JOB TITLE: Adult Carers Advice, Support & Development Worker

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE: Adult Carers Advice, Support & Development Worker

HOURS: 35 x hours per week (9-5pm)

SALARY: £25,750

RESPONSIBLE TO: Help For Carers Lambeth Manager

LOCATION: Brixton

LIASING WITH: Social Services, Voluntary & Statutory sector

Overall Purpose of Job

To lead on the needs of carers looking after with someone with a long term health condition, a physical disability or substance misuse within Carers Hub Lambeth; providing information, advice and emotional support to those caring for others. To make appropriate connections with other relevant agencies to promote the service and understanding of the needs of unpaid carers within the London Borough of Lambeth.

Main Responsibilities

Advice, Signposting and Information

·  To take referrals from various sources including the Enquiry Line and follow up with provision of advice and information on various health conditions, welfare benefits, social care legislation, debt issues, health, social care and respite etc. uploading information onto the internal database

·  To signpost carers to other relevant services as required according to their need

·  To provide 1-1 emotional support within remit of role

·  To provide monthly outreach Carers Drop ins - GP surgeries in statutory and community settings

·  To build up and maintain a database of useful contacts and resources for carers of people with long term health conditions ensuring that appropriate resources are uploaded onto the website.

Support Groups, Workshops and Involvement

·  To plan, deliver and evaluate quarterly Carers Forums with the team

·  To develop and support monthly carers’ to reduce the social isolation of carers and encourage the development of informal carers’ networks / peer support

·  To organise regular carers trips / activities

·  To provide/organise training workshops in collaboration with carers of people with long term health problems

·  To raise awareness of the needs of carers by attending relevant forums and network meetings.

Outreach and Promotion

·  To produce and disseminate quarterly Carers Hub newsletter, manually and digitally for carers of people with long term health problems.

·  Regularly update Social Media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, website

·  To assist with the promotion of community development for carers of people with long term health conditions

·  To work with ‘hard to reach’ / hidden carers in the community and offer them access to support

Recording, Monitoring and Reporting

·  To accurately record all 1:1 and Group client contacts / casework using Charity Log database and other paper/digital systems to keep client and organisation data up-to-date and accurate

·  To produce quarterly reports, statistics, case studies and other reports as required by manager, Commissioners and other bodies

Working within the Carers Hub Team

·  To work flexibly within the team supporting colleagues and sharing skills and knowledge as required to provide an effective and reliable service to all carers

·  To work collaboratively with the rest of the team on joint activities for carers in Lambeth.

Other tasks

·  To respond to the Carers Hub ‘central email’ contacts/referrals daily

·  To be self-supporting administratively

·  To attend and contribute to training where appropriate as directed by the manager /CEO

·  To attend and contribute to team and supervision meetings

·  To be willing/able to travel around the borough to attend Home Visits/Welfare Checks

·  To be available for ‘occasional’ weekend and evening events

·  To undertake any other appropriate duties commensurate with this post

·  To act at all times in accordance with all Help For Carers policies and procedures

Person Specification

Adult Carers Advice Support & Development Worker

Qualifications/Education

1.  A relevant professional qualification in social care or IAG or significant experience in community based work

Experience:

2.  At least one year’s experience of working directly with Carers OR people with long term health problems / or advice information / support work

3.  Experience of assessing the needs of either service users or carers and be able to provide emotional support

4.  Experience of providing 1:1 casework to service users / vulnerable adults

Ability:

5.  Deliver community development/outreach work with colleagues and professionals working with partner agencies and other statutory/voluntary agencies

6.  Organise, plan and facilitate support/educational groups, activities and events

7.  Communicate both verbally and in writing, complex information to carers and write well-presented, grammatical letters, provide statistical reports, articles, and promotional literature for social media newsletters and websites

Key Skills:

8.  To work confidently and independently with Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, Internet, Publisher and Social Media sites including updating website, Facebook and Twitter.

9.  To work with mail chimp/text marketer

10.  To present / facilitate support/ educational groups to carers and at Carers Forums etc.

11.  Write reports and monitor carers statistics using a Database

Knowledge:

12.  A good understanding of the needs and issues affecting carers of people with long term health problems / range of health conditions, and the statutory and voluntary services available.

13.  A good general understanding of the support services and welfare benefits available to carers e.g. welfare benefits [including recent and imminent changes], community care, personalisation, direct payments, housing, etc.

14.  An understanding of the

Other (tested at interview not application)

·  A good understanding of issues around Safeguarding as it relates to working with carers

·  Be self-supporting administratively, organise and prioritise own work load without extensive supervision