Job Description: Support Worker

Responsible to: Team Leader

Purpose of job:

• To provide responsive, consistent, and effective support to young people, in line with their individual needs, within a semi-independent context.
• To actively promote the rights of each young person and to maintain an environment which is proactively anti-oppressive, and which acknowledges and values diversity.
• To operate within the Policies and procedures as defined by Fairview and ensure a living and learning environment which offers opportunities, and which promotes self -development, personal achievement, and resilience.
• To ensure, through the application of consistent, effective working practices, the positive safeguarding and welfare of each young person.

Main Duties: Support Worker

• Support the maintenance of an inclusive, anti-oppressive and caring living environment.
• Promote positive, trusting, and meaningful relationships with young people.
• Promote, safeguard, and maintain the wellbeing of each young person, residing with Fairview.
• Function within a support working role and maintain all appropriate records.
• Maintain accurate and timely financial transaction records.
• Effective collaboration with all professionals, family members and others relevant to the individual young person.
• Delivery of the Fairview Independence Living Skills Programme to young people and maintain progression records.
• Active promotion of life skills, risk self-management and the knowledge base of young people.
• Ensuring all Safeguarding and CE issues are addressed effectively and in line with Policy and best practice.
• Understand the relevance of Person-Centred planning and apply this within the role.
• Prepare for and actively engage in professional supervision inclusive of reflective practice.
• Undertake all relevant administrative tasks, including Risk assessments, daily recordings, timed progress reports and others as appropriate.
• Contribute to the ongoing development of Risk Management strategies and protocols for individual young people.
• Attend and contribute to staff meetings, and training.
• Receive and deliver effective handovers.
• Undertake relevant training/professional development opportunities as determined through the supervision process and the needs of Fairview.
• Support young people in accessing training/education and employment opportunities.
• Maintain currency of information, knowledge base and resources (including changes or addenda to legislation), which impact on young people.
• Ensuring Confidentiality and an effective compliance with the Data Protection Act.
• Ensuring compliance with Fairview Policies and Procedures.
• To work at all times within the Professional Boundaries/Code of Conduct framework as established by Fairview.
• Ensuring all Health and safety and Risk assessment checks are completed, recorded and any issues identified and reported to line manager.
• Completion of generic cleaning tasks to an appropriate standard.
• Demonstrate resilience, and positivity when addressing conflict resolution.
• To work within the ON DUTY rota framework operating across 7 days and includes sleep ins and occasionally waking nights in line with the needs of the company.

The list of duties is indicative but not exhaustive. The post holder is expected to carry out any additional tasks commensurate with their role, as identified by their line manager or member of the senior management team.

All posts within Fairview are subject to the Safer Recruitment process. This includes receipt of a satisfactory Enhanced DBS and references.

This post is exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

Person Specification: Support Worker

Experience: essential

• Current/recent experience of working with young people
• Experience of the supporting the developmental needs of young people
• Experience recording and reporting.
• Experience of working to achieve outcomes.
• Experience of multi-agency working and information sharing.
• Experience of risk management.

Knowledge: essential

• An understanding of current legislation in regard to the rights of children and young people leaving care
• Knowledge and understanding of issues that affect young people
• An understanding of Safeguarding and CE.
• Knowledge of GDPR
• An understanding of Diversity and Equal Opportunities
• Knowledge of Health and safety issues.
• An understanding of Person-Centred working.

Qualifications: essential

• Qualified to Level 3 Children and Young People (or equivalent), or willingness to work towards this within 12 months from take up of post.

Skills /Abilities: essential

• Effective communication skills-verbal and written.
• Ability to proactively generate and maintain positive relationships with young people.
• Organisational skills and abilities.
• Ability to undertake all relevant administrative tasks to an appropriate standard.
• Computer literate and competent in the use of IT.
• Possess skills in mediation and able to seek and achieve positive conflict resolution.
• Ability to reach decisions independently, based on professional values and best working practice, including Risk Management.
• Ability to contribute positively to meetings and developmental opportunities.
• Possess a range of interpersonal skills.
• Ability to display resilience, adaptability, and motivational skills.
• Ability to work in an inclusive, empathic, respectful, and aware working style.
• Possess a commitment to supporting an anti-oppressive environment which positively values diversity.
• Ability to operate within a Lone worker setting.