Residential Support Worker

**JOB PURPOSE**

To provide a high standard of care and support to vulnerable young people with emotional behaviour difficulties and/or self-esteem issues in order to maximise individual potential.

To demonstrate positive attitudes, patience, understanding and respect in providing care to residents. To maintain a flexible, caring and sensitive approach to service delivery, regardless of young peoples’ individual cultural, religious and/or sexual diversity. To work in a professional manner, and to develop a good working relationship with both residents’ and other outside agencies. At times you may be required to act on your own showing self-motivation, initiative and flexibility.

**ACTIVITIES AND DUTIES**
- To provide support and meet the basic needs of young people ensuring that personal dignity and rights are respected at all times.
- To ensure that support is provided to individuals in accordance with Willoughby Place Therapeutic Care policies and procedures.
- Help young people to develop and care for themselves by providing advice and guidance on personal care and relevant life skills e.g. cooking, cleaning etc.
- Engage young people in self-esteem activities and programs run by the company.
- Work as part of a team to ensure the safety and well-being of young people and staff and provide a friendly supportive atmosphere in which individuals are encouraged to and enabled to develop a valued lifestyle.
- Utilise knowledge, skills and experience to recognise difficult and/or challenging situations and use appropriate communication skills to influence and bring positive change to young people’s behaviour.
- To be able to provide personal care when appropriate, if needed.

**KEY TASKS**

1. Assist in all stages of person-centred planning.

2. To undertake cleaning, cooking, washing up, laundry duties and other related activities ensuring young people are involved as much as possible, to maintain a clean and safe environment.

3. Carry out a range of administration duties (e.g. reception/weekly reports/general office / referrals etc) to ensure the smooth running of the home.

4. To encourage young people to develop an understanding of their own self-worth.

5. To encourage young people to develop alternative ways of dealing with anger and other complex behavioural issues.

6. To engage young people to participate in a number of group activities run by the company.

7. To encourage young people to develop through counselling, art therapy and other holistic methods offered by the home.

8. To help young people where possible to maintain a relationship with family members if/when appropriate. To facilitate and support any family or other contacts important to the individual young person, agreed by reviews/planning meetings or court hearings. Also, to protect young people from contact with individuals who have been deemed as inappropriate or a danger to the individual young person.

9. To provide a caring and supportive environment for young people that respects and affirms their racial, cultural and religious identity and lifestyle choices.

10. To contribute to placement planning, participating in reviews and other meetings as required, and to assist in the implementation of placement plans to facilitate the young people working towards the aims and goals of their care plans, taking into account the views of the young person.

11. To assist young people to exercise choice and control over all aspects of their life.

12. To assist/enable young people to maintain high standards of health care and personal hygiene.

13. To enable young people to develop their skills and abilities.

14. To participate in the key worker system.

15. To be involved in enabling young people to access and participate in a wide range of community-based activities.

16. To participate in relevant training to update and enhance knowledge base in order to develop professionally and to improve the level of service Willoughby Place Therapeutic Care offers all young people.

17. To be aware of your responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work Act, to maximise the safety of young people and staff.

18. To report any incidents and complaints to your line manager.

19. To keep accurate records of individuals as laid down in policies and procedures.

20. To participate in the rota within the framework of contracted hours this includes sleeping-in, evening, weekends and bank holidays.

**GENERAL**
- Adhere to Willoughby Place Therapeutic Care **Code of Practice **at all times.
- Adhere to the company’s **Safeguarding Policy **at all times.
- Adhere to the company's **Equal Opportunities Policy **at all times.
- Adhere to the company’s **Health & Safety Policy **at all times.

The job description covers the current range of duties and will be reviewed from time to time. It is the company’s aim to reach agreement on changes, but if agreement is not possible, company reserves the right to change this job description after consult