Care Support Worker
Domiciliary Care Live-in Care Complex Care Community Support
Job title
Care Support Worker
Reports to
Care Manager, Care Coordinator, Field Care Supervisor and Registered Nurse/Clinical Lead
Location
Service users’ own homes and community settings across Kendall Care’s across Sussex.
Hours
Variable shifts, including domiciliary visits, live-in placements, days, evenings, weekends, waking nights, sleep-ins and bank holidays, according to service need
Essential
Applicants must hold a full, valid UK driving licence and have access to a reliable car for work.
Job purpose
To deliver safe, compassionate and person-centred domiciliary and live-in care to adults in their own homes and in the community. The postholder will support people with a range of needs, which may include complex learning disabilities, autism, PEG feeding, spinal cord injury, physical disabilities, acquired brain injury, epilepsy, mental ill health, behaviours that may challenge, long-term conditions and palliative or end-of-life care.
The Care Support Worker will promote choice, dignity, independence, communication, wellbeing and community inclusion, while following each person’s care plan, risk assessments, clinical protocols and agreed outcomes. Clinical tasks must only be undertaken after role-specific training, competency assessment and authorisation.
Key principles of the role
· Treat every person as an individual and place their wishes, strengths, culture, faith, identity and preferred routines at the centre of care.
· Support people to make their own decisions wherever possible and work in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005 and best-interest processes.
· Use the least restrictive approach and promote positive risk-taking, independence and meaningful quality of life.
· Work respectfully with families, representatives, advocates and the wider multidisciplinary team while maintaining professional boundaries.
· Recognise and promptly report changes in physical health, mental health, behaviour, communication, skin integrity, nutrition, hydration or mobility.
Main duties and responsibilities1. Person-centred domiciliary care
· Provide reliable support in the service user’s home in accordance with the agreed care plan, visit schedule and risk assessments.
· Support personal care sensitively, including bathing, washing, dressing, grooming, oral care, continence care and toileting.
· Promote independence by enabling the person to do as much as safely possible for themselves rather than taking over.
· Assist with meal preparation, nutrition, hydration, household tasks, shopping, appointments and community activities where included in the care plan.
· Respect the person’s home, possessions, privacy, confidentiality and right to decline care; report refusals or concerns appropriately.
2. Live-in care
· Provide planned live-in support in the service user’s home, following the agreed placement rota, care plan, household routines and professional boundaries.
· Offer consistent companionship, reassurance and practical assistance while respecting the person’s privacy, family life, home and right to spend time alone.
· Support daily living throughout the placement, including personal care, meals, medicines, mobility, appointments, activities and household tasks specified in the care plan.
· Take agreed breaks and rest periods in accordance with the placement arrangements; immediately report any repeated interruption that may indicate the package or staffing level requires review.
· Remain available during agreed working periods and follow the care plan for overnight support, emergencies and escalation. A live-in worker is not expected to provide continuous waking-night care unless this has been separately assessed, arranged and rostered.
· Complete a thorough handover at every change of live-in worker, including changes in health, risks, medicines, appointments, supplies, incidents and matters requiring follow-up.
3. Complex learning disabilities, autism and communication
· Use the person’s preferred communication methods, which may include easy-read information, objects of reference, visual prompts, communication aids, signs, gestures or additional processing time.
· Provide consistent routines, clear explanations and structured choices, adapting the environment to reduce distress or sensory overload.
· Follow Positive Behaviour Support plans and approved de-escalation strategies; identify triggers, early warning signs and effective calming approaches.
· Promote social inclusion, relationships, education, employment, hobbies and meaningful community participation.
· Record behaviour factually and without judgement, including antecedents, the person’s presentation, support provided and outcome.
4. PEG, nutrition and dysphagia support
· Undertake PEG-related support only after specific training, observed practice, competency sign-off and authorisation by an appropriate clinician.
· Follow the individual enteral feeding plan for prescribed feed, water flushes, positioning, medicines and equipment hygiene.
· Check and care for the PEG site within the agreed plan and immediately escalate pain, leakage, bleeding, redness, swelling, displacement, blockage or other concerns.
· Follow Speech and Language Therapy guidance and IDDSI recommendations where there is dysphagia; maintain prescribed positioning and aspiration precautions.
· Accurately document feed, fluid, medication and tolerance, and report vomiting, coughing, choking, abdominal distension, reduced intake or signs of aspiration.
5. Spinal cord injury and physical disability support
· Support safe moving, positioning and transfers using prescribed equipment and handling techniques, including hoists and slings where trained and authorised.
· Follow positioning, pressure-relief and skin-integrity plans; check and report redness, pressure damage, swelling, pain or equipment concerns.
· Support bowel, bladder, catheter or stoma routines only in line with the care plan and demonstrated competence.
· Recognise and urgently escalate clinical warning signs identified in the person’s plan, including possible autonomic dysreflexia, respiratory deterioration, infection or sudden neurological change.
· Promote independence with mobility aids, wheelchair use, environmental controls, personal routines and community access.
6. Mental health and emotional wellbeing
· Build trusting, therapeutic relationships while maintaining clear professional boundaries.
· Support agreed wellbeing, recovery, crisis and relapse-prevention plans and encourage coping strategies and meaningful routines.
· Observe changes in mood, sleep, appetite, behaviour, cognition, risk, self-neglect or engagement and escalate concerns promptly.
· Respond calmly to distress, anxiety, psychosis, self-harm concerns or behaviour that may challenge, following the individual plan and emergency procedures.
· Never use unauthorised restraint, coercion or punitive approaches; report restrictive practice and safeguarding concerns immediately.
7. Palliative and end-of-life care
· Provide compassionate care that protects comfort, privacy, dignity and the person’s expressed wishes, advance care plan and ReSPECT documentation.
· Support comfort measures, mouth care, personal care, repositioning, skin care, hydration and a calm environment within the agreed plan.
· Observe and promptly report pain, agitation, breathlessness, secretions, nausea, reduced consciousness, reduced intake or other signs of deterioration.
· Offer sensitive support to relatives and those important to the person, recognising cultural, spiritual and religious needs.
· Work closely with community nurses, GPs, hospices and other professionals; do not administer anticipatory or specialist medicines unless trained, competent and authorised.
8. Medicines and delegated healthcare tasks
· Prompt, assist or administer medicines only at the authorised level and strictly in accordance with the MAR/eMAR, prescription, policy and care plan.
· Complete all required checks and records immediately; report omissions, refusals, errors, adverse effects or stock concerns without delay.
· Undertake delegated clinical procedures only when they appear in the care plan and the postholder has current training, competency sign-off and authorisation.
· Do not work outside competence or improvise clinical procedures; seek advice whenever instructions are unclear or the person’s condition has changed.
9. Monitoring, documentation and escalation
· Complete accurate, timely and factual electronic care notes, charts and incident records before leaving the shift wherever practicable.
· Record care delivered, consent, outcomes, observations, food and fluid intake, elimination, skin condition, mood, activities and any concerns.
· Follow escalation pathways for deterioration, safeguarding, medicines incidents, accidents, missing persons, equipment failure or environmental hazards.
· Call emergency services when required and provide clear information; then notify the appropriate Kendall Care manager in line with procedure.
· Participate in handovers and communicate material changes so continuity and safety are maintained.
10. Infection prevention, health and safety
· Apply standard infection-control precautions, including effective hand hygiene, correct PPE use, safe waste disposal and cleaning of equipment.
· Follow lone-working arrangements, fire procedures, COSHH requirements and safe systems of work.
· Use equipment only when trained, check it before use and report defects immediately.
· Protect service users, colleagues and the public from avoidable harm and report all accidents, near misses and hazards.
11. Safeguarding, equality and professional conduct
· Recognise and report suspected abuse, neglect, exploitation, discrimination, domestic abuse or self-neglect in accordance with safeguarding procedures.
· Preserve evidence and respond appropriately to disclosures; never promise secrecy or investigate concerns independently.
· Maintain confidentiality and handle personal information in line with UK GDPR, data-protection requirements and Kendall Care policy.
· Promote equality, diversity, human rights and freedom from discrimination.
· Do not accept inappropriate gifts, borrow money, enter personal financial arrangements, use service users’ property for personal purposes or connect through personal social-media accounts.
12. Teamwork, learning and service quality
· Attend induction, mandatory training, service-user-specific training, supervision, appraisal, team meetings and competency assessments.
· Maintain required learning and immediately disclose any lapse in competence, driving eligibility, DBS status or other matter relevant to safe employment.
· Work flexibly and collaboratively, including providing safe handovers and raising concerns through appropriate management channels.
· Contribute to audits, spot checks, reviews, investigations and quality-improvement actions.
· Represent Kendall Care professionally and uphold the organisation’s values, policies and standards.
Person specification
Criterion
Requirement
Status
Qualifications and knowledge
Care Certificate or willingness to complete it; relevant Level 2/3 health and social care qualification desirable. Understanding of person-centred care, safeguarding, dignity, confidentiality and infection prevention.
Essential
Experience
Experience in domiciliary, live-in, complex, learning-disability, mental-health, spinal-injury or end-of-life care is desirable. Life experience and transferable skills will be considered where the candidate demonstrates the right values.
Essential/desirable
Communication
Clear spoken and written English; able to listen, adapt communication, maintain accurate records and communicate concerns promptly.
Essential
Values
Compassionate, respectful, reliable, patient, non-judgemental and committed to promoting choice, dignity and independence.
Essential
Practical ability
Able to follow care plans, risk assessments and clinical instructions; willing to undertake personal care, moving and handling and delegated tasks after training.
Essential
Working pattern
Able to work flexibly across agreed shifts, which may include evenings, weekends, nights and bank holidays.
Essential
Driving and travel
Must hold a full, valid UK driving licence and have access to a reliable car for work, with appropriate business-use insurance.
Essential
Pre-employment and ongoing requirements
· Satisfactory enhanced DBS check, identity and right-to-work checks, employment references and full employment-history review.
· Occupational-health or fitness-to-work confirmation where required and disclosure of relevant health matters so reasonable adjustments can be considered.
· Successful completion of induction, mandatory learning, shadow shifts and service-user-specific competency assessments.
· Ongoing compliance with training, supervision, appraisal and competency-review requirements.
· Where driving is required: valid licence, MOT, insurance including business use, and roadworthy vehicle.
Role boundaries and accountability
The postholder is accountable for working within their training, competence and delegated authority. This job description does not authorise the performance of any clinical task by itself. The individual care plan, risk assessment, clinical protocol, training record and competency sign-off determine what may be undertaken for each service user.
This job description summarises the main duties of the role and may be reasonably amended following consultation to reflect service needs, legislation, guidance or the needs of people supported. It does not form an exhaustive list of every task.
Pay: From £25,000.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- UK visa sponsorship
Application question(s):
- Full UK licence and have a car?
Work Location: In person
