Support Practitioner Wernham House

**About Us**:
**Company Description**:
Aberdeen Cyrenians have provided front-line services and care in the North East for over 50+ years, empowering vulnerable and socially excluded people, to overcome their personal challenges, make informed choices and move towards positive outcomes, promoting dignity, inclusiveness and equality throughout communities.

Our organisation exists to support anyone and everyone who is facing difficulty and we provide a wide range of life-changing services including support to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, have experienced abuse, are at risk of violence, are at high financial risk, struggling with mental health issues, struggling with substance addiction, social exclusion or involved in the justice system.

**About Wernham House**

Wernham House is a residential and respite care accommodation service for adults who have alcohol and substance use problems and mental health issues. It provides care, support and accommodation for 17 individuals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with a dedicated team of Support Practitioners.

**Position**:
**Job Title**: Support Practitioner

**Responsible to**: Residential Services Team Leader and Service Manager

**Responsible for**:Relief Practitioners, Volunteers

**Salary**: SCP 21-28 £22,116 - £27,000

**Hours of Work**: 39hrs per week - shift Work

**Contract Type**: Permanent

**SSC registration level**: Practitioner

**Required qualification**: A qualification of N/SVQ3 in Care, or equivalent or the willingness and ability to attain this within five years

**Main responsibilities**: To be pro-active in the support and delivery of a holistic, flexible, person-centred care home and respite service through trauma-informed keyworking with Service Users who have alcohol and substance misuse problems and mental health issues.

**Requirements**:
**Job activities**
- Form, develop, sustain and maintain relationships with Service Users through person centred, trauma informed emotional and practical care and support
- Assess and review Service Users’ strengths and needs through accurate & appropriate information gathering, professional recording and case management
- Ensure that the basic humanistic needs of Service Users are addressed and met and where required assist Service Users with medication and personal care (food, prompt bathing, continence etc)
- Support Service Users with alcohol and substance misuse/mental health issues using harm minimisation approach and recovery models
- Intervene in a crisis to effectively pre-empt and/or de-escalate accidents and incidents
- Engage in partnership working by liaising/working in compliance with Confidentiality and GDPR with a wide range of agencies on behalf of the Service User including but not limited to Social Work, Housing, Health and Social Care, Police, Courts, Department for Work & Pensions, utility companies, debt agencies statutory authorities other third sector agencies
- Assist in the protection of Service Users from risk of harm and work with other agencies to ensure appropriate Safeguarding
- Ensure that Service Users’ views remain paramount, provide agreed advocacy on Service Users’ behalf and generally assist with communication issues and ensure that potential obstacles such as literacy & numeracy are assessed and addressed
- Work with Service Users to tackle debts, budget and maximise their income
- Plan/participate and assist Service User involvement in quality social activities on a one-to-one and group basis.
- Assist with the day-to-day issues relating to the building from where the service is delivered (health & safety, cleaning, other maintenance, etc)
- Carry out other relevant work commensurate with the post as required

**Systems**
- Professional recording and maintenance of records in relation to Service User case management
- PASS
- CareSkills/ Learning Management System
- organisation and service specific training
- Day-to-day operation of service -appointments, planners, meetings
- Cezanne - Annual Leave, Support and Supervision

**Aims, values and behaviours**
- To be respectful of and work in accordance with the core values and behaviours of the organisation including a commitment to work with those with the most challenging needs to ensure that they have every opportunity to avoid further exclusion
- To respect and work in accordance with our Equality and Diversity Policy and ensure its promotion in the course of your daily work
- Have a duty to take care of your own health and safety and that of others who may be affected by your actions at work
- Co-operate with employers and co-workers to help everyone meet their legal requirements
- Raise any specific queries or concerns you have regarding your workplace with your line manager or health and safety representative

**Essential Role Requirements and Quality Standards**
- A qualification of N/SVQ3 in Care, or equivalent or the willingness and ability to attain this within five years.
- Expe