Residential Care Workers

Hours: 37 hours per week.

Salary: £22,085 - £36,465 (SCP 17 - SCP 36) (placement on scale dependent on qualifications).

Shift pattern: 7.30am - 10.45pm (1 on, 2 off).

JOB DESCRIPTION:

Rossie is a multi-award winning, trauma informed child and youth care organisation that provides the highest quality experience for young people. We are looking to recruit Residential Care Workers to provide care and support to young people in a safe and stimulating setting ensuring we cater for their physical, emotional, social, health and educational needs. We will train you to become a highly qualified Care Worker working alongside the most vulnerable young people in Scotland and beyond. If you are looking for a career that is fulfilling and rewarding, come and work with us to make a positive difference.

JOB DESCRIPTION:

You will assist in the provision of a safe, caring environment for our young people in Rossie and have a general understanding of history, needs and plan of every young person in the House:

• Ensure that the rights of the young person are safeguarded and that they are treated with respect and dignity;
• Ensure appropriate standards within which young people can feel safe, certainty of limits and boundaries set, and are protected from harm;
• Assist with the establishment and maintenance of good basic care which includes safe, comfortable surroundings, high standards of personal care and good food with consistent daily routines;
• Assist health professionals in the monitoring of the young people’s health needs and actively encourage the avoidance of health risks and the adoption and development of a healthy life style;
• Plan and positively engage young people in a range of planned stimulating activities;
• Support young people in successful group living by encouraging active participation in social and decision making forums;
• Encourage young people to make the most of all the educational/learning opportunities available with the 24 hour curriculum.

You will play an active part in the key team approach, ensuring that care, health, education and skill acquisition needs are addressed, in addition to the formulation and implementation of young people’s placement plans:

• Establish and maintain positive professional relationships with the young people in our care;
• Act as key worker and/or co-key worker when identified for individual young people as required and play a role in the assessment of their needs as well as the creation and implementation of individual placement plans, which will be done in conjunction with other relevant professionals, both internal and external;
• Undertake individual work with key young people to address issues which arise and support young people to emotionally and socially self regulate i.e. manage themselves.

You will support young people’s attendance and attainment in Education:

• Escort young people to and from school, encouraging young people to be prepared for learning;
• Actively support educational classes on a rota basis and actively support young people with their learning, with guidance from teaching staff;
• Support young people to achieve their best efforts with home work and House based learning tasks as part of the 24 hour curriculum.

You will assist the Specialist Intervention Services Team in their assessment and programme work tasks and encourage and support young people to practice learned skills and techniques:

• Ensure awareness of the work being undertaken by the Specialist Intervention Services Team with each young person in the House and assist as required;
• As part of everyday life and individual work with key young person, reinforce learning as required by Specialist Intervention Services.

You will ensure effective communication and collaborative work with others in the best interest of the young person:

• Work with other professionals, families and carers to assist in meeting the needs of the young people;
• Ensure effective liaison with key team members to maintain up to date knowledge of the young person’s engagement with the placement plan to ensure a prompt response to a young person experiencing difficulties;
• Advise the Team Leader, Deputy Service Manager or Service Manager of significant matters impacting on the care of young people;
• Work according to the Code of Conduct for Social Service employees thereby ensuring trustworthiness for all;
• Ensure that any inter-personal conflict which arises is addressed appropriately by assisting with the creation of an open, honest and friendly atmosphere and allowing opportunities for colleagues to discuss problems and where appropriate raising matters with a line manager.

You will ensure that all necessary administrative work is efficiently carried out to support the professional task:

• Maintain appropriate records as required, including those relating to the young people’s progress and assist in compiling the necessary reports for presentation to Reviews, Hearings, Courts etc;
• Be knowledgeable of the relevant legislation and practice issues relating to young people in care and participate in appropriate training and continuing professional development;
• Actively participate in supervision/consultation processes and meetings organised;
• Such other duties as may be required for the effective running of the service.

Please note this job description is to provide and clear and concise statement of the main tasks and activities of the post, and it is not intended as an exhaustive list of every aspect of the post holder's duties. All of the above duties will be carried out in line with Rossie policies and procedures.

PERSON SPECIFICATION:

Knowledge Base (Essential):

• Understanding of needs of young people;
• Understanding of child development factors impacting on young people;
• Knowledge of residential child care provision such as secure accommodation.

Knowledge Base (Desirable):

• Knowledge of cognitive behavioural approaches;
• Knowledge of attachment/resilience theory;
• Knowledge of child care legislation such as Children (Scotland) Act 1995 and Children’s Hearing (Scotland Act) 2011;
• Knowledge of LAC materials; care planning and intervention models;
• Knowledge of child protection policy.

Qualifications (Essential):

• Ability to undertake HNC and SVQ Level 3 Social Care;
• Ability to undertake training in Aggression Management/Physical Intervention.

Qualifications (Desirable):

• HNC and SVQ Level 3 Social Care;
• Dip Social Work;
• CQSW;
• CSS;
• Other relevant SSSC Registered Award;
• Leisure/Recreation Qualifications/Awards.

Experience (Essential):

• Experience of working with young people in voluntary/employment capacity;
• Experience of team working;
• Experience of managing everyday life positively and appropriately.

Experience (Desirable):

• Employment in Youth Work and Child Care;
• Experience of residential child care;
• Experience of advocacy and representation on behalf of young person;
• Experience of intervention with young people and their families;
• Experience of liaison/networking with other professionals.

Skills (Essential):

• Ability to verbally communicate with young people and other professionals;
• Ability to write legibly and fluently;
• Ability to build and sustain appropriate relationships with young people and colleagues;
• Ability to manage stress and work under pressure and to timescales.

Skills (Desirable):

• Leisure/Recreational Skills;
• Risk Assessment and needs analysis;
• Formulate and implement care plans;
• Ability to maintain appropriate record keeping.

Qualities (Essential):

• Respectful of children, young people, families and colleagues;
• Empathy;
• Maintains good health and physically active;
• Non-judgemental approach;
• Punctuality/timekeeping;
• Positive role model and self care skills;
• Integrity/honesty;
• Sense of humour.

Full Clean Driving Licence (Essential)