Clinical Fellow with complex Safeguarding and Gender Interest

Job overview

We are looking for a dynamic paediatric trainee who would like to develop an interest in Child Safeguarding and work in the new CYP Gender Service in London.

The post begins in September 2026 for 12 months.

Out of Programme Experience (OOPE) is required for this post.

UCLH and GOSH are in a unique position and able to support a senior clinical fellow in complex safeguarding as we provide a range of services which support and manage children and young people with complex issues.

We can offer training in how to deal with managing cases of non-recent sexual abuse including training in examining with a colposcope, report writing and case management. UCLH also runs one of the UK’s few Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C) clinics as well as a high intensity use clinic within the community.

Main duties of the job

We have a consultant body able to support training with a breadth of experience: Dr Jo Begent who currently works across UCLH and GOSH in a complex safeguarding role, Dr Hannah Jacob as named doctor for safeguarding at UCLH as well as the wider in-house CYP safeguarding team comprising of social workers, health visitor and safeguarding CNS, Dr Najette Ayadi O’Donnell who works at the Lighthouse service which follows the Child House (‘Barnahus’) model which has been proven to help reduce children’s trauma, gather better evidence from interviews and increase prosecutions for child sexual abuse and Dr Sakaria Ali who runs the FGM/C clinic.  It really is a place to get rounded and unique higher level safeguarding experience. This is an exciting opportunity for the post holder to gain invaluable experience in complex safeguarding at both UCLH and GOSH:

· Gender Identity Service (GIDS)

· Historical sexual abuse (The Lighthouse)

· FGM/C

· FII/perplexing presentations

· Emergency Department high intensity use clinic

· Multiple safeguarding MDTs

It is also recognised that the new CYP Gender Service, opened in April 2024 has a focus on understanding the safeguarding needs of CYP with gender related distress. The post holder will learn skills in MDT working and complex history taking, formulation and development of management plans

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For the full Person Specification and more information regarding the main responsibilities of this role, please refer to the attached Job Description.

Please note, due to anticipated high volumes of applications, this vacancy may close earlier than the listed closing date. You are advised not to delay submitting your completed application

GIDS:

A new clinical pathway has been developed, based on the recommendations of The Cass Review Interim Report (Interim report – Cass Review), the NHS England interim service specification (NHS England » Interim service specification for specialist gender incongruence services for children and young people), and the expertise of many clinicians from across the Northern and Southern Hubs. The service will be delivered by a wide multi-disciplinary team including paediatricians, mental health practitioners, youth workers, nurses, speech and language therapists and occupational therapists. Who patients see will be dependent on the support and care they need.

Children and young people will receive an in-depth assessment of their needs, and a care plan will be developed with them and, if needed, those supporting them. Children and young people may be offered a range of care interventions such as therapy, family therapy, physical health support, or mental health support for any identified difficulties they may want help with. The team will also liaise with health professionals in local services nearer to the child or young person.

As of the end of October 2023, NHS England is currently consulting on the clinical policy for Puberty Supressing Hormones, as well as coordinating the development of a study into the impact of puberty suppressing hormones (‘puberty blockers’) on gender dysphoria in children and young people with early-onset gender dysphoria. Provision of endocrine services will be commissioned separately and delivered according to the outcome of this policy and the position of the research as the service initiates.

It is expected that the NHS Children and Young People’s Gender Service will continue to change and evolve as more learning, research and evidence is developed in this area. In addition, it is expected that more hubs will go live across the country, and clinicians will work together in a National MDT for complex cases and sharing of learning.

Scope of the service  The service will support both new patients from the waiting list, and patients who still require care post the end of March 2024 and agree to be transferred from the Tavistock’s Gender Identity Service into the new service.

The Lighthouse Service  The Lighthouse is a specialist service within the Paediatric and Adolescent Division. It is the first UK Child House, a multi-professional, child-centred and trauma-informed service for children and young people who have experienced child sexual abuse and a national leader in the field.  The Lighthouse provides a holistic health assessment, physical and mental health support, advocacy and police interviews led by clinical psychologists. This child-centred model has had proven success abroad, in particular Iceland, where there is evidence of increased convictions and improved health and well-being for children and young people.

The Lighthouse Team  The service is jointly managed by the Lighthouse Operational Manager and the Clinical Lead.  The Lighthouse service includes a CAMHS team of therapists (including Clinical Psychologists, Psychiatrist, CAMHS practitioners), Lived Experience Consultant, Paediatricians, Clinical Nurse Specialist for sexual health, Child and Family Practitioners, Play Specialist, and access to ‘Letting the Future In’ practitioners (NSPCC) in the Lighthouse.

The Lighthouse uniquely works in a truly integrated multi-disciplinary way and the postholder will work closely with colleagues from our ChISVA, case management and psychological therapies teams, providing rich opportunity for interdisciplinary learning and integrated care for children and young people.

Paediatric and Adolescent Division The Paediatric & Adolescent division, together with Women’s Health, Queen Square division, the Heart Hospital, the Eastman Dental Hospital and the Royal National Throat Nose and Ear hospital form the Specialist Hospitals Clinical Board.

The paediatric and adolescent division covers over 30 specialties and employs approximately 400 staff to deliver local, secondary, tertiary and quaternary care for children and young people. The specialities are organised into reporting units such as General Paediatrics and Adolescents, Children and Young People’s Cancer, Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Adolescent Endocrinology and Diabetes, Adolescent Medicine and a number of specialist services.

Come and be a part of the best NHS trust in England to work for, according to our staff*

UCLH top trust to work at in England – for the second year running! : University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

*In the most recent NHS staff survey UCLH had the highest percentage of staff who said they would recommend us as a place to work, out of all general acute or acute/community NHS trusts in England – for the second year in a row.

UCLH top trust to work at in England – for the second year running! University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Once again, UCLH has received the highest score of all general acute and acute/community NHS trusts in England for staff that would recommend us as a place to work.