Support Worker – Learning Disabilities
Location: Enfield
Pay: £12.75 per hour
Hours: Full-time and part-time positions available. Candidates must be willing to work a rota that may include day shifts, night shifts and weekends as required.
Important – Please Read Before Applying
This application includes screening questions which must be completed in order for your application to be considered.
All screening questions must be answered personally and in your own words. Please do not use ChatGPT, other AI tools, or automated writing software to generate your answers. We want to understand your own experience, judgement, values and approach to supporting people with learning disabilities. Applications containing responses that appear to have been generated by AI may not be progressed.
About the Role
Ridgeview provides support for adults with learning disabilities across a residential home with an integrated supported-living component.
We are looking for Support Workers who genuinely understand that people with learning disabilities should always be treated with respect, equality, patience and compassion, and should never be made to feel less than others.
This role is about much more than completing care tasks. We want people who are committed to providing high-quality, person-centred support while promoting choice, independence, dignity, inclusion and meaningful participation in everyday life.
The ideal candidate will have experience supporting adults with learning disabilities and an understanding of some of the different needs and challenges individuals may experience, including communication needs, behaviours that may indicate distress or unmet needs, emotional regulation, sensory needs, health needs and the importance of consistency and structure.
You will need to be confident following care plans, risk assessments and behaviour support plans, and in implementing Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) strategies consistently and respectfully.
We are looking for people who take care planning, safeguarding, documentation and professional standards seriously. Staff are expected to understand that accurate records, following policies and procedures, completing required checks and promptly reporting concerns are all essential parts of providing safe and effective support.
We also want someone who is proactive, engaging and creative.
The right person should genuinely enjoy spending time with the people they support and be able to identify meaningful activities based on each person's interests, goals, preferences and abilities. You should be willing to encourage engagement both at home and in the community, help reduce isolation, build confidence, promote wellbeing and make everyday life enjoyable and purposeful.
Staff are expected to take an active role in identifying opportunities for meaningful engagement rather than simply waiting to be directed by others.
Key Responsibilities
- Supporting individuals with daily living tasks while encouraging independence wherever possible.
- Promoting dignity, privacy, equality, choice and control at all times.
- Building positive, respectful and professional relationships with the people you support.
- Following individual care plans, support plans, risk assessments, behaviour support plans and safeguarding procedures.
- Implementing Positive Behaviour Support strategies consistently, respectfully and in accordance with each person's agreed support plan.
- Supporting individuals with everyday household activities such as preparing meals, maintaining their personal living spaces, shopping and completing daily routines.
- Encouraging individuals to participate in tasks and develop their independence rather than routinely completing tasks for them.
- Planning and encouraging meaningful activities based on each individual's interests, goals, preferences and needs.
- Supporting individuals to participate in activities at home and within the wider community.
- Supporting individuals to attend healthcare appointments, social activities, educational opportunities and other appointments where required.
- Adapting communication to meet individual needs, including using agreed communication aids, visual supports or other communication approaches where appropriate.
- Observing changes in an individual's physical health, emotional wellbeing, behaviour, communication or presentation and reporting concerns promptly.
- Recognising and reporting safeguarding concerns, incidents, accidents, injuries, medication issues, changes in behaviour and other risks appropriately.
- Demonstrating professional curiosity and speaking up where something does not appear right.
- Supporting with the administration, recording and safe management of medication where trained and authorised to do so.
- Completing daily notes, monitoring records, medication documentation, incident records and other required paperwork accurately, promptly and professionally.
- Participating in effective handovers and communicating important information clearly to colleagues and management to ensure continuity of support.
- Supporting individuals with shopping, budgeting and personal finances where this forms part of their agreed support plan, while maintaining accurate records and appropriate professional boundaries.
- Reading, understanding and following organisational policies, procedures and service guidance, including keeping up to date when policies or working practices change.
- Working in accordance with safeguarding requirements, the Mental Capacity Act, consent principles and least-restrictive practice.
- Completing required health and safety, infection control, food safety and other service checks as directed.
- Working collaboratively with colleagues, management, families and relevant professionals where appropriate.
- Taking personal responsibility for contributing to a service that is safe, well organised, compliant and ready for inspection.
- Helping to create an environment where every individual feels valued, heard, respected and empowered.
What We Are Looking ForEssential
- Previous experience supporting adults with learning disabilities.
- A genuine interest in and commitment to supporting people with learning disabilities.
- A caring, respectful and person-centred approach.
- A clear understanding that individuals with learning disabilities have the same rights to dignity, choice, respect and a meaningful life as anyone else.
- Understanding of the different needs individuals with learning disabilities may have.
- Confidence promoting independence rather than unnecessarily doing things for people.
- An understanding of Positive Behaviour Support and the importance of consistent approaches.
- Ability to carefully follow care plans, risk assessments and behaviour support plans.
- Understanding of safeguarding and professional boundaries.
- Awareness of consent, Mental Capacity Act principles and least-restrictive practice.
- Ability to recognise concerns and report or escalate them appropriately.
- Good written communication skills and an understanding of the importance of accurate record keeping.
- Good organisational skills and the ability to complete required records, checks and paperwork.
- Ability to think creatively about meaningful activities, community involvement and engagement.
- Good verbal communication and teamwork skills.
- Ability to remain patient and professional when supporting individuals with complex or challenging needs.
- Reliability, flexibility and commitment to maintaining high standards.
- Willingness to follow organisational policies, procedures and agreed ways of working.
- Willingness to complete required training and maintain competencies relevant to the role.
- Willingness to work a rota that may include nights and weekends.
- Right to work in the UK.
Desirable
- Experience working within supported living.
- Experience working within a residential learning-disability service.
- Experience supporting individuals with complex needs or behaviours that may challenge.
- Experience supporting individuals with autism.
- Previous training in Positive Behaviour Support.
- Medication training or experience administering medication.
- Training or experience in safeguarding, epilepsy, autism, moving and handling or other relevant areas.
- Experience using electronic care-recording systems.
Why Join Ridgeview?
At Ridgeview, we believe every person deserves to be supported with dignity, compassion and respect.
We want the people we support to have meaningful lives, make their own choices, build confidence, develop their independence and participate in their communities.
We are therefore looking for staff who do not see support work as simply completing a list of tasks. We want people who are interested in the individuals they support, take pride in doing their job properly, notice when something is wrong, take initiative and genuinely want the best outcomes for the people in their care.
Benefits
- Casual dress
- Flexible schedule
- Free parking
- On-site parking
Pay: £12.75 per hour
Application question(s):
- Are you able to work full-time or part-time hours on a rota that may include weekends and night shifts?
- Please describe your previous experience supporting adults with learning disabilities, including the types of needs you have supported.
- Why is accurate daily record keeping important in a learning-disability service?
- Please describe your experience of following care plans, risk assessments or Positive Behaviour Support plans.
- Do you have the right to work in the UK, and will you require sponsorship now or in the future?
Work Location: In person
