Support Worker

Job Description

Reports to:   Service Manager
Location:

Adult Services – Supported Living

Kisharon Langdon is a charity that offers a broad range of education and support for
children and adults with learning disabilities and special needs.

Our vision is:
That people with learning disabilities and autistic people are supported to thrive.

And to facilitate this, our Mission is:
To offer outstanding life opportunities so that people we support can live as independently
as possible, reach their potential and contribute as equals in our Jewish community and
beyond.

Kisharon Langdon will provide relevant training and supervision to ensure all staff are
competent and confident in developing their skills and knowledge around delivering effective
and efficient self-managed Teams.

JOB PURPOSE:
To work individually and as part of the Supported Living Team to:

•  Discuss, explore and understand people’s strengths, passions and interests, using this
knowledge to help co-produce flexible and responsive support for individuals’ needs.
Working  in  this  way  removes  hierarchy,  keeping  decisions  closer  to  the  people
themselves and reducing unnecessary costs.

•  Co-produce  and  develop  person-centred  support,  enabling  people  to  have  control
over  their  own  lives  by  maximising  their  independence,  promoting  and  supporting
people to achieve their full outcomes including independence, choice and community
presence.

•  Comply with policies and procedures set by the organisation and regulatory bodies,

such as the Care Quality Commission and the Local Boroughs.

MAIN TASKS:

•  Provide support for the people we support in line with their individual, person centred

support plans.

•  Support  the  people  we  support  in  maintaining  their  emotional,  physical,  spiritual,

cultural and psychological wellbeing.

•  Work with the Team to agree and set the Rota ensuring a person centred way.
•  Enable the people we support to utilise community facilities and services.
•  Uphold and promote the rights, dignity, respect and choice of the people we support.
•  Coach, enable and assist the people we support to develop new skills.
•  Participate  in  and  enable  the  people  we  support  to  complete  household  tasks
including cleaning, tidying, laundry, supporting individuals to plan meals, shop, cook,
budget appropriately.

•  Actively participate in and enable the people we support to carry out their activities

according to their personalised programmes.

•  Assist  the  people  we  support  in  promoting  new  friendships  and  maintaining

relationships with family, friends and the local community.

•  Support and safeguard the people we support in the management of their finances as

appropriate

•  Ensure  effective  relationships  are  developed  and  maintained with  relevant  services

and professionals, including health services.

•  Maintain records consistent with legal requirements of the service.
•  Act  in  accordance  with  Health  and  Safety,  Equal  Opportunities,  Confidentiality  and

other policies.

•  Attend and contribute to team meetings, supervisions and appraisals.
•  Promote and safeguard a Jewish Ethos and Culture.
•  For the people in Supported Living - be prepared to work flexible hours over a week

depending on the need of the person supported.

JOB ACTIVITIES:

 Working with the people we support to:

•  Find out what is important to individuals and help them make choices by providing
information  in  an  appropriate  and  person  centred  way.  Discuss  your  ideas  for
improvement with the person supported, and with the Supported Living Team – both
colleagues and managers.

•  Support  and  encourage  the  individual’s  religious  beliefs  and  seek  opportunities  to
socialise and develop relationships in the Jewish Community and wider community.
•  Help  the  individual  understand  and  manage  the  risks  in  everyday  life  and  provide
consistent support in line with Safeguarding Principles to ensure the welfare, safety

and  protection  of  individuals  within  the  Kisharon  Langdon  premises  and  the  wider
community.

•  Support  the  personal  care  needs  of  individuals  where  necessary  and  appropriate,

affording dignity, respect and privacy.

•  Assist and support individuals with medical/health needs, including maintaining a high
level  of  cleanliness  and  hygiene,  and  the  administering  of  medication  subject  to
appropriate training.

•  Promote healthy lifestyle choices including balanced diet and exercise.
•  Provide assistance to enable the individual to participate and develop their practical
skills to live as independently as possible, whilst supporting them to maintain a high
standard of living.

•  Maintain the standards set by the General Social Care Council – CODES OF PRACTICE
for social care workers and employers. (A copy of the Code of Practice will be supplied
with this document on confirmation of the employee’s appointment).

•  Support individuals as directed to develop and enhance their skills to increase their

opportunities of employment.

•  Complete  paperwork  as  and  when  necessary,  e.g.,  filling  in  MAR  sheets,  recording

discussions from meetings, filling in petty cash sheets etc.

•  Conduct key working sessions and attend other meetings on request.
•  Comply  with  any  procedures  as  legislated  by  the  Care  Quality  Commission  and

directed by your line manager

WORKING AS PART OF A TEAM TO:

•  Maintain  effective  working  relationships  and  proactively  liaise  with  and  advise  the

Support Manager/Team Leader and other team members.

•  Attend all team meetings and contribute to assessment/reviews and or  individuals’

progress as required.

•  Engage  in  staff  training  and  peer  supervision  as  directed  by  and  agreed  with  the
Service  Managers/Team  Leaders  and  to  participate  in  performance  review  and
appraisal in line with Kisharon Langdon policy.
Inform  the  Service  Manager/Team  Leader  of  any  service  deficiencies,  omissions  or
errors in a timely and appropriate manner.

•

•  Communicate  concerns  relating  to  the  safety  and  wellbeing  of  individuals  and/or
colleagues to the Service Manager/Team Leader in a timely and appropriate manner.
•  Maintain  effective  communications  with  staff,  parents  and  families  by  maintaining
accurate records and reports, including handovers at every shift, daily logs and other
documentation.

•  Provide staffing cover as required by managers, and to be the responsible person on

duty.

•  Respect confidentiality for everyone.
•  Working  with  multi  professional  individuals  and  teams  such  as  physiotherapists,

speech and language therapists etc.

OTHER DUTIES:

•  Ensure  the  service  is  always  delivered  with  respect  and  commitment  to  equal

opportunities.

•  Ensure that fire, and health and safety requirements are complied with and areas of

risk identified.

•  Undertake any other duties consistent with the objectives of the post as required by

managers.

•  Complete all required training by e-learning or attending training courses.
•  Take  responsibility  for  your  professional  development  as  a  support  worker  and  be

willing to learn new ways of working.

•  Undertake to abide by and support the Kisharon Langdon religious policy.
•  Value  the  rights  of  people  with  a  learning  disability  and  understand  the  needs  of

people with a learning disability.

•  Be committed to delivering a ‘person centred’ programme.
•  Find solutions to challenges.

NB: Because the duties may involve close physical contact and providing personal hygiene
and intimate physical care support, the post may be restricted to either male or female
applicants as appropriate.

Support Worker
PERSON SPECIFICATION

Essential  Desirable  How this will be

X

x

x

X

Relevant Experience
Experience of working with people with
learning disabilities.
Experience of caring for people (paid or
volunteer).
Qualifications
Achieved or working towards NVQ/QCF in
Health & Social Care level 2, Care Certificate
or equivalent experience. N.B. Salary level
reflects qualified/unqualified status. To be
recognised by Kisharon Langdon, the
qualification awarding body must be
recognised by Ofqual.
First Aid Training.

Basic Food Hygiene Certificate.

Knowledge and Understanding

Knowledge and experience of epilepsy.
Knowledge and understanding of Valuing
People.
Knowledge and undertaking of good care
practice and acceptable risk taking.
Understanding of the principles of equal
opportunities  & anti discriminatory practices.
Understanding of the importance of
attending and participating actively in regular
supervision with peers and managers.
Understanding / awareness of or willingness
to learn about Jewish culture.
Knowledge of Health and Social Care Act.
Skills and Abilities
Ability to deliver ‘person centred’
programmes

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

X

measured

Application form
Interview
Application form
Interview

Application form
Qualification
certificates

Qualification
certificates
Qualification
certificates

Interview
Interview

Interview

Interview

Application form
Interview
Probation period
Application form
Interview
Interview

Interview

Essential  Desirable  How this will be

The ability to work flexibly with unsocial
hours on a rota basis according to the
individual needs of the people we are
supporting.
Lone working with people we support
according to their individual needs in the
local and wider community.
Work collaboratively with Team / managers
to support individuals according to their
needs.
Ability and willingness to provide personal
toilet, hygiene & care support including
intimate care and to undertake manual
handling.
Ability to communicate effectively both orally
and in writing, with other staff, people we
support, parents/families and other
professionals.
Ability to be self-motivated, use personal &
creative initiative and judgment within the
Supported Living Team Framework.
Good numeracy and literacy skills.
Ability to work well under pressure.

Ability to show empathy and understanding
towards people we support.
Ability and willingness to develop the support
plan and participate in specific educational,
employment and recreational activities to
ensure the individual needs of the people we
support are fully met.
Ability to participate in household tasks /
independent living skills.
Ability to participate in the preparation of
meals.

X

X

X

X

X

X

X
X

X

X

X

X

measured
Application form
Interview
Probation period

Interview
Probation period

Interview
Probation period

Application form
Interview

Application form
Interview

Application form
Interview

Application form
Interview
Probation period
Application form
Interview
Application form
Interview

Application form
Interview
Probation

Essential  Desirable  How this will be

Ability to respond appropriately in
accordance with Kisharon Langdon policy to
challenging behaviour.
Strict adherence to our policy and legal
obligations regarding confidentiality.
Ability to deal with stressful situations.
Committed to personal development.
Reliable and Trustworthy.
Current full driving licence and have never
been disqualified

X

X

X
X
X

measured
Interview
Probation

Application form
Interview
Probation period
Probation period
Probation period
Application form
Interview

X

KISHARON LANGDON IS COMMITTED TO SAFEGUARDING THE WELFARE OF CHILDREN
AND VULNERABLE ADULTS AND EXPECTS ALL STAFF TO SHARE THIS COMMITMENT.
AN ENHANCED DBS CHECK IS REQUIRED FOR THIS POSITION.

This job description has been received and agreed by:

Name:

 ____________________________

Signature:

_____________________________

Date:

_____________________________