Support Worker/Mother S Help (Including Respite Support)

JOB DESCRIPTION

Support Worker/Mother’s Help (including respite support)

Location

Working within the Client’s own family home, in the local community of Wirral, Merseyside and occasionally further afield.

Reporting to

Parents and Case Manager.

Background Information

This bright eight year old boy suffered illness in early life resulting in an acquired brain injury. He is a lively, creative boy who is constantly on the go, not concentrating on any one thing for very long. At times he has some difficulty communicating what he wants to say. He occasionally becomes frustrated, which can result in some challenging behaviour. Our client lives at home with his family including two younger brothers and attends a school for children with additional needs five days a week.

Job Purpose

The purpose of the job is to provide help to our client’s parents with the care of their three sons and to support them with every day family life. Our client requires help with after school and weekend routines and also help to enable him to access play, learning and social activities.The Support Worker’s task will be to promote his well-being and independence under the guidance of his parents and involved professionals.

The support worker may occasionally be required to provide overnight respite care for our client within the family home during the night. Our client has disturbed nights and wakes very early in the morning. Their sleep pattern is unpredictable and he requires frequent attention.

Main Responsibilities

The support worker will provide care after school and at the weekend within the family home and may occasionally be required to provide overnight respite care. The support worker will be expected to follow advice and recommendations from parents and specialists on normal routine, education and play activities, etc. The support worker will also be required to be proactive in making recommendations for changes. The post will require the involvement and use of computer equipment.

The work will be varied and, as well as day-to-day personal care, may involve visiting places of interest, swimming, outdoor play such as using the trampoline and swing and engaging in sand and water play, going shopping and helping him to play with his brothers and friends. The work will involve supporting our client to help him access, participate and enjoy home, educational and leisure activities will often involve a physical element. This may be physically assisting or supporting him with some activities.

The main responsibilities will be:

To provide care after school as required.
To administer medication as prescribed and outlined in the medication plan.
To attend to our client’s personal care needs, including bathing/showering, washing, teeth cleaning, toileting, dressing/undressing and putting to bed.
To prepare snacks, packed lunches and simple meals and to clear up afterwards.
To maintain good standards of hygiene.
To assist with homework from school e.g. maths and reading.
To facilitate play activities and to involve younger siblings when appropriate.
To manage challenging behaviour under guidance from parents and professionals.
To perform other nanny duties such as having responsibility for and attending to his little brothers as required.
To provide care and activities for the younger siblings as required by parents – in order for the parents to spend time with their son.
To complete client related domestic tasks as required by parents.
To provide evening or daytime babysitting for all children as required by parents. Adequate notice will be given.
To provide occasional respite/overnight care as required.

DUTIES SPECIFIC TO NIGHT CARE

Our client will remain in your care at night at prearranged times
Our client may wake at night and will require persuading to return to bed. You will be responsible for ensuring their safety if they remain awake.
Our client should never be left in the care of anyone else when staying in your home. You are responsible for his care during this time.

It is of prime importance to give the parents the security of knowing their sons are in safe, reliable hands at all times.

Requirements of the role

Willingness to learn new things – management of behaviour, computer software applications etc.
Keen to see the child develop and have a willingness to carry through therapeutic activities on a daily basis. (Training will be given as required.)
Happy to care for and play with his younger brothers.
Able to transport the child to social activities away from the home environment.
Open to accompanying the family on days out in school holidays or at weekends and possibly during the holidays. Arrangements will be agreed by the family and the Support Worker.

Training, support and guidance will be provided as required.

Methods of Communication and Keeping Records

To have an understanding of different types of communication aids, both low tech and high tech.
To make brief notes on activities carried out and to keep diaries on any health conditions if required from time to time.
To keep own records of hours worked and complete timesheets on a regular basis.
To encourage our client and assist them in making their wishes understood, due to their communication difficulties.
To be aware of any significant changes in our client’s health functioning or behaviour and to operate an agreed system of regular written and verbal feedback and communication with our clients family, the Case Manager and where relevant other professionals involved in the Clients' care.

Supervision/ Line Management

To attend regular supervision with the Case Manager.
To attend training sessions or team meetings as advised by the Case Manager.

Conduct

To ensure that all discussions regarding our client and their family remain confidential at all times. The ability to respect the privacy of our client and his family is fundamental to this position. As a majority of this employment is to occur in the client’s home, it is inevitable that on occasions the Support Worker will become privy to certain matters relating to the personal life and business of our client and his family and these should always be treated with the utmost confidence.
To be aware of, and follow any Health and Safety policies which minimise risk to both yourself and our client.
To conduct all activities in a professional manner at all times and adhere to the Code of Conduct for Healthcare Support Workers.

Moving and Handling

To support our client in helping them access, participate and enjoy home, educational and leisure activities which will often involve a physical element. This may be physically assisting or supporting them with some activities, manoeuvring therapy or mobility equipment, using specialist equipment to move them or a combination of any of these. Some of the activities with our client care may require you to be agile and mobile.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential

Experience of working in a caring role and aptitude and desire to work, with children with

special needs.

Confident working in client’s own home, sensitive to the needs and wishes of the parents.

*Physically fit – Some activities with our client care may require you to be agile and mobile.

Able to demonstrate an understanding of confidentiality and privacy.

Able to drive and have a full, clean driving licence or willing to work towards this.

Basic IT skills and aptitude to work with communication aids. (Training provided as required).

Good standard of education including a minimum of English and Maths GCSE or equivalent.

Good written and spoken English to help with speech and language therapy.

Cheerful and caring with a positive attitude.

Patient and tolerant with a good sense of humour.

Proactive and innovative with regard to planning and carrying out activities.

Have common sense and ability to think outside the box.

Responsible, reliable and well mannered.

Ability to work as part of a team.

Able to work under own initiative.

Flexible – to change hours to fit around parents shift pattern and other needs

Trustworthy and well organised.

Non-smoker, this role operates in a non-smoking environment.

Desirable

Qualifications in caring for children with special needs.

Trained in first aid.

Keen on outdoor activities.

* The Employer claims exemption under the Equality Act 2010

This job description does not constitute a contract of employment and is not an exhaustive list of all duties of the post holder. It will be subject to periodic review and amendment in line with post development.