Care And Support Practitioner

Job Title: Care and Support Practitioner

Responsible to: Service Manager

Responsible for: Management of Care and Support duties and safe service delivery

Hours of Work: 38.6 hrs per week (Average) – working over 4 on and 4 off – 12 hour shifts

Location: YMCA Together Hestia House, South Liverpool

Salary and benefits:

£27,111

• 33 Days Annual leave including bank holidays per annum
• Paid Medicash support
• Birthday Day
• Charity Day
• Spiritual Day
• Well-being Hours
• Cycle To Work Scheme
• Refer a Friend Scheme
• Company Pension Scheme 4%
• Funded Training Opportunities

Shortlisting and Interview Dates

Shortlisting W/c 24th June 2024

Interviews on the 4th of July 2024

YMCA Together has been voted No1 Charity to work for by our employees in 2022. YMCA is a registered charity and company Limited by Guarantee. We were founded in 1846 and so we build on a long history of providing a place for people experiencing challenging times in their lives.

YMCA Together is a truly value driven organisation.

Our vision is that everyone should feel safe, understood, empowered and positive for their future. We meet our vision by working within our values of Strength, Humility, Respect, Empathy and Kindness. These SHREK values run through all that we do from recruitment to how we work alongside people in our services to our partnership approach with other providers.

Our clear vision and values come together to help us in our mission to inspire and Support people to change their lives by instilling hope, valuing the person and maximising potential.

Job Purpose

To assist in the provision of effective, high-quality Care and Support services to the people we support who meet the threshold for statutory care options in our residential setting.

Hours of Work

The home will be staffed 24/7 and the post holder will be working a rota 12 hour shifts on a 4 on and 4 off basis.

Duties and responsibilities

The specific areas of responsibility are set out below. These are subject to regular review in order to meet the changing needs of the organisation and the environment in which it operates.

Specific Duties

Care & Support Planning and Risk Management

• Carry out new resident welcomes, inducting residents into the service including registering with doctors’ etc and completion of immediate needs and initial care plan
• Ensure that residents have a full understanding of their rights and responsibilities during their stay including the need to engage with care assessments, social Care and other statutory services.
• Support residents to maintain their independence, to achieve their goals and targets as defined/ agreed within their care plans and care plans
• Manage, update and communicate resident risk assessments in line with YMCA Together policy and procedure including positive risk taking where appropriate, medication management etc.
• Ensure that all Care and Support plans document changes in behaviours, understanding, specific person centred needs like cognitive ability and mobility so that needs can always be adequately met.
• Provide elements of personal care as detailed in individuals care plans ensuring that a Resident’s dignity is placed at the centre of any interaction.
• Delegated Health tasks as required based on individuals care needs, training will be provided.
• Work collaboratively with all other statutory and non-statutory agencies and if there is an unmet need work alongside team leader and manger to ensure correct pathways are followed up .
• Lead on relevant MDT’s for your caseload, preparing and sharing information to teams involved.
• Up to date records must be kept on support planning systems DAVE and in any resident’s files
• Conduct reviews of risk assessments and plans to appropriate timescales and when changes identified, keeping all relevant parties informed of updates/changes
• Complete regular scheduled cleaning duties throughout the building as timetabled including regular room cleans alongside supporting residents in the management of their room
• Participate in the planning and delivery of daily group work and activities throughout the setting.
• Provide information and advice to the people we support in accordance with their support and care plans
• Motivate and challenge the people we support so they identify and realise their goals
• Encourage involvement and participation among the people we support in the running and shaping of the service provided by planning and attending regular resident meetings
• Deal promptly with all complaints and safeguarding concerns or disclosures
• Provide clear, accurate and good quality information in respect of all residents in line with agreed procedures ensuring that appropriate information is shared with the line managers
• Demonstrate creativity in overcoming obstacles and a commitment to working with and providing support to vulnerable people.

Health and Safety

• To liaise with all emergency services when necessary
• Ensure at all times the safety of yourself and others on the premises in which you work
• To conduct daily Health and Safety checks
• To report, log and communicate all incidents to the appropriate people
• Conduct welfare checks as specified during the shift
• To complete cleaning duties to an appropriate standard meeting infection control and COSHH requirements
• Ensure adherence to YMCA Together visitor’s policy and procedure
• To adhere to all risk management protocols.

Teamwork

• To share information and expertise with the team, covering absence, and working together to provide a high-quality service
• To contribute to the formulation of policy and procedures in relation to Care and Support services
• Attend to all enquiries and pass messages onto relevant people
• Develop excellent and robust relationships, protocols, contacts and service level agreements with referring agencies, statutory services and wider stakeholder
• To attend and participate in regular team meetings to ensure good communication.

Professional Practice and Development

• Attend regular supervision sessions with the Service Manager in accordance with the supervision contract
• Maintain good professional practice and ensure ongoing development, through use of supervision and training
• Respect the confidentiality of Residents using the service and be responsible for the security of personal and confidential information
• Carry out all these duties within the organisation’s safety guidelines
• Ensure personal records are correctly maintained
• Ensure effective communication with staff within YMCA Together
• Work flexibly to meet the changing needs of the organisation
• Undertake any other duties that may be reasonably requested
• Flexible and positive approach with all team members
• To be committed to learning and personal development both as an individual and as part of a team
• Develop and/or maintain excellent and robust relationships, protocols, contacts and service level agreements with Mersey Care, referring agencies, statutory services and wider stakeholders
• Uphold and nurture YMCA’s Equal Opportunities policy of anti-discrimination across all services
• Ensure compliance with code of conduct, including professional boundaries and confidentiality at all times.
• To understand and commit to meeting the appropriate quality standards for the service delivery in particularly the requirements and regulations of the Care Quality Commission

Relationships

The post holder will be required to have contact with a variety of people during the course of their work. The context of this contact will vary from formal ‘Key working’ to informal networking and relationship building with the Local Authority and other relevant agencies.

Annual appraisal and regular work review with line managers is an operational requirement, as is attendance at weekly support team meetings.

It is recognised that the organisation is operating in a dynamic environment and as such this job description may be varied in consultation with the post holder to reflect evolving needs of the business and changing nature of the job.

Person Specification – Care Worker – Care Home

Qualifications

Essential

• Qualification or working experience in Care or Support Services

Desirable

• A recognised qualification in Social Care, Health or mental health
• Qualification in Substance misuse, welfare rights
• IT qualification such as CLAIT, ECDL, ITQ.

Experience

Essential

• At least 1 years’ experience of working within a Care or Support setting or similar and a working knowledge of support planning, welfare rights, benefits advice, mental health issues, offending, drug and alcohol misuse, working with partner agencies, safeguarding and resettlement.
• An understanding and experience of providing personal care to vulnerable adults

Desirable

• Experience working in a CQC registered care setting
• Experience of coordinating three-way meetings
• Experience of working with end of life
• Experience of resettlement of an individual into independent living.
• Experience of providing personal care

Knowledge

Essential

• A working knowledge of providing support and care
• A working knowledge of Health & Safety issues
• A good understanding of the mental capacity act and the ability to make best interest decision and explain reasoning
• A clear understanding of complex needs support issues such as mental health, homelessness, substance misuse and offending
• Knowledge of Adult safeguarding protocols
• Understanding of how to deal with challenging and chaotic individuals
• A knowledge of how to provide dignity in care

Desirable

• Knowledge of health interventions
• Knowledge of welfare rights
• Knowledge of Psychological Informed practice
• Knowledge of health intervention and harm reduction
• Knowledge of supporting Residents through the care act assessment framework

Skills

Essential

• Computer literate, competent in working with Microsoft word, outlook, windows
• The ability to conduct comprehensive and accurate risk assessments
• To provide effective and consistent Care and Support planning with the people we support
• Excellent IT, communication, interpersonal, interviewing and assessment skills
• Excellent administration skills and the ability to accurately and concisely record information and write reports
• Plan and deliver workshops and sessions to residents, staff and partner agencies
• Demonstrate creativity in overcoming obstacles and a commitment to working with and providing support to vulnerable people
• Ability and willingness to work unsupervised
• Ability to prioritise workload and meet deadlines.

Desirable

• Analytical, data collation and reporting skills

Behaviour/Attributes

Essential

• Committed to improving the lives of people with complex needs
• Committed to own personal development and CPD planning
• Creative and dynamic approach with the ability to “think outside of the box” when providing solutions
• Energetic, highly motivated with a reputation of being held in high regard by peers
• Excellent interpersonal/ communication skills
• Excellent negotiation/ mediation skills
• Committed to own career development
• Ability to work within & have commitment to YMCA ethos, philosophy and SHREK values, Strength, Humility, Respect, Empathy and Kindness
• Energetic, dynamic and self-motivated

If you would like to apply for this role please click here APPLY NOW

To download a copy of our application form, please click HERE

If you would like to apply not directly through the website, please email your completed application form to recruitment@ymcatogether.org.uk