Support Worker

Job description

Job responsibilities

To encourage and assist the people we support to live happy and fulfilled lives by supporting people in identifying options and encouraging them to make and exercise their choices, by understanding the organisations values and expectations.

Accountabilities:

1. To provide assistance to the people we support, including personal care as required, recognising their preferences and right to dignity.

2. To assist individuals to plan the support they want, make day-to day choices and major life decisions, ensuring that information is available to inform their choices.

3. To provide individuals with the agreed necessary support to maximise their independence and to develop social and life skills, advocating on their behalf to promote their rights and interests.

4. To enable people we support to form and maintain relationships, including intimate relationships, and friendships.

5. To facilitate individuals to identify and consider any risks arising from their choices, ensuring that a positive approach to risk taking is supported wherever possible, ensuring that ways of avoiding or reducing the risk are assessed, agreed and recorded.

6. To monitor the health, wellbeing and psychological and emotional needs of people you support, recognising any changes and seeking advice when necessary, whilst recognising the individuals right to determine their own lifestyle.

7. To implement or administer medication and specialist interventions in line with a persons support plan, following training and under direction which may be provided from a distance.

8. To work without direct supervision, including as a lone worker.

9. To follow all policies, procedures, support plans, risk assessments and safe systems of work, and where appropriate engage positively in reviewing and updating such information.

10.To facilitate effective handover to colleagues, including to agency workers, and to plan and prioritise own work schedule based on information received from others.

11.To take responsibility for safeguarding people you support, engaging positively with external bodies such as the Safeguarding Authorities or the Police and raising any concerns with your line manager or in their absence the appropriate senior/ on call manager.

12.To complete written documentation, including support plans and daily records, using IT if required.

13.To communicate effectively with stakeholders including professionals and family members, as agreed, and to build positive relationships.

14.To work as a member of a team, to attend team briefings and meetings regularly and contribute in a positive manner.

15.To promote the privacy, dignity and rights, health and wellbeing of the people we support and respect individuals right to confidentiality.

16.To undertake required assessments and training, including updates, as well as other learning opportunities (formal and informal) to continue to increase your skills and abilities.

17.To advocate on behalf of the people we support, promoting each persons right to live the life they choose and acting in their best interest as laid out within the Mental Capacity Act (2000) where required.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Educated to GCSE Level A-C or equivalent in Maths and English or ability to pass numeracy and literacy and values assessments.
• Ability to communicate with a wide range of people, including the people we support, their friends and family members, colleagues and professionals.
• Able to organise your workload, identify priorities and solve day to day problems.
• Able to work within guidelines set by others.
• Ability to recognise when others need to be involved and informed, including team leaders and other managers.
• Ability to record information and complete documentation
• An appreciation of the organisations values and how to apply them when providing support.
• Willing to learn new ways of working.
• Ability to use IT to complete forms and record information.
• Experience of team work (either through employment, voluntary work or other interests).
• Have a caring manner and a tolerant nature, be dependable, cheerful, patient and kind.
• An understanding of and commitment to confidentiality.
• Willingness to be flexible, adaptable and responsive to change.
• A positive commitment to the values and ethos of the organisation.

Desirable

• Care Certificate
• Level 2 diploma in social care

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Employer details

Employer name

Milestones Trust

Address

Unit 10, Eclipse Office Park

High Street, Staple Hill

Bristol

BS16 5EL

Employer's website

https://www.milestonestrust.org.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)