Support Worker

Autism Practitioners play a crucial role in supporting our adults, young people and children to develop by encouraging each individual to achieve their aspirations and lead fulfilling and purposeful lives. Every element of support that is provided to our complex individuals is contributing to key skills, development, and offer meaning to everyone supported as well as navigating them towards a more positive outcomes, independence and opportunities for their lives to improve for the better.

**Your Responsibilities**
- Offer person-centred, passionate, empathetic and none-judgemental care and support to the individual.
- Competently understand, follow and implement tailored support in accordance to the individual’s care & support plans.
- Be able to understand and meet the needs of the individual.
- Be able to effectively communicate and understand the individual in line with how they wish to be communicated with.
- Carry out personal care in line with their care & support plans.
- Be able to promptly and efficiently manage an individual’s schedule, activity planning and day to day living duties in line with their needs, goals and schedules.
- Ensure accurate, detailed and thorough information promptly within Care Bridge Specialist’s e-care system app - Nourish.
- Effectively & efficiently use schedules, visual prompts, storyboards, communication systems such as PECS, to communicate and help individuals understand and carry out their daily routines & tasks. There will also be an expectation to be able to help other colleague practitioners in utilising and implementing these strategies.
- Support individuals to access resources for learning materials and educational activities.
- Support individuals to access activities that suit their interests and needs within their local community.
- Have a deep understanding of safeguarding protocols and procedures, and acknowledge the duty of care to ensure all individuals are kept safe from risk of harm and/or abuse.
- Have a competent understanding on how to manage safeguarding incidents which includes:

- How & to whom to escalate them to
- Provide a thorough and accurate detailed report
- Be available to attend safeguarding meetings or hearings
- Contribute valuable insights and learnings in reflection sessions
- Effectively communicate with the Care Bridge Specialists Management team
- Competently, effectively and efficiently record, document, log and escalate appropriately all incidents including a detailed incident report, ABC charts and body maps.
- Be able to manage individuals with highly complex needs in crisis, serious incidents, challenging behaviours and have a clear understanding in accordance to their care & support plans on how best to de-escalate and manage these incidents.
- Ensure that individual’s health needs are met including medication administration and attendance for any therapeutic activities or clinic appointments.
- Undertake keyworker responsibilities allocated for the individual such as assisting them to safely manage their belongings, environment, educational needs, dietary needs, personal and financial needs.
- Effectively communicate with healthcare professionals, family members, loved ones or guardians as and when required.
- Be competent in understanding and following risk assessments as well as carrying out adhoc daily risk assessments as and when required for environmental, activities, trips, people etc.
- Maintain a high standard of cleanliness and hygiene in accordance to infection control, food safety & COSHH guidelines.
- Role model best practice and provide coaching, mentoring and shadowing to new practitioners as well as support workers navigating towards an Autism Practitioner role. This will include peer support groups, effective communication with colleagues, upskilling new staff, promote and encourage good team morale and motivation, support inductions and implementing processes for new staff and being a guidance for other colleagues in difficult situations.
- Effectively communicate with Care Bridge Specialists Management team including attending debriefs, staff meetings, reflection discussions, workshops, supervisions and contribute any valuable learning or insights where the opportunity arises.
- Any other tasks that as directed to meet the requirements of the role and to always operate in a style that is consistent with the values and vision of Care Bridge Specialists.

**Person Requirements**
- A minimum of 3 years’ experience working within healthcare supporting individuals with complex needs, autism, learning disabilities and mental health - specifically with young people & children.
- NVQ L3 in Health & Social Care
- GCSE level or equivalent
- Are a driver and are flexible to commute
- Experienced and competent to work with children & young people
- Able to evidence adherence to the use of policy, procedure, duty of care & conduct.
- Aligned to Care Bridge Specialists values of: Be Caring | Be Brave | Be Collaborativ