ROYAL BOROUGH OF KINGSTON UPON THAMES
ROLE PROFILE
JOB TITLE:
Young People’s Health Link Worker (Early Intervention)
DEPARTMENT:
Public Health/Learning and Children’s Services
REPORT TO:
Early Intervention Adolescent Health Co-ordinator
ACCOUNTABLE TO:
Early Intervention Adolescent Health Co-ordinator
BASED:
In schools during term time. Office based during school
holidays.
GRADE:
H
HOURS:
36 per week
POST NO:
To be allocated
INTRODUCTION
The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames (RBK) is committed to improving the
health of young people and tackling the behaviours that impact negatively on this.
This post will focus on the delivery of a wide range of universal and targeted
prevention, education and support initiatives in schools and school communities. The
post will contribute to the delivery of the Early Intervention Strategy, delivering
targeted prevention and education to young people around emotional health and
well-being, obesity, smoking, drug, alcohol and substance misuse, sexual health and.
teenage pregnancy.
JOB SUMMARY
Funded by public health, the post holder will be responsible for the delivery of targeted
preventative interventions to young people in schools in Kingston and will play a key
role in the delivery of training, support and advice to school staff, parents and young
people. The post will require innovative and multi-agency working and the post-holder
must possess a high level of initiative and motivation. We are looking for someone who
is not only able to work effectively with young people but who also possesses the
knowledge and expertise to be able to review curriculum content, review taught
content and policy delivery within schools, train and peer support teachers in health
related areas.
This post will be part of the Public Health Team, based in the Royal Borough of
Kingston. This post will be line-managed by the Young Peoples Early Intervention
Adolescent Health Co-ordinator.
Duties and Responsibilities
1.
To develop and deliver effective health promotion interventions for young people
in Kingston in school settings.
Xanthe Foster 14/03/2013
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ROYAL BOROUGH OF KINGSTON UPON THAMES
2.
To develop and deliver targeted interventions for those groups of young people in
Kingston identified as being at highest risk of not achieving a healthy lifestyle.
3.
To provide specialist guidance and support on adolescent health issues,
curriculum, policy and programmes to local professionals in schools and nonschool settings and disseminate good practice.
4.
To deliver SRE (focusing on relationships and emotional elements), drug and
substance misuse (including alcohol), mental health, obesity and smoking
sessions in schools and on occasions non-school settings.
5.
To be involved in the development and delivery of local Adolescent Health
campaigns and associated outreach activities.
Key Relationships
Early Intervention Adolescent Health Co-ordinator
Young People’s Health Link Workers in other areas in Kingston
Public Health Team Members
Youth Service
School Nurses
PSHE Teachers
Head Teacher (or designated lead teacher) in host secondary school
Head Teachers of feeder primary schools
Parents
Community Neighbourhood Team
Wider School Community lead members
Education Welfare Officers
1. Education, training and outreach.

To develop programmes of support to reduce risk-taking behaviours of young
people to improve their health and broader health knowledge, self-esteem and
emotional wellbeing and life skills, by working with young people, teachers,
parents and other providers of services to young people to deliver consistent
health promotion messages.

To assess the needs and support the development of appropriately targeted
interventions for vulnerable young people, and those groups of young people
identified as being at higher risk of unintended teenage parenthood, sexual illhealth, drug and substance misuse, poor mental health, obesity and smoking,
including looked after children, refugees and asylum seekers, excluded young
people and young offenders.

To identify appropriate support services and make referrals, where
appropriate, to services within the Prevention and Intervention Service,
including instigating a CAF referral where appropriate.

To deliver SRE and sexual health, prevention of drug and substance misuse,
mental health promotion and emotional wellbeing and stopping smoking
sessions in schools and non-school settings, and facilitate visits from external
experts in these areas where the need has been identified.
Xanthe Foster 14/03/2013
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ROYAL BOROUGH OF KINGSTON UPON THAMES

To work in partnership with school staff, and other agencies with young
people identified as being at risk of sexual exploitation and high-risk lifestyle
choices.

To contribute to training programmes to support local practitioners in the
development and delivery of adolescent health where required, including liaison
between primary and secondary school to ensure children identified as higher
risk are given additional advice and support about healthy lifestyle choices and
opportunities for mentoring.

To act in accordance with Kingston’s safeguarding procedures in any incident
where the abuse of a child is a concern or suspected.
2. Professional development

To keep up to date with relevant policy, professional and user-led developments
at a national and local level.

To be able to communicate highly complex, emotive and sensitive information to
multi-professional groups, local practitioners and young people.

The ability to translate health information in a form that is accessible for
parents and young people directly.

Participate in Public Health Department and SW London Public Health Network
meetings and continuing professional development.
3. Service and practice development

To provide specialist guidance and support on adolescent health issues to local
practitioners, and disseminate good practice in order to increase capacity and
quality of adolescent health work being delivered locally, ensuring consistent
health messages are being promoted to young people borough wide.

To participate in the design and delivery of specialist projects, research and
evaluation as required.

To provide and maintain written and statistical records of work undertaken and
provide regular feedback to the Early Intervention Adolescent Health Coordinator, in order that feedback can be provided to the PH/RBK Management
Team and in relation to the Children & Young People’s Plan.

To work with colleagues to raise young people’s awareness of Health issues e.g.
by organising Health events and local campaigns.

To work with colleagues to review, assess and develop Adolescent health
resources and promote effective use of Public Health Resources.

To attend Kingston Public Health (PH) Team meetings, and other associated
Task or Working group meetings as agreed with the Early Intervention
Adolescent Health Co-ordinator.
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ROYAL BOROUGH OF KINGSTON UPON THAMES

To be an effective member of Kingston’s Public Health Team and the Royal
Borough of Kingston, and work collaboratively with relevant local partners and
agencies.
5. General

To have responsibility for the Health, Safety and welfare of self and others in the
working environment, to follow safe working practice and to comply at all times
with the Organisation’s Health and Safety Policies and Procedures.

To ensure confidentiality on all matters relating to patients and information
obtained during the course of employment, and not release such information to
anyone else other than those acting in an official capacity.

Work within the policies and guidelines set out by RBK and Professional
Registration Body e.g. NMC Code of Professional Conduct and Scope of
Professional Practice if a Registered professional.

To undertake such other duties as may be reasonably required from time to time
as are consistent with the responsibility and scale of the post.

To participate in the Organisation’s staff development and performance review
scheme.

RBK is Smokefree. Smoking is not permitted in the grounds or in any RBK
owned vehicle. Staff are not permitted to smoke in uniform and staff making
home visits will be protected from passive smoking. Taking smoking breaks
during paid working hours is not permitted.

Work with a flexible approach, which may include evening and occasional
weekend work.
N.B This job description is a reflection of the current position and may
change in emphasis or detail in the light of subsequent developments.
Name:
Signature:
Date:
Xanthe Foster 14/03/2013
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ROYAL BOROUGH OF KINGSTON UPON THAMES
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential
Desirable
Education, Formal Training and Qualifications


A degree or relevant professional qualification which
demonstrates an understanding of young people, e.g,
teaching, health promotion, nursing
Evidence of continuing professional development
X
X
Personal Attributes

Ability to communicate/influence/negotiate sensitive
information in a non-judgemental manner and within a
variety of settings, at different levels and to young
people/ individual professionals/groups.
Ability to be proactive, to prioritise and to organise own
workload and act independently
Report writing skills
Presentation skills
Ability to work on own initiative and in a team
An understanding of cultural and other inclusion issues
The credibility to gain the confidence of people at
senior level and across professional boundaries
Ability to interpret national and local guidance and
translate this into practice.







X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
Experience/ Knowledge












Experience and understanding of working in the field of
Adolescent Health
Direct experience of working with young people on
SRE/Sexual Health, mental health, drug and substance
misuse, smoking and other related adolescent health
issues.
Experience of providing support/advice to vulnerable or
excluded young people.
Direct experience of planning and delivering training.
Knowledge and understanding of contraceptive
services/issues in relation to young people.
Experience of successful partnership working
(statutory, community and voluntary sectors).
Understanding of the school setting
Analysis and research skills.
Computer literate.
Direct experience of working in a school setting and
culture
Understanding of health promotion issues as they
relate to young people
Project management skills
Xanthe Foster 14/03/2013
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
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ROYAL BOROUGH OF KINGSTON UPON THAMES
X
Other





Commitment to professional development
Good time management
Ability to travel around the borough efficiently in the
conduct of professional duties
Be prepared to work flexibly, which may include evening
and occasional weekend work.
Be able to meet CRB Enhanced Disclosure Criteria
Xanthe Foster 14/03/2013
X
X
X
X
X
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