Enhance Support and Care supports people to live independently. This requires support workers to work autonomously and often on their own with the person. Enhance Support & Care expects support workers to embrace and demonstrate the principles of inclusion and the equality of opportunity. The people who use our service must always be treated fairly and with respect. We expect staff to recognise and reflect on, the use and abuse of power and their responsibility to behave in a manner that always expresses that understanding. We work with people who may be at risk of being marginalised or who feel excluded from their communities. The support worker can on occasions be the only support in a person’s life to enable them to have a sense of purpose and dignity. This is a very great responsibility.

PURPOSE OF POST:
The key purpose of the post of support worker is to provide support to a client to live independently and lead a happy and purposeful life. Several functions that are required to facilitate this are detailed below under key responsibilities. Post holders should be aware that all these responsibilities should be in support of the primary aim, which is to enable the wishes of clients to be met within legislative requirements, and within the policies and values of Enhance.

Supporting functions are as follows:

• To express through working practice, the values and principles inherent in Human Rights Legislation.
• To work autonomously with people who use Enhance support services and maintain a safe environment by adhering to Enhance’s policies and procedures.
• To work with colleagues to enable the needs and wishes of clients to be met in accordance with Enhance standards of service, statutory regulatory and legislative requirements and within the policies and values of Enhance.
• To contribute to providing and recording information as required.
• To embrace a culture of practice reflection, learning and sharing.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Always maintain Enhance Support & Care’s standards of service.
2. Implement Enhance Support & Care’s policies and procedures.
3. Communicate positively with clients, colleagues, and the wider community to promote a professional image.
4. Support clients to make informed choices in all areas of their lives, and enable them to meet their individual physical, intellectual, emotional, social and spiritual needs, wishes and outcomes.
5. Where agreed, support clients to maintain their home environment.
6. Assist clients with personal care as required.
8. Administer/support with medication within Enhance Procedures.
9. Support clients to be as independent as they feel comfortable with.
10. Support clients with social activities of their choice.
11. Support clients to be part of their local community.
12. Promote where appropriate awareness amongst clients of their own responsibilities.
13. Ensure that all recorded information about clients is respectful, with consent and available to them in a form that makes sense.
14. Any other duties relevant and appropriate to the level of the post as directed by management.
15. Work alongside colleagues as part of an effective and efficient team within the service.
16. Undertake shared responsibility for personal and professional development and contribute to a shared environment.
17. Use information for problem solving and decision-making purposes, both as an individual and as part of a team.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

EXPERIENCE
The post of support worker requires some demonstrable experience of working with people, possibly in a supportive or caring role. It is desirable but not essential that this experience is with people with a learning disability; physical difficulties; and older people depending on the client’s needs and support required.

QUALIFICATIONS
SVQ Level 2 in Social Care or equivalent is desirable, or willingness to gain this qualification. In line with SSSC registration, from Oct ’17 all Support Workers must register with SSSC and commence attaining the required qualification SVQ Level 2 in Social Care within 2 years of employment. As Employers, we will support our contracted employees to undertake this qualification.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE SKILLS:
Ability to work autonomously and make decisions independently, appropriate to the level of responsibility of the post.
Able to communicate well.
Good written and verbal skills.
Good numeracy skills.
Responsive to the needs of others.
Be team spirited with the ability to contribute to and work as part of a dispersed team.
The ability to seek and take guidance as appropriate.
The ability to solve problems and make decisions on practical issues quickly as and when required.

KNOWLEDGE
An understanding of the use and misuse of power in relationships.
Some understanding of the significance of human rights in this area of work.
Self-awareness about how you learn.

PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS
This post will require you to be adaptable and steady in changing situations. You should be able to undertake shift work. You will be open to learning and be honest and fair.
To have a positive personality. Be motivated and enthusiastic. Be compassionate and cheerful.
You will subscribe to the value of treating others as you would like to be treated yourself.