Senior Support Worker

This is a role for someone who leads from the heart, and knows exactly what they're doing.

Teaching Personnel is proud to be recruiting on behalf of a specialist provider of care and education for children and young people in Horsham. We're looking for a senior support worker who is ready to step into a position of real responsibility, bringing both professional expertise and genuine human warmth to a role that makes a tangible difference in the lives of some of the most vulnerable young people in our community.

This is not a role where you clock in, follow instructions and clock out. It's a role where your values, your initiative and your ability to connect with young people on a human level are just as important as your experience and qualifications. The young people in this service need consistency, compassion and the kind of quiet leadership that makes them feel genuinely safe and supported - and that's exactly what we're looking for in the person who fills this post.

The role in a nutshell

As a senior support worker, you will step up to lead shifts in the absence of the team leader, acting as the go-to person for your colleagues and the young people in the home. You will work directly with children and young people who have learning disabilities and complex needs, supporting them to live fulfilling, independent and connected lives in line with their individual care plans. Every day will be different. Every interaction will matter.

What you'll be doing

• Leading shifts with confidence, professionalism and a people-first approach, acting as a reliable and positive point of contact for your team and the young people in the service.
• Administering medication in line with individual care plans and medication policy, taking this responsibility seriously and accurately at all times.
• Supporting young people to make their own decisions and choices — helping them build independence, self-awareness and confidence in their own voice and their own lives.
• Ensuring personal care is carried out with the highest standards of dignity, sensitivity and respect, always following each individual's care plan and preferences.
• Helping young people play an active and meaningful role in their community, accessing local facilities and resources in the spirit of genuine social inclusion.
• Contributing to the development and review of person centred plans, making sure every young person's goals are meaningful, achievable and regularly updated.
• Supporting young people to grow their social networks, build friendships and develop the connections that make life richer and more fulfilling.
• Guiding young people through transitions with care, patience and professional skill.
• Attending and contributing to reviews and multi-disciplinary meetings, acting as an informed and committed advocate for the young people in your care.
• Working in partnership with care managers, families, carers and a wide range of professionals to ensure the very best quality of life for every individual.
• Upholding safeguarding, child protection and whistleblowing policies at all times - keeping every young person in the service safe is the non-negotiable foundation of everything you do.
• Maintaining accurate records, completing relevant documentation and working at all times in compliance with data protection legislation and information governance standards.
• Supporting young people to manage their personal finances and resources in line with their care plan and organisational policy.
• Acting as a positive role model in all that you do - for your colleagues, for the young people and for the wider organisation.

Who we're looking for

We are looking for someone with real substance, a person whose values align with the work, whose experience speaks for itself and who brings a creative, dynamic and deeply human approach to every shift.

• Experience working with vulnerable children or young people with learning disabilities or complex needs in a residential, care or educational setting - this is the most important thing we're looking for.
• Confidence in leading or supporting a shift and the ability to keep a team focused, positive and effective even when the day is challenging.
• A strong understanding of equal opportunities, health and safety, and the needs of young people with learning disabilities.
• Knowledge of or genuine commitment to learning about person centred planning and current legislation relating to young people in care.
• A Level 3 qualification in Health and Social Care, Childcare or a related discipline is preferred and will strengthen your application - however, candidates with solid, relevant experience who do not yet hold a Level 3 are warmly encouraged to apply. What you bring to the role matters more than the certificate on the wall.
• Flexible and willing to work on a rota basis, including weekends and bank holidays, to meet the needs of the young people and the service.
• Creative, dynamic and resourceful - someone who brings practical skills and a positive disposition to the everyday as well as the exceptional.
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, and the confidence to engage effectively with young people, families, colleagues and professionals.

What's in it for you

• £30,316.99 per annum - a competitive and reflective salary for a role that genuinely demands the best of you.
• A position of real responsibility and leadership within a specialist and highly regarded care provider.
• Regular supervision, appraisal and a strong commitment to your ongoing training and professional development.
• A team environment built around shared values of dignity, inclusion and person centred practice - where your contribution is noticed, valued and supported.
• The knowledge, at the end of every shift, that what you did today genuinely mattered to the young people in your care.

Please apply now with your up-to-date CV for further information.

All applicants will require the appropriate qualifications and training for this role. Please see the FAQ’s on the Teaching Personnel website for details.
All pay rates quoted will be inclusive of 12.07% statutory holiday pay. This advert is for a temporary position. In some cases, the option to make this role permanent may become available at a later date.
Teaching Personnel is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. We undertake safeguarding checks on all workers in accordance with DfE statutory guidance ‘Keeping Children Safe in Education’ this may also include an online search as part of our due diligence on shortlisted applicants.
We offer all our registered candidates FREE child protection and prevent duty training. All candidates must undertake or have undertaken a valid enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Full assistance provided.
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