Clinical Lead for School Readiness/SEND

Go back Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust

Clinical Lead for School Readiness/SEND

The closing date is 06 April 2026

The post holder will provide strategic clinical leadership for School Readiness and SEND across the 0-11 Healthy Child Service in Middlesbrough, ensuring delivery of high-quality, evidence-based practice that improves outcomes for children aged 0-11 reducing inequalities, and supporting a positive, inclusive transition into school.

The role will lead on the development, implementation and evaluation of School Readiness and SEND priorities, aligned to the Healthy Child Programme, Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), SEND Code of Practice, and local ICB and Local Authority commissioning priorities, with a strong focus on early identification, graduated response, prevention of escalation and reduction of health and educational inequalities.

The post holder will act as a clinical expert in early childhood development and SEND, providing system leadership and influencing practice across Health Visiting and School Nursing services through quality improvement, partnership working, workforce development and clinical governance, rather than through direct line management.

This post is for 30 hours per week

Main duties of the job

Lead the strategic development and delivery of a School Readiness and SEND approach across the 0-11 service, ensuring consistency, equity and inclusion in practice.

Provide clinical leadership and supervision to support improved outcomes for children, including those with additional needs, in:

• Communication and language development (including SLCN)
• Social, emotional and mental health
• Physical development, self-care and independence
• Behaviour, regulation and neurodevelopmental differences

Develop and implement pathways to promote early identification of SEND throughout the service, supporting a graduated response and timely, proportionate intervention in line with the SEND Code of Practice.

Develop pathways to support inclusive and well-planned transitions into early years settings and school, reducing escalation to specialist services where needs can be met through early support.

Providing highly specialised advice to the 0-11 team in relation to the care of children and their families.

About us

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust (HDFT) cares for the population in Harrogate and the local area, as well as across North Yorkshire, Leeds and parts of the North East.

At HDFT we provide outstanding care to both our patients and our staff and we value Kindness, Integrity, Teamwork and Equality. If you're looking for an interesting and rewarding career in the NHS, where you can make a real difference to patients' lives, HDFT could be the place for you!

We offer colleagues:

• A supportive culture so colleagues can bring their whole selves to work.
• Staff Recognition - as well as regular appraisals, we recognise achievements with our Making a Difference & Team of the Month Awards, along with annual Colleague Recognition Awards.
• Employee Support and wellbeing - we offer a wide range of staff benefits including an Employee Assistance Programme, counselling service and a fast-track Physiotherapy service.

Please note:

• Due to high levels of interest, posts may close early if we reach a sufficient number of applications
• Visa sponsorship is only available for certain roles. Please ensure the role you are interested in meets the criteria for a visa before submitting your application.
• Please also be aware that the Trust does not offer relocation packages for Agenda for Change roles.
• All job offers are subject to satisfactory pre-employment checks.

Job responsibilities

Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification. If you have any questions, please contact Claire Young on

Person Specification Criteria

• Registered Nurse on the appropriate part of the NMC Register
• Specialist Community Public Health Nurse Qualification (HV / SN) or equivalent post graduate qualification
• Nursing experience and training at an appropriate specialist nursing level
• Experienced health visitor or school nurse
• Experience in leading teams in the provision of health services to children, young people and families
• Evidence of continuing professional development
• Experience of service transformation

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.

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust

£47,810 to £54,710 a yearper annum pro rata