Residential Support Worker

Job description

JOB PURPOSE To work directly with children and young people as part of a team and to achieve the aims set out by The Banyan Tree within the organisation’s policy framework. The staff team will be responsible for supporting children and young people with Emotional, Behavioral and Social Difficulties and/or Moderate Learning Difficulties and/or Attachment Disorder and the associated needs of these diagnosis’ in all aspects of their lives. The Residential Support Worker will assist the Senior Residential Support Workers and the Managers in providing the highest possible standards of care and support for the children and young people.

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 1. Care Practice. The hours worked are in a shift pattern, the Residential Support Worker will be involved in: 1.1 The direct care and support of the children and young people living in the house in meeting all their daily needs, emotional, social, educational, physical needs as well as individual needs of race, religion, culture and language. 1.2 To assist in promoting the participation in activities for all the individual children and young people. The aim is for everyone to have the opportunity to join in useful and interesting activities, so that doing nothing is a real choice rather than enforced by lack of opportunity, effort or help. 1.3 To encourage participation and ways to engage the children and young people effectively. 1.4 Ensuring that the activities, materials and equipment used and the structure of the day reflect the needs and ages of the children and young people living there and are consistent with those experienced by other children and young people. To be able to follow guidance set out in the placement plan, and to contribute to such a plan. 1.5 Assisting in the setting up, and the maintenance of, an effective system of individual care planning, that is able to plan for the future and review progress of the children and young people. A good understanding and commitment to normalization and child centered principles is also required. 2. Communication, Liaison and Policy Development. 2.1 Effective communication at all times with all Senior/Residential Support Workers, managers, children and young people. 2.2 Effective communication and liaison at all times with other professionals, agencies and families. 2.3 A working knowledge of all relevant policies and procedures. 2.4 Specific responsibility within The Banyan Tree for professional tasks, where appropriate, as allocated by the Senior Residential Support Worker and Registered Manager. 2.5 All policy and procedure updates to be read and recognized when available. 3. Recording and Administration. 3.1 To assist with the monitoring of budgets for the house in conjunction with the Senior Residential Support Workers and Registered Manager. 3.2 To efficiently manage the petty cash system. 3.3 The monitoring of routine procedures concerned with administration within the homes, including record keeping and the preparation of written reports for reviews, care plan meetings, placement meetings etc. 3.4 Developing and maintaining good public relations, thus promoting and enhancing The Banyan Tree’s image and reputation. 3.5 To be flexible in providing cover for the project as a whole, when required. 3.6 To assist the Senior Residential Support Workers in their oversight of the premises and the equipment in the house, maintaining a high standard of health, safety and security. 3.7 Responsibility to ensure and participate fully in ethnically sensitive service development and delivery. 3.8 Responsibility to understand and implement organisational policies and procedures. 3.9 Responsibility to work within, and give clear guidance to others about, all relevant legislation.

It is important to note that this post will involve considerable contact with vulnerable children. We will require the successful applicant to sign an 'Oath of Confidentiality’ form, which legally protects the children in our care from any willful disclosure of information regarding placements in our home. The successful applicant will also be required to complete a 'Disclosure Barring Service form’, which will be checked against records held on the Police national computer. This will demonstrate a record of any criminal offences, which may be deemed to present a risk to children. Department of Health checks will also be undertaken.