Dedicated 1:1 Community Care Practitioner - Domiciliary Care
Location: Shiremoor, North Tyneside
Employer: Unisus Care Ltd
Pay: £12.71 per hour
Job type: Full-time / Part-time
Working pattern: Long daytime shifts, including weekends
Join Unisus Care – A Professional and Supportive Care Provider
Unisus Care is recruiting compassionate, patient and reliable Community Care Practitioners to provide dedicated one-to-one support.
This is a continuity-focused role. We are seeking a small, consistent team who can build trust, understand the individual’s routines and provide calm, person-centred support throughout the day.
The person being supported is living with advanced dementia and requires continuous reassurance, supervision and assistance with daily living. This role would particularly suit someone with experience supporting people living with dementia, cognitive impairment or behaviours of distress.
About the Role
As a dedicated 1:1 Community Care Practitioner, you will remain with the person throughout the allocated shift and provide responsive support in accordance with their care plan, risk assessments and individual preferences.
Your responsibilities will include:
- Providing respectful personal care, continence support and assistance with dressing and oral hygiene.
- Using calm, reassuring communication and simple, one-step instructions.
- Building trust and using positive, non-confrontational approaches when care is declined.
- Following the person’s Positive Behaviour Support Plan and agreed de-escalation strategies.
- Providing reassurance during periods of confusion, anxiety, distress or disorientation.
- Monitoring the person’s emotional wellbeing, cognition and physical presentation.
- Supporting safe mobility and reducing the risk of falls.
- Preparing meals, snacks and drinks in accordance with the care plan.
- Providing close supervision during meals because of an identified choking risk.
- Administering medication in accordance with training, the medication care plan and Unisus Care procedures.
- Encouraging meaningful engagement based on the person’s interests, memories and preferred activities.
- Supporting access to the community where this is safe and appropriate.
- Completing light household duties to maintain a clean, safe and comfortable home.
- Providing basic support with the person’s dog, including food and fresh water.
- Maintaining accurate and timely care records, including ABC records where a behaviour of concern occurs.
- Communicating appropriately with the person’s family, the Unisus Care office and relevant professionals.
- Recognising and promptly escalating changes in health, mobility, behaviour, swallowing or overall wellbeing.
Working Pattern
The current care package includes long daytime shifts, generally:
- 09:00 to 21:00
- Some shifts may operate between 07:00 and 21:00
- Weekday and weekend availability is required
Applicants do not necessarily need to work every available day. Part-time arrangements and agreed fixed days may be considered. However, reliability and consistency are essential because changes in staff and routine may cause distress to the person being supported.
Additional community care hours may be available for applicants seeking a fuller working pattern. Exact availability and contractual arrangements will be discussed during the recruitment process.
Pay and Benefits
- £12.71 per hour basic rate.
- Weekly pay every Friday.
- Paid travel and waiting time where applicable.
- Mileage paid at £0.35 per mile between care calls.
- Company pension scheme, subject to eligibility.
- Opportunities to earn additional annual leave.
- Funded Level 2 and Level 3 Health and Social Care qualifications.
- Comprehensive induction and role-specific training.
- Ongoing supervision, competency assessments and professional development.
- Support from an experienced office and on-call management team.
- The opportunity to become part of a small, consistent team and make a meaningful difference to one person’s quality of life.
Induction and Training
All successful applicants must complete a paid induction programme before working independently. This includes:
- Face-to-face training at our North Tyneside office.
- Dementia awareness and person-centred dementia support.
- Positive Behaviour Support and de-escalation approaches.
- Medication administration.
- Moving and handling.
- Choking awareness and emergency response.
- Basic life support.
- Safeguarding adults.
- Mental Capacity Act and best-interests decision-making.
- Practical competency assessments.
- Online learning modules.
- Familiarisation with the person’s care plan, routines, risks and communication needs.
- Supported shadow shifts before being approved to work independently.
What We Are Looking For
We are looking for applicants who are:
- Calm, patient, compassionate and emotionally resilient.
- Able to build trust and provide consistent one-to-one support.
- Respectful of dignity, privacy, choice and individual rights.
- Confident in supporting someone who may become confused, anxious, distressed or resistant to care.
- Able to respond to behaviours of distress without confrontation.
- Observant and able to recognise subtle changes in health or behaviour.
- Reliable and able to commit to agreed long shifts.
- Comfortable working independently while remaining in regular contact with the wider care team.
- Able to maintain detailed, factual and professional care records.
- Comfortable working in a dog-friendly home.
- Able to communicate effectively with the person, their family, colleagues and healthcare professionals.
- Willing to undertake all required training and competency assessments.
Previous experience in dementia care, one-to-one support, positive behaviour support or complex domiciliary care is strongly preferred. Applications may also be considered from candidates who demonstrate the right values, aptitude and commitment to completing the required training.
A full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle are strongly preferred because the role may include supporting community access and undertaking additional community-based work.
Your Employment Rights
From the start of employment, successful applicants will receive:
- A written statement setting out their terms and conditions of employment.
- Paid annual leave accrued from the start of employment.
- Access to a workplace pension scheme where eligibility requirements are met.
- Statutory employment protections, including applicable pay, rest break and working time provisions.
- Fair and consistent treatment in accordance with Unisus Care policies and current UK employment legislation.
Important Information
- Appointment is subject to Unisus Care’s safer recruitment process.
- An enhanced DBS check and satisfactory employment references will be required.
- Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.
- Unisus Care does not currently offer visa sponsorship.
- Any offer will be subject to successful induction, competency assessment and shadowing.
- Due to the importance of continuity, applicants must be able to attend their agreed shifts reliably and punctually.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Unisus Care is an equal opportunities employer. We are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and welcome applications from suitably qualified candidates from all backgrounds.
Apply Today
If you are an experienced, compassionate and dependable care professional who values relationship-based care, this role provides an opportunity to make a genuine and lasting difference to one person’s daily life.
Join Unisus Care and help provide safe, consistent and compassionate support that enables someone to remain in the comfort and familiarity of their own home.
Job Types: Full-time, Part-time, Permanent
Pay: £12.71 per hour
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- On-site parking
- Referral programme
- Sick pay
Application question(s):
- Do you live in the local area, in or near Newcastle?
- Do you drive and have access to your own car?
- Do you have a DBS certificate dated within the last year? If not is your DBS on the update service?
- Do you currently hold either Student Visa or Skilled Work Visa - 20hrs Limit?
Experience:
- UK Care: 1 year (preferred)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (preferred)
Work Location: In person
