Job Title: Casual (Bank) & 1-2-1 Support Worker
Contract: Permanent, Zero-hours
Hours of Work: Daytime (08.30 – 16.00 Monday to Friday)
Salary: £14.85 per hour
Benefits: Statutory annual leave accrued at 12.07% of hours worked, inclusive of bank holidays. 5% contributory pension Employee healthcare scheme (Simply Health) Fully funded care certificate training with Level 2 social care training bursaries available Staff discount at our trading subsidiary, Ignition Brewery
Start Date: ASAP (May 2026)
Application Deadline: 9am on Wednesday 20 May 2026
Job purpose.
Brighter Horizons runs day services for neurodivergent adults and people with autism and learning disabilities, offering educational, social and leisure activities through a combination of centre and community-based provision. Our Casual Bank Support Workers play a vital role in delivering personcentred support to ensure and promote the wellbeing and independence of our service users. They support our Activity Coordinators in leading groups and provide 1-2-1 support, in order to ensure the full, active and safe participation of service users.
Your main duties & responsibilities.
• contribute to the provision of a high-quality service for service users and their parent-carers.
• provide person-centred support to adults with autism, learning disabilities, physical disabilities, sensory difficulties complex needs and experiencing difficulties with their mental health.
• support individuals to achieve their desired outcomes and goals, in line with agreed support plans.
• enable access and contributions to, as well as meaningful participation in, the local community.
• treat all service users with dignity and respect.
• represent, promote, and work in accordance with Brighter Horizons inclusive ethos and values.
Your specific responsibilities.
• provide day-to-day practical and emotional support to service users.
encourage and take every opportunity to support services users to:
i. participate fully in the life of the day centre.
ii. communicate effectively, taking care to seek out and understand their choices, preferences, wishes and dreams.
iii. learn and maintain day to day living skills, including forming and maintaining healthy and meaningful friendships and relationships.
iv. understand the importance of healthy living and to make healthy choices.
v. become active members of the community, using every situation when out of the centre as an opportunity for learning.
vi. Take, and develop their understanding of, appropriate risks in order to build confidence, selfesteem and independence.
i. develop each individual’s understanding of how to safeguard themselves from abuse.
• supervise service users during group activities, assisting Activity Coordinators with leading groups and enabling participation amongst service users.
• provide 1-2-1 support as required to verbal and non-verbal service users, enabling their engagement in activities and with the practical aspects of day-to-day living such as eating lunch.
provide, as required, respectful personal care with hand washing, toileting and changing, encouraging independence wherever possible.
• administer medication as required, operating at all times in accordance with Brighter Horizons medication policy.
• work in line with Brighter Horizons Behaviour Management Policy to ensure the safety and wellbeing of service users at all times by appropriately and effectively managing behaviour that challenges.
contribute to detailed individual written records, ensuring that accurate written reports are provided as required and that any recorded information complies with Brighter Horizons confidentiality and data protection policies.
contribute to all ‘housekeeping’ aspects of the service such as setting up furniture (tables & chairs), making drinks, mealtime preparation, cleaning and washing up as required daily.
• participate in daily staff briefings for planning and information sharing.
• manage and have responsibility for petty cash during community visits, ensuring that financial procedures are followed at all times.
use, refer to and follow risk assessments, suggesting developments and improvements to ensure that all activities are carried out as safely as possible. This includes dynamically risk assessing activities as they take place.
• attend quarterly review meetings (in person or over the phone) as well as training and staff meetings as required.
Your General Responsibilities.
• work collaboratively with key workers to support access to health and social care services and other agencies, making referrals as appropriate.
respect and uphold service users’ right to confidentiality.
• work in accordance with Brighter Horizons Safeguarding Policy and the Care Act (2014)
• report complaints and concerns, in line with Brighter Horizons Complaints Policy.
• actively contribute ideas in a spirit of service development, in order to ensure continual improvements in service delivery.
• maintain up-to-date knowledge and awareness of current policy and practice relating to the support of adults with learning disabilities, sensory difficulties, and other complex needs.
You may also be asked to undertake other tasks that fall within the remit of the aims of the Service.
Hours.
Regular hours of work will be 08.30 – 16.00 (including a 30-minute unpaid break) Monday – Friday as required to provide 1-2-1 support and to cover staff absences. This is a zero-hours bank role. Shifts are offered on an ad hoc basis to cover service needs and staff absences. Our minimum shift is 4 hours, though most shifts offered are for longer. Occasional evening and weekend work may be offered.
Our commitment to safeguarding.
Brighter Horizons believes that every adult is entitled to live freely of abuse, harassment and bullying and, as such, is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable adults.
What we need from you (the essentials):
• an understanding of the needs and issues faced by neurodiverse adults with autism and learning disabilities and a commitment to their rights in relation to personal choice, independence and responsibility taking
• an ability to develop positive relationships with adults with learning disabilities and their parentcarers in order to deliver person-centred support
• an ability to work as a member of a team while also exercising sound professional judgement and initiative when working independently or in a 1-2-1 setting
• an ability to empathise and understand a situation from a service user’s perspective.
• strong interpersonal skills in order to work effectively with colleagues, parent-carers, and external agencies.
good written and computer skills, with an ability to produce and/or contribute to written records, support plans, incident logs and other relevant documentation.
• able to remain calm in emergencies and stressful situations.
• demonstrates a willingness to learn and open to feedback in order to improve their own work.
• a flexible and ‘hands-on’ approach to their working practice, with a ‘can-do’ attitude.
What we’d also like from you (the desirables):
• experience of working with neurodiverse adults and/or people with autism and/or learning disabilities either in a paid or voluntary capacity
• experience of providing personal care to adults in a way that promotes dignity and respect while also encouraging independence.
• experience of working with risk assessments and applying these to encourage and enable positive risk-taking behaviour.
• experience of using Makaton or other language programmes.
relevant training (NVQ/RQF level 2 or above).
• A full UK driving licence with D1 category would be an advantage.
Our values.
Brighter Horizons strives to be a value led organisation. We:
put people first and believe that our service users and staff are the most important thing about us.
Relationships are at the heart of everything we do.
have integrity and respect, believing that we should take responsibility for our actions and that a strong team is built on honesty, trust and mutual respect.
are inclusive and accessible, believing that everyone is unique and that one size doesn’t fit all.
have fun, believing that this is central to our sense of wellbeing and that we learn better when we are enjoying ourselves.
What we offer.
Brighter Horizons is a London Living Wage employer. We will also:
• fund you to undertake the RQF Level 3 in Adult Social Care (upon completion of your probation)
provide training in first aid, the mental health act, positive behaviour support, working with people with autism, food hygiene and more
provide a thorough induction which includes safeguarding, medication management, infection control procedures, data protection and more.
• cover all expenses incurred when with us (including travel to activities and lunch if eating out with service users)
Your eligibility & references.
Before you can start working with us, we will need:
• proof of your eligibility to work in the UK. Unfortunately, we cannot provide sponsorship.
• you to complete an enhanced DBS application (we’ll organise it for you though)
• two references with at least one from your current or most recent employer.
Our commitment to accessibility.
Please inform us if you have any special requirements which we might need to consider in relation to the selection process, e.g., attending an interview. Please be reassured that any requests will not be taken into account when selecting for this role.
How to apply.
To apply, please submit your CV by email to Nafisa Rashmi, our HR & Training Coordinator at nafisa@brighter-horizons.org. The deadline for applications is 12am on Sunday 18th May 2026.
We are currently seeking up to 2 new people to join our bank staff.
For more information or to discuss your suitability for the role please contact Nafisa by email to nafisa@brighter-horizons.org or on 07828330906.