Job Description

Job Title:Senior Residential Support Worker

Fixed term contract funded for 3 years

Location:Anawim, Balsall Heath, Birmingham

Section S7(2) (d & e) of Sex Discrimination Act applies

This post is exempted from Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

Grade:SCP 19 – 21

Salary:£18,917 - £20,109per annum

Hours:37 hrs per week

Responsible to:Dawn House TeamCoordinator

Purpose:

To provide a support service to women upon release from prison within DawnHouse that enables and encourages mutually supportive relationships to maximise their independence and promotes the sustainability of the unit.

To ensure that the environment is a safe and secure space for women to gain skills to move on in their lives, manage their tenancy, gain work experience, manage their money and build resilience and self-reliance.

Main Duties and responsibilities:

  1. Work is in shifts on a rota basis; this will include weekends, bank holidays and sleep in duty.
  1. Together with the woman’s caseworker offer the necessary support to enable the women to be successful in shared living taking into account their abilities, aspirations and goals to maximise positive outcomes.
  1. Deputise for the co-ordinator in her absence.
  1. Contribute to the overall maintenance of the services including undertaking administrative and housing management tasks as required.
  1. Provide support in line with the individual support plans in conjunction with the caseworker.
  1. Promote and foster client involvement in the smooth running of the house, sharing tasks such as cooking and cleaning. Help develop this into items for sale as a social enterprise and mentor and

develop women to take up paid roles eventually within Anawim – catering for conferences, cleaning contract, reception duties and security.

  1. Work with the centre based prison and outreach worker to develop the drop in facility for women who are vulnerable through their involvement in crime, prostitution, as victims of domestic abuse and sexual exploitation/prostitution. Be involved with enrichment activities that will increase confidence and self-esteem, reduce incidents of self-harm and create items to sell.
  1. Ensure that records are up to date and properly handed over to the co-ordinator and caseworker while respecting confidentiality.
  1. Work with the researchers and professors from Birmingham University to ensure that the research element is robust and truly demonstrates the achievements, lessons learnt and captures the voices of the women accurately and powerfully. Assist the researcher to broker the relationships necessary to achieve the buy in from the women, promoting the worth of the research findings to them to ensure willing compliance while residing in the house and for the years afterwards.
  1. Support in the preparation of meals and snacks if needed or appropriate. Assist the women to create their room into their space, sourcing quilt covers, cushions etc. to personalise their rooms.
  1. Ensure the safety of the women in line with Anawim Policies and Procedures, flagging up concerns to the Dawn House coordinator.
  1. Support clients to develop a range of life and independent living skills such as; cooking, cleaning, laundry, budgeting and wellbeing etc.
  1. Lead on developing the user voice and involvement of the women giving them a say, running their own forums, gaining skills such as sitting on interview panels, feeding into consultations, speaking to visitors such as MPs, commissioners, other women’s organisations.
  1. Assist in the provision of appropriate housing advice and information to individuals, actively sourcing housing options for move on with clear plans and goals for the women.
  1. Deal with obvious risks immediately e.g. Spillages, blocked fire exits, incidents of self-harm, arguments, accidents, threatening behaviour or phone calls.
  1. Be vigilant at all times and report any safeguarding, health, safety or wellbeing concerns to the Team Leader.
  1. Maintain records on Anawim database, log books and any other monitoring required & ensure that these are kept up to date.
  1. Support and assist clients in developing a range of social, educational, occupational and leisure activities in order to achieve their aspirations/outcomes.
  1. Support the Team Co-ordinator and caseworkers to regularly monitor women’s progress through their riskassessment, support plan and regular action plan meetings and offer advice on improvements. Offer support and mentoring to the other support workers and volunteers.
  1. Actively promote the service and source donations of household & personal items raise awareness at prison fairs, events, talks to other professionals.
  1. Report to the residential co-ordinator any identified risks in relation to residents, callers or the building in accordance with existing procedures.
  1. Develop good relationships with external agencies ensuring that the best possible service is maintained, including ensuring that out of hours service information is up to date and readily available.

Scheme Management:
Take responsibility for the management, safety and security of the women and the building whilst lone working.
Deal with incidents on the scheme within policies and procedures.
Provide comprehensive handover to staff taking over your shift.
Ensure that any empty rooms within our accommodation are ready for new customers to move in to with support from other women.
Be responsible for the health, safety and welfare of yourself and others at work and to undertake the health and safety duties outlined in the Anawim Health and Safety Policy commensurate with this position.

Promote and uphold the Anawim policy on equal opportunities, values of inclusivity, empowerment with an awareness of social exclusion.

Work in full compliance with all current appropriate legislation, standards and best practice.

Undertake any other tasks that may be delegated commensurate to your role.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Job Title:Senior Residential Support Worker

Location:Dawn House Anawim, Balsall Heath, Birmingham

Area

/ Essential / Desirable / Method of Assessment

Qualifications

/ NVQ Level 3 or other appropriate qualification at this level or be willing to work towards gaining an appropriate qualification.
Applicants must be computer literate and have a good standard of written and oral communication. / Food hygiene level 2 / A
I
D

Experience

/ Experience of providing a residential support service to people with complex needs.
Excellent experience and track record of promoting resilience and self-reliance, avoiding dependency.
/ Research and investigation of good practice. / A
I
R
Knowledge / Understanding of issues/needs of client’s with complex issues. / A, I
Skills and abilities / Excellent communication, behaviour management and de-escalation skills.
Ability to follow comprehensive risk and needs assessments.
Ability to relate to individuals who have a history of serial exclusion, homelessness, those with Mental Health issues and problematic substance use issues.
Ability to work on own initiative as a lone worker.
Ability to communicate at all levels.
Ability to work as part of a team.
Ability to liaise with both external and internal supporting agencies.
Able to produce and maintain monitoring and management tools for the service. / A, I
Disposition / Personal Qualities / Enthusiastic and self-motivated.
Ability to negotiate and influence outcomes.
Committed to developing and improving a holistic service in order to meet the needs of women with vulnerabilities.
Committed to empowering the women to make choices in all areas of their lives.
Commitment to anti-discriminatory practice.
Understanding of and commitment to the principles of equality and diversity. / I
R
Other / Excellent personal boundaries

Method of Assessment:

A = Application Form D = Documentation I = Interview T = Test/Exercise

R = Reference

P1095 Senior Residential Support Worker, November 2016