Support Worker

Purpose

1. To provide a customised, responsive and high-quality service for people who have additional needs. To support the client within their own homes and enable them opportunities to access learning and leisure opportunities in a variety of settings, within the local community.
2. To empower the person to live as independently as possible with appropriate levels of intervention and support.
3. Care staff will be allocated clients according to their skills level, availability and requirements of the client by their line manager via their supervision sessions. The level of service and payment will be explained to you at this time. You may have a variety of clients at different levels and at different times according the company contracts and services required

Key Responsibilities

1. To assist in enhancing existing communication skills by ensuring that constructive and total communication is used at all times, at a level and pace to suit the needs of each client. For persons with sensory impairment – to act as their eyes and ears at all times, relaying what is seen and heard, including spoken contributions, non verbal and environmental information.
2. To advocate, where appropriate, on the client’s behalf, whilst always ensuring their right to privacy, dignity, choice and respect. Also to record and report to Line Manager any Safeguarding issues or concerns that may arise.
3.     To maintain accurate, up to date and comprehensive records regarding the person’s development and well-being. Staff are to report and record ensuring that they escalate concerns, changes or request to their Line Manager to ensure we continue to provide a service that is responsive to the changing needs of the person. To attend service review meetings, cluster meetings and provide service review information when required. To attend regular staff meetings, supervisions and training as required. The essential courses and skills/knowledge courses as set out in the person spec must be undertaken and kept up to date as per company requirements. Different courses and knowledge sets have different thresholds of expiry.
4. Staff will return all necessary documentation and paperwork to the office promptly. This may be the updated employment documents such as car insurance, GP notes and responses to memos / letter, Accident incident and near miss forms, annual leave forms and any other paperwork requested by their line manager or HR department
5. To maintain an awareness of good practice, so that high quality and responsive services can be maintained and in accordance with CQC requirements and training.
6. To work in accordance with the company health & safety policies and procedures for example, use of PPE and ensuring supplies always used as required. Staff must ensure accident, incident, near miss forms are returned to the office promptly within 48 hours. All matters should be reported verbally to the office immediately.
7.     To help maintain constructive contact family and other significant people involved in the care and well-being of the person during work times only. Care staff to not engage or communicate with clients outside of these times in order to preserve professional boundaries and relationships. This will include not communicating with them on social media and care staff will not share personal numbers or address with clients.
8. To be agreeable to using the care line live app on their mobile device. To use Care line live to sign in and out of services and to regularly update the office with information using the mobile Care Worker System
9. To implement the person’s development or care plan, in a manner that is consistent with their culture, gender and age. This will entail arranging and accompanying the person on leisure activities and to appointments. To escort the person (On foot, public transport or in vehicles) outside of the home, activities, including shopping. Clubs or other activities of the person choice. This may mean supporting them to make arrangements. Where a person cannot get out to do their shopping staff persons may be requested to do so on behalf of the client.
10. All staff are expected to be available for work 7 days per week including night duties unless otherwise agreed at the commencement of the post. To comply with availability unless annual leave has been placed and has been authorised. Work may be in the form of hourly work and or `sleep ins` and or `night wake` duties. This may include covering colleagues at short notice for sickness / emergencies. There is a `buddy` system in place for this process
11. Staff to follow the company sickness reporting procedure and supply medical notes and reports as required.
12. Staff requiring access to work to make arrangements for this prior to commencing employment.
13. It is the responsibility of staff to get themselves to and from work.
14. Staff to maintain high standards of personal presentation and personal hygiene. To wear uniform for all services that require this. This includes, attending the office, meetings and training. The company has a no jeans policy.
15. To comply with One to One Support Services policies and procedures, whilst actively promoting the principles of equal opportunities and working in a manner that maintains a safe, healthy and supportive environment for staff and service users at all times. Our services work with vulnerable people and it is therefore essential that our staff cooperate fully with all monitoring procedures.
16. To visit the person in their home and provide access to correspondence and other written information, to assist with letter writing and making telephone calls. To act as companion to the person, providing news, information and assist them to access other services. And only assist with finances if agreed in care plan and record all details as required.
17. To be  a key worker for some clients as requested by your line manager and to collate data and information monthly and ensure this reaches the office in a timely manner. Some payment and time can be claimed for this process. (will be agreed in advance with your manager)
18. The company has a zero tolerance for late and missed calls. Staff must arrive to work on time *(or just prior) and should they believe they may be over 10 minutes late for a care call they must report this in person verbally to the office / on call (text for Deaf staff). This also applies to meetings, training and all other work duties
19. Staff must undertake an induction process which includes reading and signing all of the company policies and procedures prior to the completion of their probation period.
20. Where stated in the persons care plan to assist and support with personal care and when trained to do so with medication. Some services will have MAR forms to follow and comply with, to ensure any missed medication/signatures are recorded and reported to Line Manager. Staff must only support medicine activity in accordance with their training and the clients Support/Care Plan.