Job Overview
We are looking for 2 or 3 Specialist Learning & Therapy Support Assistants to work
as part of a team supporting a child with multiple disabilities in the family home. This
role is to provide education and therapy support as well as respite care. Part time
and full time working is available. You will be offered a regular shift pattern and
expected to provide some weekend, evening and bank cover. Candidates who would
prefer evening/weekend work are welcome to apply.
You will mostly be lone working with the child in their own home or working 2:1 when
in the community. The role is to establish a safe, supportive relationship with the
child and use this as a platform to support their recovery from autistic burnout so that
they are able to engage in education and supportive therapies. Background in
education, health or care is an advantage. Experience working with people with
autism is essential. Full job description and person specification is attached. We are
building a team of exceptional, innovative, intuitive, motivated practitioners who can
work independently and maintain a culture of excellence. If you do not have the
formal qualifications for this role but know that you have the skill and experience to
create positive change for this young person please drop us a message to discuss
your suitability.
Responsibilities
1. Safety first
- Establish and maintain a physically safe environment suitable for a child with visual impairment, mobility difficulties and sensory differences.
- Monitor physical fatigue levels and joint stability throughout the day, ensuring the home learning environment is physically safe and supports the child's comfort.
- Build a relationship based on trust and mutual respect with the child and parents.
- Take steps both at work and outside of work to support your own wellbeing and emotional regulation.
- Be consistent, reliable and punctual at all times and commit to practicing clear, timely, open hearted communication.
- Use collaborative and low demand approaches that are child centred and support autonomy.
- Be self directed in understanding polyvagal theory, central nervous system regulation, neuroception and somatics to build a toolkit approach to support both co-regulation and self regulation.
- Advocate for the child and support self advocacy to ensure the child can identify when somebody makes them feel safe or unsafe and have strategies to come back to safety.
- To support body autonomy and promote enthusiastic consent. To welcome all feelings and support the child to tune in to information from their body and find appropriate and healthy ways to communicate need and process feelings. using understanding of polyvagal theory and central nervous system regulation.
2. Learning Support
- Honour and celebrate the child’s unique learning style and support and honour their identity as a Disabled learner.
- Be adaptive and creative at identifying and removing barriers to learning.
- Be self directed (with support from key professionals) in implementing strategies that are PDA informed, VI informed, trauma informed, neuroaffirmative and disability positive.
- Design and deliver educational content using a non-directive, collaborative, and low-arousal approach tailored to a Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) profile (e.g., using indirect and declarative language, offering choices, supporting non-spoken communication and depersonalising rules).
- Support an autodidactic learning style using approaches such as strews, environmental enrichment, play, role modelling, technology and finding and creating opportunities to extend learning by following the child’s lead and interests.
- Recognise early signs of high anxiety, sensory overload, or meltdowns, and proactively de-escalate situations using a flexible, child-led pace.
- Modify and enlarge all learning materials, utilise high-contrast resources, tactile aids, and assistive technology to ensure the curriculum is fully accessible to a visually impaired learner.
- Structure learning into short, high-interest, dynamic segments that accommodate fluctuating focus and engagement levels.
- Use knowledge of EYFS, KS1 and child development to identify and bridge skill gaps, whilst being mindful of gap between learning age and chronological age.
- Be self directed in learning about and implementing child led pedagogies such as Montessori, Steiner, Charlotte Mason, Forest School and Unschooling approaches.
- Contribute to a curriculum based on the EHCP and child’s interests and prepare activities that enrich and extend learning.
- Keep records and review with managers to monitor emotional regulation and educational progress.
- Role model as a learner and be willing to join in with all activities including swimming, food preparation, light cleaning, personal care.
- Able to role model positive Disabled and/or Neurodivergent Identity an advantage.
3. Therapy & EDS Management
- Safely facilitate and supervise gentle, targeted physical therapy and pacing exercises prescribed by professionals to manage Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) symptoms (e.g., joint stability, fatigue management, and ergonomic positioning).
- Be innovative and flexible in supporting engagement with therapy programmes
- Facilitate a total communication approach that is non-hierarchical and supports both spoken and non-spoken communication.
- Implement low demand approaches that reduce anxiety around decision making and spoken communication.
- Safely facilitate and implement speech and language programme from Speech and Language Therapist.
- Produce visual timetables, social stories and other visual supports that are adapted for visual impairment and support understanding, communication, anxiety reduction, sequencing and that lower demand
- Work with the Sensory Needs Service to support habilitation and orientation and develop positive identity as VI person.
- Be the primary contact for therapists and practitioners.
- Be self directed in embedding therapeutic programmes and approaches.
- Provide feedback to parents on progress.
- Provide line manager/supervisor with regular updates and share any concerns.
4. Medication Administration & Healthcare
- Responsibly and safely administer prescribed daily medications in strict accordance with the child’s Individual Healthcare Plan (IHP) and East Sussex County Council medication policies.
- Maintain meticulous, accurate logs of all medication administered, dosages, times, and any observed side effects or changes in physical wellbeing.
- Be able to make a judgement about when to use PRN (emergency or ‘as required’ medication) ensuring that best practice for judicious use to promote safety, wellbeing and reduce harm is observed at all times.
- Keep meticulous records, monitor, record observations and submit incident report forms.
- Immediately communicate PRN use with parents.
5. Collaboration, Monitoring & Reporting
- Maintain a close, trusting relationship with the child’s parents/carers to ensure a consistent, unified approach in all aspects of care and support.
- Be respectful at all times, maintain confidentiality and take any concerns orchallenges to supervision.
- Be pro-active in identifying when supervision is needed and requesting this through correct channels.
- Work collaboratively with external agencies including East Sussex SEND officers, the Visual Impairment Service, independent therapists and practitioners.
- Advocate for the child and role model the expectations around autonomy, safety and communication.
- Document daily logs detailing emotional regulation, academic engagement, physical presentation, bodily functions and therapeutic milestones to ensure safe handovers between carers and parents and to inform formal annual EHCP reviews.
Experience
Qualifications
Essential
**for candidates who do not meet this criteria they are still encouraged to apply if they meet ALL of the other essential criteria and most of the desirable criteria.
Applications are particularly welcomed from candidates who bring exceptionally high levels of experience and knowledge through less conventional routes and have experienced disadvantage within traditional academic/professional settings due to protected characteristics either explicitly or implicitly
**Minimum NVQ Level 3 in Childcare/Education, Youth Work, or equivalent health/social care qualification OR relevant personal/professional experience that evidences you are working at this level (SEE ABOVE CAVEAT)
**GCSE Grade C/4 or above in English and Maths (SEE ABOVE CAVEAT)
Desired
- Training/experience in Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) approaches (specific training provided)
- Training/experience in Visual Impairment support (e.g.,braille, tactile design, or assistive tech) (specific training provided)
- Training/experience in attachment/trauma informed approaches to supporting distress behaviours
- Training/experience in administering medication (specific training will be provided and is mandatory before starting in post).
- Paediatric first aid (specific training provided)
Experience
Essential
*Significant experience
supporting neurodivergent
children (Autism/ADHD/Learning
Disability) with high anxiety and
complex needs in education
and/or health and/or care
- Experience using low-demand, flexible approaches to engage learners with demand-avoidant profiles
- Experience implementing therapy plans with children with an avoidant profile
- Experience of working autonomously and remotely and being responsible for personal safety and wellbeing and that of person in your care
Desired
- Experience working with children who have Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) or hypermobility spectrum disorders.
- Experience working 1:1 in client’s own home
- Experience of working with children in mental health crisis/burnout
- Experience of working with visual impairment
- Experience of PBS or other therapeutic approaches to supporting people who experience distress behaviours
- Experience administering medication and first aid within a professional care or educational capacity
- Experience of total communication approaches
Knowledge
Essential
- Deep understanding of how severe anxiety, ADHD, Autism, and PDA intersect and manifest in both internalised and externalised distress behaviours
- Applied knowledge of social model of disability, neuroaffirmative practice and Equalities Act
- Knowledge of safeguarding and safe lone-working practices when working remotely in a home/community environment
- Understanding of dynamic risk assessment
- Knowledge of EYFS/KS1 and/or child development or willingness to learn
Desired
- Understanding of the differences between traditional autism strategies and PDA approaches
- Understanding of how to adapt environments and resources for a visually impaired child
- Knowledge of child led pedagogies such as Montessori, Steiner and Charlotte Mason
- Knowledge of UNICEF UN Contravention on the Rights of The Child
- Knowledge/understanding of modalities such as trauma informed, attachment informed, polyvagal informed
- Knowledge of Widget or other visual timetable software
- Knowledge/understanding of allergies
Skills and attributes
Essential
- Exceptional emotional resilience and emotional intelligence
- Patience, grace and a non-confrontational, highly adaptable nature.
- Kindness, compassion and humility and able to role model self kindness, self compassion and healthy boundaries
- Punctuality & reliability
- Creative, innovative, flexible and self directed
- Exceptional professionalism, self leadership and ability to work collaboratively and in a non-hierarchical way
- Excellent communication, active listening skills and the ability to read non-verbal and energetic cues
- Pro-active, dynamic ally for marginalised folk and a commitment to meaningful equality, equity and inclusion.
- Absolute reliability, precision, and adherence to detail when implementing medication and care plans
- Willing and able to work regular shift patterns, provide continuity and to work some evenings, weekend and bank shifts as required (evenings and weekends typically one in every 4 week cycle)
Desired
- Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle with business insurance (for future community-based pacing/activities).
- Professional experience or training in complementary, holistic, psychological or creative therapies
- Able to clearly identify and articulate own support needs, request reasonable adjustments and demonstrates responsibility for self care
- Confident swimmer
Pay: £16.00 per hour
Benefits:
Work Location: In person
