Specialist Support Worker – Personalised Provision
Do you believe everyone should have choice, control and the opportunity to live a full and meaningful life? We are looking for a compassionate, dependable and resourceful person who shares these values to support a man with complex support needs to live independently in his own home. You will bring warmth, a positive outlook and a genuine commitment to building a respectful, trusting relationship, helping him pursue his interests, stay connected with his community and shape support around what matters most to him.
Working alongside an experienced support team and family members, you will listen, learn and contribute to the continued development of an innovative, single-person service with the individual at its heart. Previous care experience is valuable, but your values, character and willingness to grow are just as important. In return, you will have the opportunity to develop new skills through training and professional development while making a meaningful difference in your community.
Hours: 24–36 hours per week, including sleep in shifts and additional hours subject to availability.
This role requires commitment, flexibility, and a genuine willingness to build a trusting relationship and become a friend and ally in X’s life. The work can be challenging at times, but it is also deeply fulfilling. X has a great sense of humour, is highly sociable, and embraces life to the fullest.
X enjoys a rich and active lifestyle, supported by his family and dedicated support team. He regularly attends art sessions, works with a personal trainer, and makes meaningful choices about his daily life. While the role can be demanding, staff are well supported by skilled, professional colleagues and an actively involved family network.
It is essential that you are flexible and adaptable as needs may vary from day to day and therefore the tasks required will vary accordingly.
Key responsibilities of the role:
• Supporting X in a way that ensures a fun and fulfilling life, assisting at home, providing subtle support in the community, and supporting engagement in meaningful activities. This involves working as one half of a two-person team when out and about or (when proficient) working one to one in the evenings (after 8pm) at X’s own home.
• Supporting X through behaviours that challenge and applying Positive Behaviour Support to all aspects of his life.
• Assistance getting to meetings, social events, activities and providing discreet assistance whilst there.
• Contributing to planning meetings about X’s life and provision
• Upkeep and development of a comprehensive visual communication system (with guidance and support).
• Maintaining accurate and structured records
• Maintaining and contributing to the development of a full timetable of activities, independence and life skills.
• Assistance to prepare and cook meals.
• Assistance with all aspects of personal care including continence.
• Assisting with shopping and other associated tasks.
• Contributing to the running of X’s own home in a sensitive, efficient, competent and respectful manner
• Overnight shifts (usually sleeping) to ensure company, safety and support for X at home
• Physical prompting and assistance in and out of vehicles and different forms of public transport
• Driving
• Helping X maintain health, including administering and recording/ordering daily medicine, good dental hygiene and supporting X at GP and/or hospital appointments and dental check-ups
• supporting X if he has an epileptic seizure. Comprehensive training and support are provided for this
• On occasions, employees may be required to perform other reasonable tasks appropriate to this type of employment.
Essential attributes you will need include:
• Previous care or personal assistance experience
• Fit, active and used to outdoor activities
• Computer and IT skills (macs preferred)
• A genuine interest in supporting people to live full and independent lives and a commitment to providing personalised support
• Enthusiastic and respectful in your support
• Able to work flexibly in a domestic setting and out in the community
• Able to provide varying levels of support depending on the situation; from very subtle, to more intensive support
• Commitment to your own personal development
• Able to work responsibly with colleagues, managers of the provision, and other professionals
• Good skills, knowledge and experience of risk assessing and safeguarding
• Able to respect privacy and confidentiality and exercise discretion at all times
• Reliable and responsible
• Energetic and quick witted
• Able to use, well judged, initiative
• Sense of humour
• Good written and spoken communication skills
• Able to work well as part of a team
• Good cooking and domestic skills
• Flexible approach to the work
• Willingness to learn and to undertake further training
• Honest and trustworthy
• Non-smoker whilst at work
• Full UK driving licence
• Experience of supporting Adults with complex needs in the community and/or within a family setting
• Experience of supporting people who display behaviours described as challenging
• Able to work increased hours at times throughout the year to cover for staff on holiday or off sick
Preferable qualifications:
• Training and experience in PBS (Positive Behaviour Support)
• Further and higher level qualifications NVQ L 2/3, care certificate.
Hours of work pay and benefits
Minimum of 24 - 37 hours per week. This may include weekends, but rotas are equitable and fair and weekend work is distributed between a team of 9.
The post requires flexibility. Hours are organised through a 4 weekly rota pattern and sometimes hours may increase in order to cover annual leave of other staff and/or illness.
