheme. Our services are highlighted as an exemplar of good practice, producing the best care for more than 3.500 armed forces veterans in the past seven years.
We have been shortlisted and won national awards. We are an inclusive organisation and Level 3 Disability Confident Leader Trust.
We are constantly innovating and looking for new ways to deliver care, such as using technology to enhance patient care and working with partners to launch new services such as the Basildon Mental Health Urgent Care Department, virtual hospitals and falls response cars.
Join us and you’ll do the best work of your life – and make a difference to other people’s lives. What we do together, matters.
Job overview
The Children’s Learning Disability Service provides support to children and young people between the ages of 5-18 years who have a learning disability (falling within the moderate to severe range) and who display behaviours which challenge their support network or which impact on their quality of life.
We are currently seeking a motivated and enthusiastic Learning Disability or Mental Health Nurse to join our established team of Nursing and Occupational Therapists.
The team is operational across Essex, Southend and Thurrock, and is divided into two sub-teams, providing localised support and interventions. This vacancy is for the North and Mid Essex Team.
The successful candidate will confidently deliver short term assessments and interventions, with the aim of supporting children and their families to thrive within their communities.
A range of evidence based assessments and interventions will be offered based on need, but will include Functional Assessments of Behaviour, Sensory Assessments and Sleep Assessments, as well as the delivery of direct work including bespoke Relationships and Sex Education, and person centred Emotional Wellbeing interventions.
Main duties of the job
- Under the guidance of the team’s Clinical Lead, the appointee is responsible for managing a defined caseload of children with behavioural difficulties associated with their learning disability diagnosis, using evidence-based / client-centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions adhering to Nursing models and framework, whilst also working as part of a wider MDT of Occupational Therapists and Nurse Practitioners
- To be an active member of the Children’s Learning Disability Service. To provide a person-centred Nursing Service for Children with Learning Disabilities, based on the direction given through Trust values and identified local need.
- To use evidence based/client centred principles to assess, plan, implement and evaluate interventions.
- To regularly supervise Nursing students on practice placement.
- To provide leadership, supervision and day-to-day management for qualified and non-qualified staff within the multi-disciplinary team.
- To contribute to the ongoing development of the service and to participate in the planning, development and evaluation of services within the team.
- To work collaboratively with key partner organisations, service users, carers, clinicians and other practitioners within the multi-disciplinary team in delivering services.
- In delivering your duties you are expected to display behaviours that are aligned with the Trust values and as required in accordance with the NHS Constitution at all times.
Working for our organisation
EPUT are looking for motivated staff who shares our Trust values of Care, Learn and Empower. In return, EPUT can offer you a range of benefits and development including;
- Season Ticket Loans
- NHS discounts for staff
- Excellent Training facilities and opportunities
- Buying and Selling annual leave scheme
- The opportunity to work bank shifts and expand knowledge and experience in other areas
- Salary Sacrifice schemes including lease cars and Cycle to Work
- Day One Flexible Employer
The Trust supports and actively encourages flexible working for all employees. We offer many options and you are encouraged to ask the recruiting manager what is possible for this role. If appointed, you will have the opportunity to apply for a flexible working request from the first day of your employment
Join our Staff bank
What is Staff Bank?
Our EPUT NHS staff bank is an entity managed by the trust that hires clinical and non-clinical healthcare professionals to take on shifts at our trust hospitals and community settings. Here at EPUT we maintain our own bank of specialist staff to ensure that we are able offer safe and effective care at all times.
All our permanent staff are automatically enrolled onto the staff bank however this does not mean you have to work any additional shifts, but the option is there for you if you wish.
If you are joining our Trust in a fixed term role, please indicate on your New Starter Paperwork that you wish to join our staff bank.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
For further information relating to the day-to-day requirements and responsibilities of this role, please read the attached Person Specification and Job Description documents.
If you have any questions or would like to discuss the post further, please do not hesitate to make contact with Sarah Snow or Lauren Richards on 01206 334026 or at epunft.clds@nhs.net
Person specification
Qualifications
- Relevant registration with professional body
- Significant practical skills/experience in the field of learning disabilities and behaviour management
Knowledge
- Knowledge of Child Protection issues and the principles of working with people with LD
- Knowledge of relevant legal frameworks. e.g. Mental Health Act, Children Act, Human Rights Act, Every Child Matters,
- Learning Disability assessment skills, including observation, assessment of behaviours which challenge, and experience with understanding the function to such behaviours.
- Knowledge of specialist intervention/treatment, i.e. ABA / sensory integration
- Application and understanding of child development theories, attachment theories and practice and growth of the child in the family
Skills
- Good oral communication skills based on fluency on the English language
- Literate in IT/Computer Skills
- Skill in producing high standard of written reports
- Significant experience of direct clinical assessment and treatment sessions within the field of learning disabilities.
- Experience with Positive Behaviour Support Plans
Additional Requirements
- Current driving licence
- Ability to travel across trust sites
Please be aware that, due to current allocation constraints, Certificates of Sponsorship (CoS) are being prioritised for registered roles at this time.
Important note: please ensure that as part of your application, you include professional references with business contact information covering your last three years of employment history. We are unable to accept personal or character references.
As a newly appointed employee, you are responsible for incurring the cost of your initial DBS check relevant to your post; the amount will be deducted from your first salary with the Trust.
Our Trust is an Equal Opportunities Employer. We particularly welcome applications from people with experience of using mental health services. We also hold the Disability two tick symbol and have made the pledge to commit to employing more people with learning disabilities, we encourage people with a disability to apply. If you require this application form in another format i.e. Braille or audio tape etc, please contact the Recruitment Department on 01375 364513 or email epunft.recruitment.adverts@nhs.net and we can arrange for this to be dispatched to you.
The Trust has the right to expire vacancies prior to the closing date if they so wish. The Trust makes every attempt to contact all applicants and we strongly advise that you check the email account which is registered with NHS Jobs regularly, we would advise however due to the high number of applications we receive that if you have not heard from us within three weeks of the closing date your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.
We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, and expect all staff to undertake this commitment. Applicants will be subject to robust safer recruitment processes.
Important Notice: Recently the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) (Amendment) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 (the Regulations) which amended on 22 July 2021 and come into force on 11 November 2021 that anyone directly employed to work in a Care Home or who are required as part of their role to be deployed to a CQC registered care home are required to have had both their COVID vaccinations, unless they are exempt. This is therefore a requirement of this role and will form part of our pre-employment checks.
Please note – staff who are formally at risk within the organisation will be given priority in securing alternative employment. Should it come to light that a post being advertised by the Trust is considered ‘suitable alternative employment’ to an individual who is at risk, the recruiting manager will be advised and the post will be withdrawn from NHS Jobs.
Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Applications for this role should be written by the applicant. If artificial intelligence (AI) programmes are used then the application may be rejected due to this document being an important part of the assessment process. This does not prevent applicants seeking appropriate support with applications should they need to for the purposes of any declared disability.
Employer certification / accreditation badges
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.
Name Sarah Snow or Lauren Richards Job title Advanced Nurse Practitioner / Advanced OT Email address epunft.clds@nhs.net Telephone number 01206 334026
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