Job Description

Job:Senior Community Support Worker

Reports to:Registered Manager/Team Leader

Salary ScaleSalary scale: Salary scale £15,327 - £16,996 (points 15 to 19)

Bar at point 17 (see point 12 on page 3)

Plus sleep-in payment of £33.10 per night

Hours of work: Flexible working including evenings and weekends; minimum of 24 hours per week

JOB PURPOSE

The post holder will undertake all the core tasks within the remit of the services to provide for the physical, health, emotional and social needs of the service users, including promoting independence, whilst preparing, assisting and enabling them to fulfil the aims of their Person Centred Plan. The post holder will be expected to monitor the services systems and liaise directly with the Team Leader.

The aims of the services are to provide high quality extensive care, support and promote independence and inclusion within the local community, in order to empower service users to take control of their own lives. The service users with whom the Trust works will have a variety of complex needs that may include learning difficulties, Autism spectrum conditions, mobility, communication, health and social care needs.

Safeguarding vulnerable children and adults is a priority for all employees.

NATURE OF THE POST

The post holder will be employed within a community based service/s which includes supported living, short breaks and a Semi-Independent Service for young people/adults over 16 within the North West of England. The Senior Community Support Worker role is integral to ensuring that all services are effective at the point of delivery and where this is threatened to liaise with the team leader so action can be taken effectively.

The post holder’s duties will be carried out working shifts allocated by the Team Leader. This will include some weekends, evenings and sleep-in duties. As part of this role the post holder will be expected to undertake a small number of administrative tasks each day that contribute to the overall experience of the service users. This will normally equate to around 5 hours per week but can vary to meet the needs of the service. The post holders main duties will be to support service users within their community; this will include general outings, holidays or appointments that they are due to attend. The post holder is expected to provide Community Support Staff with guidance and direction so that the services are consistent, individualised and offer increased continuity of care. It is expected that the role will include a number of flexible hours that will be spent attending meetings, staff meetings, supervision, annual appraisals and training.

The post holder if a registered driver will be expected on behalf of the Trust and service users, to drive a Trust owned vehicle or with the permission and correct insurance a vehicle owned by the service user/s.

The nature of the work of the Trust is varied and in many instances unpredictable. All staff are therefore expected to work in a flexible way and tasks that have not been covered in the job description have to be undertaken. The post holder will also be mainly working on an independent basis within the service each day. In addition, they will be required to have some responsibility for decisions affecting day to day delivery of the service in the absence of more senior staff; for example the distribution and accountancy of petty cash.

At all times, the post holder is expected to conduct and attire themselves professionally, to work within the current legislative framework and adhere to the Trust’s Policies and Procedures. There is an expectation of successfully completing Induction/Foundation and ongoing training in order to achieve this aim.

KEY OBJECTIVES

  1. To provide a caring, safe, secure and accepting environment/service that meets the physical, health, social needs and rights of the service users and their families. This will include ensuring that cultural and religious needs are respected, promoted, facilitated and met, with facilitating young people/adults to learn to cook, budget, take care of themselves. At times the post holder will be required to cook and clean to a good standard, complying health & safety policies and guidlines.
  1. Successfully complete an appropriate Induction programme and to fulfil the Senior Community Support Worker accountabilities to a standard complying with the National Occupational Standards for the post.
  1. Key tasks will include undertaking a range of duties that facilitate service user’s safety and well being. This will extend to providing personal assistance, personal care, and the administration of medication in line with the Trust policy and procedure documents
  1. To undertake training to maintain/develop your professional skills and practice in line

with Together Trust Policies and Procedures. This will extend to being a coach or mentor to community support workers to ensure service continuity

  1. To work closely with the service/s management team and with relevant agencies, housing and social landlords and people to ensure a high level of participation for each young person/adult with due regard to the views of service user, family and significant others. This will extend to notifying/update the Team Leader on a regular basis
  1. To monitor that all support is compliant with the Person Centred Plan and outcomes agreed with the service user so as to maximise their full potential. This may include providing or sign-posting service users to advocacy and other community based services and supporting/facilitate individuals to secure or maintain their tenancy through paying bills, taking care of their home, learning how to become good neighbours.
  1. To develop and maintain a good level of awareness of safeguarding and protection issues, and raise any concerns regarding the service users with the Team Leader or Registered Manager immediately
  1. To ensure monitor and create accurate and up to date records of the work planned and undertaken with service users are completed. This will include leading and allocating responsibilities in handovers in line with the rota planned by the Team Leader
  1. To oversee and monitor that all financial transactions are undertaken in line with the Trust Policy and procedure documents regarding supporting service to manage their own money and the funds held in house hold accounts. Where it is evident that there are gaps or irregularities you will report this immediately to the Team Leader or the Registered Manager
  1. To work pro-actively with service users whose behaviour may present as challenging to the service and others around them in line with the Trust Behaviour Management policies
  1. Under the guidance of the Team Leader the Senior Community Support Worker will contribute to care planning, risk assessments, overseeing vital systems are operated to lead to high quality services, family meetings, gathering information that can be drafted into reports by the Team Leader and/or the Registered Manager and being proactive in relevant training alongside working as part of a team.
  1. To supervise and appraise Community Support Workers in line with National Standards and the Trust’s policies and procedures. This is an essential requirement to progress beyond the bar at point 17.

Person Specification – Senior Community Support Worker

Essential
/
Desirable
/

Assessed by

Qualifications/

Education / Basic literacy & numeracy skills.
NVQ 2 (Adult care)with the ability to gain relevant NVQ level 3 within time scales set by the Trust / Makaton
Emergency First Aid
NVQ 3 in care or equivalent CQF / Application/ Interview
Work Experience / Ability to undertake the full range of tasks, in a well planned way that respects & values the service users as individuals. / Experience of working with or within statutory voluntary agencies within community settings / Application/ Interview
Considerable Experience of working with people with disabilities/ Autism Spectrum Conditions and an awareness of their rights and needs.
Experience of working in community based projects/activities for Tenants.
Experience of working with families who depend on short break services / Experience of working and planning transitions with individuals and families
Experience of supervising and mentoring staff / Application/ Interview
Experience of managing difficult and challenging situations whilst maintaining high standards of care and support / Experience of writing and implementing Behaviour support plans and risk assessments
Experience of implementing behaviour support plans and risk assessments / Implementing plans devised by Multi-disciplinary teams to meeting clinical, physical and emotional needs / Application/ Interview
Skills and abilities / Flexibility to respond to the needs of the project and Tenants. / To assist with risk assessments within the home and community settings / Interview
Good communication and interpersonal skills / Knowledge of the issues that Tenants with disabilities may deal with on a day to day basis. / Interview
Good organisational /time management skills and the ability to monitor activities. / Ability to plan and manage staff rota’s / Application / interview
Basic IT skills / Proficient in Microsoft packages
Ability and resilience to work with behaviour that may be perceived as challenging in a caring and consistent manner, ensuring the maintenance of appropriate boundaries for behaviour. / Experience of creating proactive behaviour support plans / Interview/ Application
Ability to work individually on shift using your own initiative and as part of a team, maintaining & encouraging, open and honest communication. / A sound knowledge of person centred approaches and tools / Interview/ Application
Experience of supporting staff and team development / Experience of devising and implementing staff development plans / Interview

Knowledge

/ Knowledge of the issues affecting disabled people / Knowledge of the Domiciliary Minimum Standards, the Inspection process and Supported Tenancy Model / Interview/ Application
/ Knowledge of the Social Model of Disability and person centred planning / Interview/ Application

Other

/ Commitment to continuing personal and professional development.
A full driving licence held for twelve months or more / Interview/ Application
/ An ability to work effectively within a team and provide guidance and direction in a way that leads to positive outcomes

Additional information

The work at the Trust for those working directly with the service users can on occasion be physically demanding and employees must be able to undertake in full the requirements of the job and requisite training.

For the safety of staff and the service users, training will be provided to assist employees to carry out their role, specifically the Movement & Management of Loads & People, Emergency First Aid and PROACT SCIPr UK training (this provides staff with the skills to carry out the sometimes necessary safe holds in a non threatening way). Employees will be required to fully participate in all training.

Having a disabling condition does not preclude you from working for the Together Trust. However you should make the Together Trust aware of any adaptations required to enable you to undertake the work.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expect all its staff and volunteers to share that commitment.

The Together Trust is committed to equality and diversity, but is under represented in the work force by men, men and women from ethnic groups and people with disabilities. The Together Trust therefore welcomes applicants regardless of their racial, ethnic or national origin, religion or beliefs, disability, sexuality, age or responsibilities for dependents.

Together Trust Senior Community Support Worker
Amended July 2013 / Page 1 of 6