Support Worker
18 days ago
Maidstone
About The Role We are recruiting skilled and compassionate Residential Support Workers to join a newly established single occupancy specialist house, providing solo support to one young person with complex needs. This is a rewarding role for staff who genuinely understand autism, sensory regulation and low arousal approaches, and who want to make a lasting difference to a young person's life during a period of transition and change. You will be part of a small, highly individualised team providing consistent, therapeutic and person centred support, working closely with education, health and behaviour support professionals to help the young person feel safe, understood and settled. About The Young Person You Will Support The young person you will support has Autism Spectrum Disorder, a severe learning disability and global developmental delay, and is largely non verbal, communicating through pointing, smiling, clapping, refusal and visual supports such as PECS or Widgit style symbols. They also live with epilepsy, PICA and significant sensory and emotional regulation needs, and can present with behaviours that challenge, including biting, scratching, spitting, throwing items and self injury, particularly when demands increase, personal space is reduced, routines change or their needs are not understood or met promptly. They respond best to familiar adults, calm and predictable environments, low demand interaction, short structured sessions and sensory activities such as trampolining, swinging, water play and time outdoors. They have limited awareness of danger and require continuous supervision at all times. The Support Required • Minimum 2:1 staffing at all times, with continuous supervision and close attention to safety, • Consistent use of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) strategies and autism informed, low arousal communication, • Confident use of visual communication tools, including PECS and Widgit style symbols, • Support with personal care, medication administration and daily routines, following the current MAR and clinical guidance, • Safe management of epilepsy and PICA related risks, and prompt recognition of changes in presentation, • Physical intervention used only as a last resort, in line with PMVA (Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression) training, always least restrictive, properly assessed and recorded, • Support with structured daytime activity and education engagement, working alongside tutors and the wider professional network, • Careful, gradual support with travel and community access, recognising that car journeys and new environments can be distressing, • Facilitating and preparing for family time using familiar routines, photographs, social stories and visual prompts, • Accurate recording of incidents, triggers, successful strategies and progress to support multi agency reviews Essential Training and Experience • Extensive experience supporting children or young people with autism, learning disabilities and complex care needs, • Extensive experience managing epilepsy, including recognising seizure activity and following protocols safely, • Experience of Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) approaches and proactive, low arousal strategies, • Must be PMVA (Prevention and Management of Violence and Aggression) trained, • Level 3 Diploma in Residential Childcare, or equivalent, or working towards this qualification, • Confidence using visual communication systems such as PECS or Widgit, • Enhanced DBS check, or willingness to undergo one, and up to date safeguarding training, • Paediatric first aid, or willingness to complete this on appointment Desirable Training and Experience • Experience of PICA related risk management, • Experience working alongside Speech and Language Therapy (SALT), Occupational Therapy (OT) or wider clinical teams, • Experience supporting young people through transition, including transition to adulthood, • Makaton or wider augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) training, • Full, clean driving licence, • Experience supporting young people who are Looked After, and awareness of Court of Protection or inherent jurisdiction processes What We Offer • A small, highly individualised placement rather than a large group setting, • A genuinely supportive team culture with regular reflective practice and supervision, • Full induction and access to ongoing specialist training, • Competitive pay, reflecting the skill and commitment this role requires
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