About Horizons Short Breaks
Horizons Short Breaks is delivered by Care Consort Ltd, commissioned under a Framework Agreement with the London Borough of Harrow. We provide therapeutic short break activities for young people aged 13-18 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), including autism, ADHD, learning disabilities and social, emotional and mental health (SEMH) needs. Our summer 2026 programme runs from 20 July to 21 August at Vaughan School, Harrow, delivering morning and afternoon sessions of creative, physical and wellbeing activities.
The Role
The Site Lead is the most important person in the room. You will take day-to-day responsibility for running our Horizons sessions at Vaughan School - managing staff, welcoming families, keeping records, and ensuring every young person has a brilliant experience. This is a hands-on leadership role. You will be working directly with young people every day as well as supervising the playworker team.
Key Responsibilities
Programme Delivery:
- Open the venue each morning and set up the activity space
- Welcome young people and their families at arrival and close
- Deliver and supervise structured short break sessions across the day
- Ensure activities are appropriately differentiated for each young person's assessed need level
- Monitor and respond to young people's emotional wellbeing throughout the session
- Confirm staffing ratios are correct before each session begins
Staff Supervision:
- Brief playworkers at the start of each session on young people attending and their individual needs
- Supervise and support the playworker team throughout the day
- Contact agency playworkers from the pool 48 hours in advance to confirm attendance
- Report any performance concerns to the Director promptly
Safeguarding:
- Act as the on-site safeguarding lead for all programme sessions
- Know the name, needs and care plan of every young person attending each session
- Record and report any safeguarding concerns immediately
- Maintain the daily incident and near-miss log
- Ensure all staff have valid enhanced DBS certificates
Administration & Records:
- Maintain accurate daily attendance records
- Collect and log care plan information for each young person
- Record session notes against the Harrow Life Star outcomes model
- Complete daily session records and submit to the Director weekly
- Support the Director in compiling quarterly performance reports for Harrow Council
Venue Management:
- Liaise with the school's key holder on any premises matters
- Ensure the venue is left clean, tidy and locked at the end of each day
- Maintain the equipment inventory
What We Offer:
- £25.00 per hour - above sector average for sessional leadership roles
- Up to £3,000 earnings across the 5-week programme
- A small, genuinely supportive team where your leadership makes a visible difference
- Direct line to the Director - no layers of middle management
- Strong reference and the opportunity to continue with Horizons at October half-term 2026 and beyond
Contract: Sessional Fixed Term - 20 July to 21 August 2026
Hours: Up to 6 hours per day, Monday to Friday (8:30am-5:30pm availability required)
Location: Vaughan School, Vaughan Road, Harrow, HA1 4EL
Reporting to: Charmaine Watson, Director & Designated Safeguarding Lead
Requirements:
- Experience working with children or young people with SEND (autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, SEMH) - Essential
- Experience in a supervisory or team leader role in a care, education or activity setting - Essential
- Enhanced DBS certificate or willingness to apply immediately - Essential
- Safeguarding training Level 2 minimum (Children) - Essential
- Confident communicator with parents, carers and young people - Essential
- Calm under pressure - able to manage dysregulation and unexpected situations - Essential
Desirable:
- NVQ Level 3 in Children and Young People or equivalent
- CALM training or equivalent Physical Intervention qualification
- Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) training
- First aid certificate (paediatric or adult)
- Knowledge of Harrow's SEND provision and short breaks framework
How to Apply:
Send your CV and a covering letter (no more than one page) to [email protected]
Pay: £25.00 per hour
Work Location: In person
