Autism Bedfordshire
Salary: £34,540 – £41,189 FTE
Hours: 30 – 37.5 hours per week
Contract: 23-month fixed-term contract, with potential to renew
Location: Elms Farm Industrial Estate, 1 Hammond Road, Bedford, MK41 0UD, with UK-wide travel
Working pattern: Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm, with occasional evenings and weekends
Start date: September/October 2026
Closing date: 1 September 2026
IMPORTANT – PLEASE READ BEFORE APPLYING
To apply for this role, you MUST download and complete an Autism Bedfordshire application form from our website. https://www.autismbedfordshire.net/vacancy/keyworker/
Once completed, please email your application form to:
[email protected]
Please do not apply using your CV or Indeed application alone. Applications will only be considered once we have received a completed Autism Bedfordshire application form by email.
About Autism Bedfordshire
Autism Bedfordshire is a charity dedicated to creating a world where autistic people are accepted, understood and celebrated for who they are.
Our services help break down barriers to social participation for autistic people and their families. Through specialist support, we help autistic people build confidence, self-esteem, social skills, practical skills and independence, supporting them to enjoy fulfilled and rewarding lives within their communities.
About the Role
We are looking for a proactive, compassionate and highly organised Keyworker to join our dedicated team.
This is a rewarding and varied role supporting autistic children and young people and/or those with a learning disability, alongside their families, to navigate complex health, education and social care systems.
Working with children and young people aged 0–25 with complex needs, you will provide personalised and coordinated support to help ensure they receive the right care at the right time.
The Keyworker Function aims to prevent unnecessary hospital admissions, support timely discharge when admission is required and improve outcomes for children and young people within their communities.
You will build strong and trusting relationships with children, young people, families and professionals, coordinating support across multiple agencies and ensuring that services work together effectively.
A key part of the role is ensuring children, young people and their families feel listened to, informed and fully involved in decisions about their care and support.
Key Responsibilities
Your responsibilities will include:
- Working directly with children and young people aged 0–25 and their families, including those identified as medium or high risk on the Dynamic Support Register.
- Coordinating support across health, education, social care and community services.
- Supporting children and young people who are at risk of hospital admission.
- Working with inpatient and community teams to develop robust discharge and aftercare plans.
- Maintaining involvement before, during and following discharge to promote continuity of care.
- Supporting and monitoring Care, Education and Treatment Review (CETR) recommendations.
- Assessing existing support and identifying additional services or interventions that could improve outcomes.
- Helping families understand and navigate complex health, education and social care systems.
- Advocating for children, young people and their families when appropriate.
- Supporting transitions between children's and adult services for young people aged 18–25.
- Contributing to multidisciplinary meetings, reviews, crisis planning and care coordination.
- Managing an allocated caseload effectively and maintaining comprehensive records.
- Identifying and escalating safeguarding concerns and examples of poor-quality care.
- Challenging systems appropriately where necessary support is delayed or refused.
- Working collaboratively with Local Authorities, Integrated Care Boards, NHS services, education providers, social care teams and other professionals.
About You
This role would suit someone who is confident, empathetic, organised and proactive, with the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced and collaborative environment.
You should be comfortable managing competing priorities, working independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team, and communicating with children, young people, families and professionals.
You will need to be committed to person-centred working and ensuring that the voice of the child or young person remains central to decisions about their care and support.
Knowledge of relevant health, social care, safeguarding and SEND frameworks would be beneficial.
Due to the nature of the role, UK-wide travel will be required, along with occasional evening and weekend working.
Safeguarding
Autism Bedfordshire is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults.
The successful applicant will be required to complete an Enhanced DBS check and provide two satisfactory references as part of our safer recruitment process.
Benefits
As part of Autism Bedfordshire, you will receive:
- Annual leave: 25 days pro rata, increasing annually by one day/20% of your weekly hours for up to three years
- Bank holidays: All bank holidays, pro rata
- Staff wellbeing: Weekly wellbeing programme
- Parking: Free onsite office parking
- Learning & Development: Extensive CPD opportunities across a range of subject areas
- Pension: NEST pension with 4% employer contribution and minimum 4% employee contribution
How to Apply – Application Form Required
Please note that submitting a CV or application through Indeed is not sufficient to apply for this vacancy.
To be considered for the position:
- Visit the Autism Bedfordshire website and download the application form.
- Complete the application form in full.
- Email your completed application form to [email protected] by 1 September 2026.
Only applications submitted using the Autism Bedfordshire application form will be considered.
If you are passionate about improving outcomes for autistic children and young people and/or those with a learning disability and their families, we would love to hear from you.
Previous applicants need not apply.
Autism Bedfordshire reserves the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a sufficient number of suitable applications.
Autism Bedfordshire is an equal opportunities employer.
Pay: £34,540.00-£41,189.00 per year
Benefits:
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- On-site parking
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Bedford MK41 0UD
