Support worker

Main purpose of the Job: To provide advice, assistance and support to young people, safeguarding their welfare at all times.To attend to their practical, physical and emotional needs. To act as an appropriate role model and to work closely with them to enable them to address their difficulties and achieve their optimum potential. Equality & Diversity: All young people are equally entitled to have their needs met in a fair and balanced way. Residential Care Workers are responsible for promoting equal opportunities for all and for challenging any behaviour or practice which discriminates against any young person or colleague on the grounds of race, religion, disability, age, gender, sexual orientation or any other perceived difference. Duties and Responsibilities: Provide care for young people through: Attending to practical matters in relation to childcare (cooking, cleaning etc) Establishing positive relationships with young people and always offering them unconditional and positive regard Meeting the physical, emotional, behavioural, cultural and educational needs of young people Acting as a role model and demonstrating appropriate pro-social ways of dealing with problems Helping young people gain self control by challenging unacceptable behaviour and rewarding acceptable, pro-social conduct. • Ensuring that each young person’s care plan is followed and amended as appropriate to reflect their changing needs To act as a key worker through: Taking responsibility for a small number of young people and ensuring that their needs are fully met Establishing relationships which young people perceive to be positive, warm and rewarding Providing advice, assistance and support on a 1:1 basis to enable young people to address past and present difficulties Providing emotional support at times of difficulty or stress Being ambitious for young people, helping them achieve their goals and optimise their potential Providing support for young people in their education and extra curricular activities Keeping accurate records and providing written reports on young people for planning meetings, reviews or any other meetings as directed by the line manager Empowering young people and facilitating their active involvement in the decision making about their lives and future Acting as an advocate at meetings where the young person is the subject of discussion Encouraging the young person to develop links with the community, attend off-site activities and expand their personal social network To work as part of a team through: Being aware of the aims and objectives of the home and working collaboratively with colleagues to achieve them Attending team/ staff meetings and making a positive contribution to them Actively contributing to the development of the team Receiving and storing information to improve communication Being willing to give and receive feedback on performance with colleagues and managers Being aware of childcare plans for all young people and providing support for colleagues by maintaining consistency in the execution of those plans Providing informal practical and emotional support to colleagues experiencing difficulties Attending and contributing to regular supervision sessions in line with the National Minimum standards Monitoring the conduct of colleagues and referring on any causes for concern (Whistleblowing) Being familiar with all policies and procedures and adhering to them? General: Attending young people’s meetings and contributing to them Driving company vehicles (current driving licence holders subject to procedures) Receiving training appropriate to role and maintaining an up to date training profile Responsibility for the accurate maintenance of financial records appropriate to the duties of the post Responsibility for the health, safety and welfare of self and colleagues in accordance with the requirements of the organisational Health and Safety Policies To carry out all other reasonable tasks as directed by the line manager