Advanced Children's Health Care Worker- Tracheostomy experiencedNHS

Job summary

Lagans Foundation is looking for an experienced and compassionate Advanced Childrens Play and Health Care Worker Carer Level 3 to join our specialist care team across Greater Manchester.

This is an opportunity to use your complex care skills to make a meaningful difference to children, young people and their families. You will provide safe, individualised care and respite within childrens own homes and communities, supporting children and young people aged 019 with complex and high-dependency health needs.

As a Level 3 Carer, you will bring previous complex care experience and advanced clinical competencies, including essential experience and competency in tracheostomy care. You will work confidently within individual care plans while building trusting and professional relationships with the children and families you support.

At Lagans Foundation, excellent care is about more than clinical skills. It is about understanding each child as an individual and providing care with dignity, patience, consistency and empathy.

In return, you will join a supportive childrens charity where your experience is valued and where you can continue to develop your clinical knowledge, confidence and career.

Main duties of the job

As an Advanced Childrens Play and Health Care Worker Carer Level 3, you will provide skilled, compassionate and individualised care to children and young people with complex and high-dependency health needs in their own homes and communities.

You will support each child in accordance with their individual care plan, risk assessments and clinical protocols. Depending on the needs of the child, this may include tracheostomy care, respiratory support, enteral or parenteral nutrition, seizure management, medication, personal care, positioning, mobility and communication support.

You will monitor the childs wellbeing, recognise changes or signs of deterioration and respond appropriately, escalating clinical, care or safeguarding concerns when required. You will maintain accurate and timely care records and work closely with families, colleagues and health and care professionals.

As an experienced Level 3 Carer, you will also support and mentor less experienced colleagues, share good clinical practice and contribute to a safe, consistent and high-quality care service.

Above all, you will take time to understand each childs individual needs, routines, preferences and communication, helping families feel confident that their child is receiving safe and compassionate care.

Job description

Advanced Childrens Play and Health Care Worker Carer Level 3

Location: Greater Manchester Role Type: Permanent, Full-time Hours: 37.5 hours per week. Flexible availability is required Monday to Sunday on a rolling rota, in line with service delivery needs. Shifts will fall within our core operating hours of 6:00am10:00pm. Salary: £26,325 per annum (£13.50 per hour)

Make a Difference Where It Matters Most

Lagans Foundation is a specialist childrens charity providing home health care, respite and support to families of children and young people aged 019 with complex health needs.

Our charity was founded from lived experience of caring for a child with complex congenital heart defects and feeding difficulties, and from understanding just how difficult it can be for families to find the right support once they are at home.

Today, our carers work alongside families across the North West, providing individualised care and respite to children and young people with a wide range of complex and high-dependency health needs.

For some families, having a skilled carer they trust means a parent can rest, spend time with another child, have a meal, take a shower or simply have some time knowing that their child is being safely and compassionately cared for.

For the child or young person, our role is to understand their individual needs, their communication, their routines, their preferences and the clinical care that keeps them safe and well supported.

No two children, families or shifts are the same.

Were Looking for an Advanced Carer

We are now looking for an experienced Advanced Childrens Play & Health Care Worker Carer Level 3 to join our specialist care team.

This is not an entry-level care position.

You will already have experience supporting people with complex or high-dependency health needs and have the confidence and clinical competencies required to provide more advanced care.

You will work in children's own homes and communities, providing safe, compassionate and individualised support while giving parents and unpaid carers valuable respite.

Depending on the individual child, this could include complex respiratory support, enteral or parenteral nutrition, seizure management, medication, personal care, positioning, communication support and other specialist interventions.

Just as importantly, you will get to know the individual child and family and understand what good care means for them.

What Youll Be Doing

As a Carer Level 3, you will:

• Provide safe, high-quality care to children and young people with complex and high-dependency health needs.
• Work confidently within individual care plans, risk assessments and clinical protocols.
• Deliver advanced clinical interventions within your assessed competencies.
• Recognise changes or deterioration in a child's condition and escalate concerns appropriately.
• Administer medication safely in accordance with care plans, training and policy.
• Provide personal care while maintaining dignity, comfort, privacy and respect.
• Support feeding, positioning, mobility, communication and respiratory needs where required.
• Understand each child's individual way of communicating and respond to their preferences and needs.
• Build professional, trusting relationships with children, parents and families.
• Provide families with confidence that their child is receiving safe and compassionate care while they take a much-needed break.
• Maintain accurate and timely care and clinical records.
• Support and mentor other carers in clinical practice.
• Share your experience and help less experienced colleagues develop their confidence and competence.
• Work closely with Area Care Team Leaders, our Clinical Lead and other health and care professionals.
• Identify and escalate clinical, safeguarding or care concerns promptly.
• Maintain your professional development, mandatory training and clinical competencies.

The Experience Youll Bring

For our Carer Level 3 position, you will need:

• Level 3 Health & Social Care qualification or higher
• Demonstrable experience in complex/high-dependency care
• Experience supporting children or young people with significant health needs
• Experience providing personal care
• Experience supporting medication and clinical care
• Confidence working independently within a family home
• The ability to remain calm and respond appropriately when a child's condition changes
• An understanding of professional boundaries and when to seek clinical support
• Excellent communication skills with children, families, colleagues and professionals
• A full UK driving licence and access to your own vehicle with business-use insurance
• An Enhanced DBS covering the Child and Adult Workforce

Advanced Clinical Competencies

You will have experience and competency in:

• Tracheostomy care essential

Experience and competency in one or more of the following would be advantageous:

• NP suction / airway clearance
• Rescue medication for uncontrolled epilepsy/seizure management
• TPN management
• CPAP / BiPAP support
• Advanced airway management

All appointments at Carer Level 3 will also be subject to completion of Lagans Foundation's required internal competency assessments and Level 3 clinical sign-off before carrying out relevant procedures independently.

What Makes Care at Lagans Different?

Technical competence is essential but it isn't everything.

When you enter a family's home as a Lagans carer, you are being trusted with someone incredibly important to them.

We therefore look for carers who understand that excellent complex care is also about dignity, consistency, patience, communication and trust.

Some children we support may communicate verbally and be active within their community. Others may communicate non-verbally, have very limited mobility or require significant clinical intervention throughout their care.

Good care looks different for every child.

Your job is to understand the person you are supporting, work safely within their individual care plan and help provide the family with reliable, compassionate support.

Our Values

At Lagans Foundation, we expect our team to demonstrate our values in the way they care for families and work with one another:

Passion Taking pride in providing excellent care and making a meaningful difference to families.

Resilience Remaining calm, dependable and adaptable when caring for children with complex needs.

Integrity & Communication Being honest, professional and clear, following care plans and speaking up when something isn't right.

Empathy Understanding that every child and every family's circumstances are different and providing support without judgement.

Develop Your Career With Lagans

Joining us at Level 3 doesn't mean your development stops.

We want experienced carers to continue building their clinical knowledge, confidence and leadership skills.

Depending on your career ambitions, development could include further formal qualifications and progression towards roles such as:

• Nursing Associate
• Registered Children's Nurse
• Senior carer positions
• Leadership opportunities within our care service

Progression is based on competency, qualifications, experience, performance and the needs of the organisation.

Why Join Lagans Foundation?

Lagans Foundation was created because families caring for children with complex health needs can need support that doesn't always fit neatly within traditional services.

We work to help bridge the gap between health services, community care and the realities families experience at home.

As part of our team, you will be joining a charity where your skills have a direct impact not only on the child you care for, but on their wider family.

Youll also receive:

• £26,325 annual salary (£13.50 per hour)
• 28 days holiday (FTE)
• Pension scheme
• Health Cash Plan through Hospital Saturday Fund
• Perkbox
• Unlimited counselling
• Flexible benefits and salary sacrifice options
• Specialist clinical training and competency development
• Regular supervision and support
• Ongoing professional development
• Opportunities for career progression

Be You, With Us

At Lagans Foundation, we welcome you all of you.

We embrace diversity, value individuality and recognise the different experiences and perspectives people bring to our organisation.

We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer and are happy to discuss reasonable adjustments throughout our recruitment process and employment.

Could You Be the Experienced Carer Our Families Need?

If you already have complex-care experience, advanced clinical competencies and want to use those skills to provide safe, individualised and compassionate care to children and families, we would love to hear from you.

Send your CV to [email protected] or call 01204 800304 for an informal chat.

About us

Lagans Foundation is a unique childrens charity that provides specialised in-home and community support for children with complex health and developmental needs. Our work is rooted in compassion, creativity and connection we believe in supporting children not only through care, but through meaningful play, positive experiences and trusted relationships.

Our team is small, supportive and deeply committed to making a difference. We work collaboratively, value each others strengths and ensure every employee feels part of the Lagans family. You will be joining a passionate team who celebrate individuality, share knowledge and provide continuous support and encouragement.

We offer ongoing training, professional development and emotional wellbeing support, including access to unlimited counselling, a Health Cash Plan, and flexible benefits. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Committed employer and welcome applications from people of all backgrounds.

At Lagans Foundation, you will never be just a worker you will be part of a community making real change in childrens lives.