Sen Keyworker for Afterschool Club, Belfast

**SEN SPACE Care and Respite Services CIC**

**Post: Key Worker. 15 hours per week, £11.50 p/h. Monday to Friday between the hours of 1.45-4.45 or 3.15-6.15. Additional hours available at weekends and school holidays if wanted.**

SEN Space is a community led organisation providing support and care services for children with disabilities and their families. We are based in Dunmurry and provide a wide range of services. These include after schools, youth club, weekend club, sibling support and holiday clubs. What will make our organisation thrive, and the children have the best experience possible, is all down to our staff. We want people to join our team who share our vision and who are committed to help us achieve it. We want people who embrace and empower the children in our care and create a learning rich experience in a safe and need specific environment.


**Nature of Employment**:
Fixed term contract for 12 months with the option to extend, funding permitted. This is in accordance with the General Conditions of Employment with 6 months’ probation period. SEN Space may also fill future temporary roles from the panel.

**Job Location**: Dunmurry, Belfast

**Reporting to**: CEO

**Job Summary/Purpose**:
The Keyworker will care and support either an individual child or small group of children attending our sessions. You will work under the direction of the Supervisor and Manager, carry out activities specified in the child’s care plan, and ensure that learning outcomes and personal goals are achievable through the environment and equipment. You will be responsible for meeting all the child's needs during the session including helping with toileting, changing, and or medical needs.

**KEY ELEMENTS OF THE JOB / DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES**:

- To support children and young people with disabilities, with their physical care, personal hygiene needs and daily life tasks and skills as required in their care and learning plan.
- To support children and young people with disabilities in all areas of development including physical, intellectual, emotional and social.
- To support and facilitate communication with individual’s relatives, friends, professionals and other members of staff/volunteers, in order to ensure the continuity of quality and safety in the provision of support.
- Support children with complex needs, including medical and toileting / changing.
- Support the development of the child's care and learning plan, ensuring each individual’s plan has meaningful and achievable goals.
- Support the children and families to develop and expand social networks and friendships.
- Liaise with parents at the beginning and end of the session and ensure a safe handover.

**QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE**

**Essential Requirements**:

- Demonstrate a passionate attitude to helping children with SEN and the energy / enthusiasm needed to be part of the SEN Space team.
- Have a minimum level 2 Diploma in either Play work or Child Care, Learning and Development, or Play work, or an equivalent qualification.

**Desirable Requirements**:

- Experience in SEN or working in an early years setting.
- Demonstrate experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team environment.
- Demonstrate experience of planning and managing individual care plans and working towards such goals with SEN children.

**Key Attributes**
- Support individuals in a non-judgemental way based on the principles of anti-discriminatory practice.
- To treat individuals with respect and encourage them to meet their individual goals in a fun and need specific environment.
- Ability to interpret children’s needs and translate into operational requirements provided by SEN Space.
- Ability to work alongside Management and other Key Worker staff.
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
- Strong planning and organisation skills, ability to plan and prioritise work schedule and work within agreed timescales.
- Comfortable with engaging in multiple initiatives simultaneously.

**Performance and Development**:

- Maintain confidentiality of all children and families using our services.
- To always act as a positive role model.
- Work within SEN Space’s policies and procedures.
- Work in a way that meets the statutory requirements of employees under health and safety at work.
- Adhere to the Codes of Practice and staff handbook.
- Enter actively into supervision and appraisal.
- Attend training on a regular basis to ensure that all mandatory and personal training and development needs are met in line with company requirements.
- To attend monthly staff meetings.
- To behave in a manner that always reflects positively on the company.
- To work closely with other members of the team for the ultimate benefit of the children and families using our services.

**PAY & WORKING CONDITIONS**:
Salary Scale: £11.50 per hour. 15 hours per week. Working hours will be between 1.45-4.45 or 3.15-6.15 Monday to Friday.

**General**: Fixed term contract f