Support Worker Job Description & Person Specification

Rate of pay: £12.21 - £12.46 per hour (under 18’s £9.75 per hour)

A/L entitlement: 20 days plus bank holidays (part time pro rata)

Responsible to: Registered Manager

Mission Statement
Orchard Trust supports the involvement, independence and development of people with learning
disabilities.

Our Values

Definition

In action

Kindness

We treat others and ourselves
with gentleness, warmth and
care, focusing on the little
things that really matter

Respect

We look after ourselves, each
other, our places and the
environment

Individuality  We recognise one another for

the people we are,
understanding and accepting
preferences and beliefs to
ensure a personalised care and
support.

This can be as simple as a kind word, opening a door
or making a cup of tea for a busy colleague, sending
an email thanking someone or sending family a photo
showing how happy a client is with their day or
achievement.
We build trust by giving gentle and truthful feedback
promoting growth and flexible thinking.
Through  listening  to  each  other  and  paying  attention
when  someone  has  something  they  want  to  say  we
support  the  development  of  self-respect  and  feelings
of  worth  and  appreciation.  We  encourage  each  other
to learn and develop.
The individual, each as a separate star, is the centre of
all we do. Interaction, in its many forms, allows
understanding of ideas and wishes providing dignified
care and supporting the individual allowing them to
choose what is important to them. This may be a
favourite cup, preferred seat at the table or the trip of
a lifetime in a helicopter.

Working
together

We believe the best results are
gained through working as a
team, valuing suggestions and
encouraging new ideas as we
strive to continuously improve
the care we provide.

Knowledge, skill and understanding develop over time
and through the sharing of experience. Seeking best
practice and innovation we work closely with others to
achieve the best result.
We value the contribution of clients, families, staff,
volunteers and our partners to support us to be the
best we can.

Reviewed 04.17/Oct 2018/2020/Sept 2023

Job Description

PERSON CENTRED
●  To  demonstrate  respect  and  dignity  to  those

you support

●  To  always  act  in  the  best  interest  of  the

people you are supporting

TECHNICAL
●  To  administer  medication  in  line  with
Orchard  Trust  policy  and  individual  care
plans

●  To actively participate in reviews and other

●  To  assist  in  creating  an  environment  that  is

relevant meetings

●  To  adhere  to  Orchard  Trust’s  Policies  and
Procedures,  CQC  Essential  Standards  of
Quality  and  Safety  and  the  GSCC  Code  of
Conduct

●  To  keep  up  to  date  and  accurate  records,
performing audits and reviews as required
●  To  keep  accurate  financial  records  when
dealing  with  client’s  finances  and  petty
cash

supportive and positive

●  To work with a person-centred approach
●  To  enable  and  empower  people  to  develop

new skills and independence

●  To  provide  personal  and  physical  care,  if
required,  in  line  with  care  plans  and  risk
assessments

●  To communicate effectively and appropriately
in  establishing  new
●  To  support  people

friendships and maintaining existing ones

●  To  recognise  people's  talents  and  promote

individuality

●  To  actively  encourage  participation  in  leisure,
education  and community life, helping people
access  services  that  promote  their well-being
and  support  people  on  holidays  away  from
home.

●  To  assist  in  overcoming  barriers  so  as  they

may experience new opportunities

●  To  assist  in  providing  a  safe  and  supportive

environment

●  To protect, identify and safeguard from abuse
all  vulnerable  people  and  undertake  the
correct
a
procedures
safeguarding concern

reporting

for

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
●  To undertake any training deemed necessary
●  To fully prepare for appraisal meetings

PERSONAL LEADERSHIP
●  To be an efficient, collaborative and

effective team member

●  To communicate effectively and

appropriately

●  To  feedback  observations  and  ideas  and

share your learning

●  To identify problems and opportunities
●  To be proactive
●  To seek continuous improvement
●  To encourage trust through own actions

Reviewed 04.17/Oct 2018/2020/Sept 2023

PROFESSIONAL CONDUCT
●  To  maintain  and  establish  good  relationships  with  professionals,  colleagues  and anyone you

come into contact with through your role
●  To always behave in a professional manner
●  To display a personal appearance that is clean, appropriate and tidy and dress accordingly
●  To maintain confidentiality
●  To assist with fund-raising activities across Orchard Trust
●  To  uphold  and  demonstrate  the  values  of  Orchard  Trust  and  apply  these  to  all internal and

external interactions.

●  To act as an ambassador for the Orchard Trust
●  To express views in a constructive way
●  To  collaborate  to  seek  the  best  outcome  for  the  Trust,  supporting  other  teams  where

appropriate

●  To deliver on commitments in a timely way

Reviewed 04.17/Oct 2018/2020/Sept 2023

Person Specification – Support Worker

Team Working

Is flexible, reliable and adaptable
Is actively involved in promoting high standards

What we are looking for
●  Works collaboratively and effectively within a team
●
●
●  Has a ‘can do’ positive attitude
●  Able to work on own initiative
●  Problem solver and prepared to go the extra mile
●  Complies with all aspects of statutory and Orchard

What this might look like
You  will  actively  respond  to  and  support  your  manager,
supervisors and team to maintain a high-quality provision.
You  are  self-motivated  and  flexible  to  change,  sometimes
without much warning
Work collaboratively within your team, treating each member
with dignity and respect
Help generate solutions to any problems that may arise

Communication
and interpersonal
skills

Trust regulations

●  Communicates and listens effectively at all levels
●  Maintains confidentiality
●  Has a sense of humour
●  Behaves in a professional manner and acts as an
ambassador when representing the Orchard Trust

Literacy and
Numeracy

IT

Planning

Experience

●  Able  to  read,  comprehend  and  write  neatly,  legibly

and accurately.

●  Can spell well
●

Is able to undertake simple mathematical
calculations

●  Has the ability to write factual information rather

than opinion in a succinct way

●  Be able to use a computer effectively or be prepared
to undertake the necessary training and have a
working knowledge of Microsoft Word.

●  Excellent time management
●  Good organisational skills
●  Able to work within agreed timescales
●  Advantageous if experience of working alongside

people with learning difficulties or in the Health and

Reviewed 04.17/Oct 2018/2020/Sept 2023

Speaks clearly and uses appropriate language
Shares information effectively
You  will  ensure  that  chatter  and  social  networking  do  not
lead  to
inadvertently  breaking  a  confidential  piece  of
information
Ensures all sensitive documentation is secure
Promotes the Trust as a ‘great’ organisation
Up  to  date  records  and  documentation  will  need  to  be
completed,  such  as  communication  books,  food  and  bowel
charts, reports for reviews, minutes of meetings etc
You  will  need  to  add,  subtract,  multiply  and  divide  when
undertaking Client finance and petty cash duties
Any records completed will need to be ‘SMART’,’ specific,
measurable, authentic, relevant and timely’
Produce a menu, invitation, write a report, letter etc

Begin your shifts promptly
Complete set tasks within given time scales

More importantly you will already share our values of
kindness, respect, working together and individuality

Training and
Development

Social Care Sector, however, full training will be
given

●  Responds to constructive feedback in a positive way
●  Uses reflective practice to improve performance
●  Undertakes all training deemed necessary
●  To undertake the Care Certificate (a mandatory
requirement). This must be completed within 12
weeks of commencement

●  Three years driving experience and full driving

licence and if eligible a willingness to drive a Trust
vehicle and undertake a driving assessment

●  To have Class 1 Business insurance on private

Reflect on your working practises. What was good, what
wasn’t so good, how can I improve and how will I do it next
time.
Show the motivation and competence to undertake a Level 2
Health and Social Care Diploma and complete within 18
months of commencement.
Use feedback from others to improve work performance
Actively involved in the supervision process
Takes responsibility for and has a commitment to training

Initiative

vehicle
Identify problems and opportunities

●
●  Be proactive

Look for new opportunities and be willing to initiate new
ideas

As users of the Disability Confident Scheme, we guarantee to interview all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for all advertised vacancies.

Reviewed 04.17/Oct 2018/2020/Sept 2023