Senior Support Worker

Salary: £35,088 per year

Role: Senior Residential Support Worker

We are looking for experienced Residential Support Workers to join our team!

Salary: up to £35,088per annum (including sleep ins – salary dependent on experience)

Location: West Sussex/Surrey

Contract: Full Time – 40 hours per week

Apple Orchard has four homes in Surrey and West Sussex. Each home is set in a rural location and offers a comfortable homely environment for young males aged 12-18 years.

The ideal candidate would have previous experience of working with teenage boys and have a willingness to further develop their skills. Residential Childcare/Families Practitioner Diploma/Children and Young People’s Workforce/NVQ Level 3 in Health & Social Care or equivalent is required. You would need to be willing to engage the young people in a wide range of activities and support them through their time at Apple Orchard; guiding them towards Independence and Adulthood. You will need to be flexible with your working hours and be able to work a mixture of days, evenings and weekends.

Apple Orchard is committed to providing outstanding outcomes for the young people and encouraging them to achieve to their highest potential. We provide a safe environment for them to build positive relationships and empower them to face issues from their past and look towards the future.

Benefits:

Company pension

Access to our Exchange Employee Discount Scheme

Access to wellbeing programmes via our Exchange Provision

Promotion opportunities

Duties and responsibilities:

• To attend staff meetings / supervision for 1½ hours on a weekly basis even when not on shift. 
• Attend the young people’s holiday. 
• To participate in training as required, and to contribute to your own professional development by keeping up to date of national developments in childcare policies and practice. 
• To participate in the young people’s group therapy, working alongside the group therapist, in blocks of 4 or 5 weeks. 
• To run / chair the young people’s meetings. 
• To ensure that all staff members are kept up to date with changes to procedures within Apple Orchard. 
• To ensure that communication between staff is promoted and individuals are given the opportunity to express their opinions. 
• To offer guidance and support to staff while on shift, particularly when dealing with incidents. 
• To ensure that positive and negative feedback is given constructively to promote a professional approach to work. 
• To inform the Manager as soon as is reasonably possible in matters of dispute. 
• To remain on shift throughout its duration, making sure that there enough staff on the following shift to take over. 
• To consult the Manager concerning any staffing matters.
• To promote equal opportunities. 
• To make sure that young people and staff are kept safe and secure whilst out among the public. 
• To be accountable for any decision made in regard to the welfare of the young people and staff members during the shifts that you lead. 
• To arrive in plenty of time to begin shift, read the handover book, and to receive information in handover from the out-going staff team regarding any events and the individual young people. 
• To support and encourage the young people to participate in decision making and planning.
• When on ‘sleeping-in’ duty complete a room check in the morning for each young person with respect to cleanliness and tidiness. 
• To complete any other relevant duties as required by your line manager. 
• To participate in and encourage house and outside sporting activities with the young people. 

Essential skills:

• The ideal candidate would have previous experience of working with teenage boys or challenging behaviour
• Hold Residential Childcare/Families Practitioner Diploma/Children and Young People’s Workforce/NVQ Level 3 in Health & Social Care or equivalent
• You would need to be willing to engage the young people in a wide range of activities and support them through their time at Apple Orchard; guiding them towards Independence and Adulthood.
• You will need to be flexible with your working hours and be able to work a mixture of days, evenings and weekends.
• You must be able to challenge unacceptable behaviour, provide firm boundaries and provide care which meets the needs of the individual
• Must be able to work as part of a team
• To follow delegated tasks and handovers.
• Be able to maintain policies and procedures
• Can communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
• Have the ability to engage and listen

If you feel that you could use your skills to support this work through creating a caring and stimulating environment allowing for a range of opportunities and life experiences for the young people, challenge unacceptable behaviour, provide firm boundaries and provide care which meets the needs of the individual. Then we want to hear from you.

Polaris is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates. The company is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all staff to share this commitment. Successful applicants will be subject to a DBS check at enhanced level if successful for the position