Job Description
Deputy House Manager
Salary £31,3004 per annum
A little bit about us….
Garvald West Linton provides residential care, creative work opportunities and Day Services for adults with learning disabilities. The residents and staff together make up a community of approximately 130 people. There are five residential houses. On average, there are seven residents in each house with one House Manager, one Deputy House Manager and a group of care staff including night duty staff, spread across five residential care homes and our Workshops.
Our Ethos
The aim of Garvald West Linton is to meet the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the individuals we support.
Main Purpose of Role
The Deputy House Manager supports the House Manager to oversee all activities within the House ensuring the quality of the service, care and support provided meets the required standard and Garvald ethos. Through personal contribution and through the team they provide a safe, secure home for their residents in their care and ensure they are treated with dignity and respect.
Key Priorities
• To ensure that a holistic approach (based on Rudolph Steiner’s principles) is applied in practice, striving to meet the needs of the whole human being and working to create a healthy social atmosphere in the house.
• To support the House Manager to ensure the House is operated within the policies and procedures of Garvald West Linton.
• To work with the House Manager to ensure residents’ care plans are properly implemented within SSSC guidelines.
• To support the House Manager to ensure standards are maintained.
Tasks
Relating to Residents
• Liaises with local health centre to organise residents’ regular appointments, repeat prescriptions and ensure resident is added to GP weekly visit list when necessary.
• Arranges personal care appointments e.g. hairdresser, dentist, podiatrist, pamper sessions as and when required.
• Along with the House Manager completes all necessary administration in relation to residents’ banking and financial transactions.
• Along with House Manager attends Learning and Disability Team meetings every month to review residents’ progress and arising issues including behavioural and mental health concerns, changes to prescriptions, side effects from new drugs etc.
• Shares responsibility with House Manager for all controlled medication for residents.
• Ensures residents’ Care Plans are kept up to date and reviewed every 6 months as required by SSSC.
Along with House Manager attends six monthly review meetings with parents, social workers etc.
• Co-ordinates outings, visits and annual
holiday for residents, ensuring appropriate staff cover is in place including 1-2-1 support where necessary.
• Reports any incidents involving residents, including report completion and informing parents, social workers and any other relevant parties.
Tasks (Cont’d)
• Reacts and responds promptly and appropriately to everyday matters that may arise in relation to residents’, ensuring their welfare and safety is paramount.
• Carries out care duties in the House when required (please see Carer job description for more detail).
Ensures festivals are celebrated within their house.
Relating to Staff
• Supports House staff (Carers, Cooks, Night workers) to fulfil their roles in respect of the care and wellbeing of residents.
• Along with House Manager Co-ordinates and distributes the staff rota to ensure adequate cover is in place.
• Liaises with relief ‘bank’ and employment agencies to secure adequate cover where staff shortages are recognised.
Regular attendance at Staff and other meetings (e.g. Workshop Leaders) both to contribute information and to ensure an awareness of what is happening elsewhere within the community, to act it where appropriate and to disseminate information to their team(s).
Regularly communicates and liaises with colleagues (CEO, Residential Manager, Day Services Manager, Finance Manager, Maintenance Supervisor, Finance Assistants, Administrators, Workshop Leaders and Therapists), to share information and to seek necessary advice and support.
• Shares responsibility with House Manager to ensure inductions are carried out for all new members of staff.
Relating to Administration and Maintenance
Along with House Manager, takes responsibility for aspects of Health & Safety within their house including ensuring that appropriate risk assessments are carried out and updated as required and relevant H&S paperwork is accurate and up to date.
• Supports House Manager to facilitate necessary house maintenance and ensures it is carried out in a timely manner.
• Supports House Manager with recruitment- conducts interviews with prospective candidates and liaises with Administrators regarding all relevant processes and procedures for recruitment.
Please note that the list of Tasks is non-exhaustive and Garvald West Linton reserves the right to add adhoc administrative tasks to the post. Flexibility and weekend working required.
Person Specification Deputy House Manager
Qualifications
| Desirable | Desirable |
| SvQ 3 Health and Social Care | Degree level qualification such as BA Curative Education or BA in Social Pedagogy or other qualification that allows registration with Scottish Social Services Council (sssC) at a supervisory level or, willing to work towards such a relevant qualification. |
Knowledge and Experience
• Knowledge and experience of living with adults with learning disabilities – a minimum of three years’ experience.
• Knowledge of anthroposophical approach and/or Rudolph Steiner principles.
• Some experience of managing and/or supervising staff in a residential setting would be beneficial.
Skills and Abilities
• Competent people manager with the ability to give and receive feedback to improve individual and team performance.
• Ability to deputise for House Manager and work in close partnership to meet the needs of both residents and staff.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with specific ability to communicate with a range of stakeholders and represent the needs of residents’ and staff alike.
• Confident in identifying behaviour that may obstruct the achievement of House duties and proactively manages team conflict when required.
• Ability to prioritise and plan own time whilst mindful of the needs of the House Manager and wider team.
Skills and Abilities (Cont’d)
• Computer literacy with knowledge of MS Office packages, email and internet use.
Personal Attributes
• Commitment to embracing and pursuing the principles of social therapy (based on the Rudolph Steiner principles) and their application in a residential setting.
• Flexible and resilient with the ability to react quickly and appropriately to escalating situations.
• Self-awareness and a positive outlook with confidence and belief in own abilities.
Logical approach to problem solving and decision-making.
• Confident in ability to work with individuals who exhibit challenging and complex behaviours.
• A full and valid driving licence is advantageous.
This position involves working with vulnerable adults and is therefore exempt from the provisions of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. Therefore, disclosure of criminal convictions is requested from all applicants, and if successful in your application, this will be followed by application for registration to the Protection of Vulnerable Adults Group. All applicants can be assured that the information will be dealt with confidentially and will not be used to discriminate against them unfairly.