Senior Support Worker (Permanent)
NOTE: Sponsorship for overseas applicants is NOT available under any circumstances and proof of right to work in the UK will be required.
Job Specification
As a Senior Support Worker, your main role will be to support residents of Forest Youth Services with their day-to-day needs, as described in their individual Pathway Plans and agreed with their Social Worker. This will include supporting young people to engage with education, training or employment; participate in activities; develop an understanding of healthy and balanced living; develop independence and life skills; and maintain the standard of their home.
As a Senior Support Worker, you will additionally have responsibility for assisting and supporting junior staff members, providing one-to-one supervision, maintaining high standards of recording and report writing, and helping colleagues to make appropriate and consistent decisions in relation to the young people we support.
Senior Support Workers are expected to exercise professional judgement in relation to young people's behaviour, wellbeing, vulnerability and safeguarding. The role therefore requires an effective understanding of the social and cultural context in which young people in the UK live, including contemporary youth culture, communication styles, relationships, online and social-media activity, contextual safeguarding and risks such as criminal and sexual exploitation.
The role also requires effective working with Social Workers, Police, education providers and other professionals and agencies within the English safeguarding and children's social-care system.
For this reason, applicants for this senior role must have substantial relevant professional experience, including practical experience of working directly with children or young people within a UK care, support, youth-work or comparable setting.
Senior Support Workers will also be required to participate in an on-call rota to support staff for a minimum of one night per week.
You may have the option to work additional sleeping night shifts, which are paid at £12.71 per hour for sleeping hours in addition to your salary. The maximum annual salary for the role is £31,500, which, supplemented with two sleeping night shifts per week, would provide a potential gross annual income of approximately £41,018.
Essential Experience
Applicants must have:
- At least two years' paid experience providing care, support or youth work directly to children or young people.
- At least two year's paid experience working directly with children or young people in a UK care, support, supported-accommodation, residential-childcare, youth-work or similar setting.
- At least one year's experience as a Senior Support Worker, Team Leader, Deputy Manager, Manager or in another care/support role involving responsibility for supervising or leading staff.
Experience gained outside the UK is welcomed and will count towards the relevant general and leadership experience requirements.
However, because this is a senior practitioner role requiring staff to exercise day-to-day professional judgement, respond appropriately to safeguarding and risk concerns, communicate effectively with young people and provide guidance to other staff, applicants must also have practical experience of working directly with children or young people within a UK setting.
Applicants will be expected to demonstrate their ability to understand and respond appropriately to the behaviour, communication, safeguarding needs and wider social context of young people during the recruitment process.
Company Description
Forest Youth Services is a family-run service created to offer supported accommodation placements for young people aged 16–18, with a therapeutic ethos informed by Systemic Family Therapy.
Our staff undertake training in Systemic Practice alongside regular group reflective supervision with qualified Systemic Psychotherapists. This equips our staff with the knowledge, skills and reflective space to provide thoughtful and creative support to our young people.
Forest Youth Services is invested in implementing a model of Systemic Practice. As such, you will have the opportunity to engage in a training programme which includes an introduction to systemic practice.
Regular Group Reflective Supervision is attended to discuss practice, relationships and professional development within the supported accommodation service. Between group reflective supervision sessions, small reading tasks may be set, with an expectation that these are completed before the following session.
Forest Youth Services is committed to the continuous development of its services with the involvement of every staff member. Suggestions for improvements to services and ways of working are therefore welcomed.
Main Duties
- Support young people to the highest standard and in accordance with their Pathway Plan, individual needs, wishes and cultural needs.
- Build positive, professional relationships with young people and communicate with them in an effective and age-appropriate manner.
- Exercise professional judgement in recognising changes in behaviour, vulnerability, safeguarding concerns and risk, and respond or escalate appropriately.
- Support young people to engage in education, training or employment, including researching and considering options in line with the young person's wishes and feelings.
- Encourage and support healthy and productive living, including physical activity, healthy eating and positive routines.
- Encourage and role-model pro-social behaviour, appropriate boundaries and constructive conflict management.
- Assist and encourage young people to engage in everyday home, social and leisure activities according to their individual needs and choices.
- Support young people with their health needs as required, including making and attending health appointments.
- Keep accurate, clear and up-to-date records and complete reports to the required standard.
- Support young people with their finances, budgeting and weekly shopping, including menu planning, writing shopping lists and shopping.
- Promote the health, safety, safeguarding and wellbeing of the young people we support.
- Recognise and respond appropriately to safeguarding issues, including contextual safeguarding, exploitation, missing episodes, online risks and concerns relating to relationships or peer groups.
- Work positively with colleagues, families, Social Workers, Police, education providers and other external organisations and professionals, with a focus on clear communication and effective multi-agency working in the best interests of young people.
- Assist in supporting and guiding junior members of staff.
- Provide one-to-one supervision to staff as required.
- Support consistent and appropriate decision-making across the staff team.
- Maintain confidentiality at all times.
- Contribute ideas for improving the support and services provided.
- Participate fully in learning and development opportunities and attend regular Group Reflective Supervision.
- Drive young people to appointments and other activities as required.
- Participate in the Senior Support Worker on-call rota.
- Undertake any other duties appropriate to the role.
Health and Safety
Successful applicants will be required to comply with the Forest Youth Services Health and Safety Policy and take such steps as are reasonably practicable for their own health and safety, that of their colleagues and that of others affected by their work.
Employees must comply with their health and safety responsibilities and cooperate with management in the full implementation of Forest Youth Services' Health and Safety Policy.
Equality and Diversity
Successful applicants must adhere to all Forest Youth Services policies and procedures relating to equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace and in the provision of services.
Support must be provided respectfully and without discrimination, taking account of each young person's individual identity, culture, needs, wishes and circumstances.
Learning and Personal Development
Successful applicants have a personal responsibility for their own learning and development and must fully engage with Forest Youth Services' training programme.
The post holder must undertake the learning and training identified within the company training matrix, together with any other relevant training identified and agreed with their manager.
Senior Support Workers are expected to maintain and develop the knowledge required to provide effective guidance and support to other members of staff.
Safeguarding Policy and Procedures
Successful applicants must adhere to all Forest Youth Services Safeguarding Policies and Procedures.
Senior Support Workers have an enhanced responsibility to recognise safeguarding concerns, exercise appropriate professional judgement, support junior colleagues and ensure that concerns are recorded, reported and escalated appropriately.
Job Type: Permanent
Pay: £26,000.00-£41,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company pension
- Private medical insurance
Experience:
- Senior, Team Leader or Management: 1 year (required)
- care or support work with children or young people: 2 years (required)
- UK-based care or support work with children or young people: 2 years (required)
Licence/Certification:
- Current DBS Updates Service subscription (not essential!) (preferred)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Work Location: In person
