APPLICATION PACK
JOB TITLE : /Support Workers
LOCATION :
/Storrington
HOURS :
/ 20-37hours per weekREFERENCE : /
BRAD
SALARY :(see FURTHER INFORMATION) / Starting salary :£16,262 per annum*
Rising to : £16,653 per annum*
Rising to : £17,047 per annum*
Top of the scale :£17,383 per annum*
CLOSING DATE : / Noon, Thursday 26th May 2016
INTERVIEW DATE : / Thursday 2nd & Friday 3rd June 2016
FURTHER INFORMATION
All salary scales at Southdown include several points. This recognises the value of staff who we believe generally develop their skills through experience within the job and the Association. New staff are usually appointed at the bottom of the scale with further increments awarded in April with each year of service, until the top of the scale is reached.
- These posts require you to be a driver with a manual driving licence valid for the UK. Due to the rural location of the service, you are required to have your own transport arrangement.
*pro rata, based on 37 hours per week
Overview of the role
As a Support Worker you will uphold Southdown’s mission and values, and work in accordance with the aims and key responsibilities of your role.
The aims of the role are to support clients to:
- Have the quality of life that meets their unique needs and aspirations
- Understand that they have choice and control over their own lives
- Communicate their choices and control their lives without the need to resort to behaviour that could be described as challenging
- Increase choice and control in key areas of their life.
- Improve and sustain their emotional wellbeing and physical and mental health
- Develop opportunities and confidence to participate and contribute in activities and their community
- Exercise their rights and understand their responsibilities as a citizen
Key responsibilities to the people we support:
- Using the key facilitation skills at all times when supporting people: warmth, touch, responsive, reflection, positioning, observation, listening, eye contact, communication, being creative.
- Taking a client led, personalised and flexible approach when supporting people
- Working alongside the people we support to develop their skills and confidence to make informed choices and find solutions – complying with the Mental Capacity Act at all times.
Key responsibilities to yourself and your team:
- Being honest, organised, well informed, practical and reliable
- Following policies and procedures and working with colleagues to deliver a consistent quality of support across the team/service
- Keeping yourself up to date with changes in support guidelines, assessments and policies when such changes occur.
- Being resilient – able to cope with the pressures of the role
- Being safety aware but having a positive, informed approach to risk taking
- Being able to make decisions within a professional framework and in line with Southdown values and policy decisions.
- Successfully complete In-Service Induction, Competency Assessments and training
Main tasks of the role
1.To be accountable and take responsibility for applying your learning, training and skills to support people in line with best practice, through person-centred thinking and planning and using people’s preferred methods of communication.
2.To be focused on outcomes for the people we support to promote increased choice and control. To uphold Southdown’s values, mission and key responsibilities as listed in the overview section of this document.
3.Maintain professional boundaries at all times.
4.To support people in the development and review of their person-centred plans and to work in accordance with their agreed plans.
5.To support and assist each person to maintain a high standard of personal care, including intimate care, hygiene and physical wellbeing including, where required, support with moving and handling and the use of mobility aids and equipment.
6.To respond appropriately to medical or health concerns and, once assessed as competent, administer drugs and medication in accordance to Southdown’s policies and procedures.
7.To help plan and support a full range of social and learning activities and opportunities for the people we support, including going on holiday.
8.To support people impartially with their religious, political, sporting or other views/ beliefs, even if these are different from your own.
9.To have responsibility for the proper use and accounting of finances, including monies belonging to the people we support.
10.To support people to complete domestic tasks and maintain their home environment.
11.To support people to make, prepare for and attend appointments. To accurately record the outcomes of appointments and follow up any actions.
12.To support people to develop and maintain relationships and to participate in and contribute to their local community.
13.To act as a linkworker/ keyworker for named individuals, to oversee the coordination of their plans and/or to be their advocate.
14.To communicate with families, representatives and outside agencies in a professional and courteous manner.
15.To take part in professional meetings/reviews and liaise with appropriate professionals and to represent Southdown in a professional and positive manner.
16.To strictly adhere to Southdown’s safeguarding policies/procedures to include relevant service specific requirements as required.
17.To bring to the attention of a senior colleague any matter for concern over the wellbeing, safety or safeguarding of a person we support, using appropriate incident recording systems.
18.To act professionally and work co-operatively as a member of a staff team, and contribute to a culture of open communication, to include constructive feedback for self and colleagues, including bank staff and volunteers.
19.To participate in team meetings making a constructive and full contribution and adhere to team decisions.
20.To ensure that all filing and administrative systems and processes are well maintained, both paper and electronic.
21.To assist with the implementation of agreed quality assurance systems within the service and organisationally.
22.To participate in a flexible and person-centred rota, working shifts as required (including sleep-ins and weekends, and on client holidays, providing 24 hr support to clients), to meet the individual needs of the people we support. This will at times include supporting clients to ‘stay up late’ (into the early hours, for example to attend a concert or event or on holiday away from home). To take responsibility for finding cover for shifts on the rota as required.
23.To work unsupervised and/or, having due regard to On Call procedures, to take appropriate responsibility for the proper running of the shift/session/activity.
24.To work across different locations when required, to meet a business need or to help out other services when required. To be inducted to work with clients in other services in your locality so you can work there if there is a need for you to do so.
25.To be non-judgemental of others, promoting equality of opportunity and a respect for diversity with clients and colleagues alike.
26.To work in accordance with relevant codes of practice and governing legislation, including the Care Act and the Health & Safety at Work Act.
27.Where required and once assessed as competent, to drive the vehicles used by the people we support in a safe and responsible manner and to participate in ensuring the upkeep and maintenance of any such vehicles.
28.Where required, to be responsible for the maintenance and use of any equipment within the service.
29.To participate in training as required, attending formal courses at training venues, using e-learning and learning in house at the service and to apply the learning to your work practice.
30.To assist in the induction of new staff, bank or agency workers.
31.To participate in regular staff supervision sessions with the manager/ senior support worker and to attend and participate in regular team meetings.
32.To assume responsibility of the service in the absence of a manager or senior support worker.
33.To undertake other duties as requested by your line manager or Southdown senior manager.
The services provided by Southdown must be flexible to meet the changing needs of clients and operational difficulties. Staff may on occasion be required to work at alternative locations and the content of this job description may require amendment in the light of future developments. Appropriate consultation will take place in such circumstances.
Southdown promotes healthy lifestyles to its staff. To reduce the risk to health from smoking, Southdown has a Smoke Free Work policy. No smoking is allowed on Southdown premises or whilst staff are at work.
A= evidence on application form I = evidence at interview / A / IPersonal Qualities/ Characteristics /
- Believe that people with learning disabilities have the right to have the quality of life that meets their unique needs and aspirations, with real choice and control over their own lives.
- Be committed to person centred and facilitative ways of working
- Have personal values in line with Southdown’s value statements
- Be warm, caring and compassionate
- Not be controlling or judgemental
- React sensitively to other people and recognise different viewpoints, beliefs, values and opinions.
- Treat people politely and with respect, dignity, honesty and equality.
- Be able to think creatively (‘outside the box’)
- The ability to communicate in an Adult to Adult manner with clients and colleagues
- Be resilient; manage the pressures of the role
Skills and Abilities /
- Be able to adapt your communication, working style and level of support to an individual’s needs or wishes. Communicate in an ‘Adult to Adult’ manner with both clients and colleagues.
- Be able to maintain professional boundaries at all times
- Be able to listen actively and display enthusiasm in your communication.
- Work in a facilitative way, using the key skills; Great Interactions.
- Support, motivate and inspire others to try new tasks or activities.
- Seek assistance appropriately and receive feedback from others.
- Complete work to a high standard, focusing on the people we support.
- Take personal responsibility for the quality of your work and be willing to go ‘the extra mile’.
- Work to agreed guidelines, policies and procedures.
- Work cooperatively with colleagues and assist as needed.
- Work under pressure, using own initiative, including lone working if required.
- Be able to work a varied rota pattern, including day,
- Be able to work waking nights (if stated in advertisement)
- Able to be flexible and work across different locations when necessary.
Education, Knowledge and Experience /
- An interest in Southdown’s work with people with learning disabilities (and some mental health needs)
- Be able to complete relevant Induction and Training to a satisfactory standard, including Positive Behaviour Support
- Demonstrable written and verbal communication skills as well as numeracy skills.
- Record keeping and IT skills
Desirable but not essential. /
- Previous experience of working in social care with people who have learning disabilities.
- Previous experience of working with individuals who have learning disabilities and/ or behaviours that challenge.
- A relevant professional qualification applicable to the role
Service specific Criteria /
- Full, manual driving licence (If stated in the advertisement)
- Own Transport (If stated in the advertisement)
- Able to Swim
GENERAL INFORMATION
Southdown Housing Association Limited is a registered society under the Co-operative and Community Benefit Societies Act 2014. Southdown is also regulated by the Homes and Communities Agency as a registered provider of social housing.
Southdown was established in 1972 and is one of the largest not-for-profit specialist providers of care, support and housing services to vulnerable people in Sussex.
We support people with learning disabilities, people facing mental health challenges and those at risk of homelessness or severe hardship. We provide holistic and tailored care and support that focuses on all of a person’s needs be they physical, economic, psychological, social or spiritual.
Everything we do is driven by the individual needs and aspirations of the people we provide care and support for. We involve our clients in the quality review and ongoing development of our services.
We believe the best way to increase people’s independence is for staff to work alongside them and coach them to develop their skills and confidence to take action and responsibility to achieve their personal goals.
We track and monitor the impact our services have on the people that use them. As well as regular satisfaction surveys, we also undertake detailed research to look at what works, for whom and in what circumstances.
We are a robust and successful organisation with a turnover of £24.5 million. We are governed by a Board of 12 members. We employ over 950 staff who we value and invest in. We have an excellent reputation for staff training and development.
We provide value for money. Whilst we’ve had to find ways to reduce our costs due to public sector budget cuts, we have not compromised on quality. We work with commissioners to deliver cost-savings whilst keeping people’s needs at the heart of what we do.
Contracts with local authorities and NHS Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) for East and West Sussex and Brighton and Hove supply most of our income to provide our services.
Data Protection Statement
The Data Protection Act 1998 requires that any staff handling personal data on others must follow certain principles in relation to the data that they hold. Individuals have rights of access to data that is held on them and rights to claim for damages if various offences occur. This covers manual as well as computerised records.
In implementing the legislation, Southdown adopts a simple and straightforward policy that is, so far as is possible, easy to understand and unambiguous in its application. This is best achieved by adopting the principles of openness, which will, in turn, contribute to the fostering of open and honest management. The Association should not keep on record any information, opinion or judgement that we would not be comfortable showing to its subject and explaining and justifying if called upon to do so.
Application Records
Applicant records will only be made available to appropriate persons involved in the selection process. Details will be stored securely at all times.
Where individuals have not been successful, applicant records will be held for a period of twelve months.
Diversity and Equality Monitoring Form – This is destroyed after twelve months whether the applicant is successful or not.
Diversity & Equality
At Southdown, we pride ourselves on creating a culture that challenges prejudice and values diversity. We are committed to ensuring that all staff and service users feel welcome and are not discriminated against or treated unfairly.
We recognise that certain groups and individuals in society are disadvantaged because of discrimination experienced as a result of, race, nationality, belief or religion, physical or mental disability, health status, marital status, sex, sexuality, trade union activity, caring responsibilities, criminal convictions unrelated to the job, age or class.
Southdown believes that such direct or indirect discrimination is wrong and will ensure that the policies and practices of the Association in recruitment provide equal treatment for everyone. Adherence to our Diversity and Equality Policy is a condition of service for staff, and a copy of the policy is given to all staff and job applicants.
All managers are trained in anti-discriminatory recruitment practice. The diversity of our staff is monitored to ensure we continue to represent the diversity of the local communities. We are accredited by several national bodies for recruiting staff to best practice standards including Investors in People, Stonewall, Mindful Employer, Positive about Disabled People and Stonewall.
EX-OFFENDERS & THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS
Introduction
As an organisation using the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) to assess applicants’ suitability for positions of trust, Southdown Housing Association complies fully with the DBS Code of Practice and undertakes to treat all applicants for positions fairly. It undertakes not to discriminate unfairly against any subject of a Disclosure on the basis of conviction or other information revealed.
Southdown is committed to the fair treatment of its staff, as indicated by its Diversity & Equalities Policy Statement, including those with an offending background.
Southdown welcomes applications from a wide range of candidates and would consider those with criminal records. We select candidates for interview based on skills, qualifications and experience.
However, we will exclude candidates who do not comply with the requirements imposed by regulatory bodies that set standards for the staffing of the services we provide.
Recruitment
1.For those positions where a Disclosure is required, application forms and job adverts will specify that a Disclosure will be requested in the event of an individual being offered the position.
2.Where a Disclosure is to form part of the recruitment process, we encourage all applicants called for interview to provide details of their criminal record at an early stage in the application process. We request that this information is sent confidentially to the Human Resources Department and we guarantee this information is only to be seen by those who need to see it as part of the recruitment process.
3.The nature of jobs within Southdown allows the Association to ask questions about an applicant’s entire criminal records including ‘spent’ convictions.
4.We ensure those within Southdown with a decision making role in the recruitment process have been trained to identify and assess the relevance and circumstances of offences. We also ensure they have received guidance and training in the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.
5.For shortlisted candidates we ensure discussion takes place on the subject of any offences that might be relevant to the position. Failure to reveal any relevant information relating to any such offences is likely to lead to withdrawal of an offer of employment.
6.We make every subject of a DBS Disclosure aware of the existence of the DBS Code of Practice and make a copy available on request.
7.We will discuss any matter revealed in the Disclosure with the person seeking the position before withdrawing a conditional offer of employment.
Having a criminal record will not necessarily bar someone from working with the Association. This will depend on the nature of the position and the circumstances and background of the person’s offences.