Support Worker & Carer for teenager (Day and Night)

MW; London; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 60,000; Part time

Job description

We are looking for a support worker / Carer to join the team around an 18-year-old severely autistic & epileptic teenager with additional health needs. He lives at home with his family. He has 24-hour 1:1 support and for some activities 2:1 (like visiting the pool, special needs bike club, visiting the park or visiting shops and cafes).

About the Teen:

He is a friendly, non-verbal, very autistic boy with severe epilepsy, a movement disorder, and additional health needs. He is non-verbal and can walk only with support. He needs help with all elements of his daily life. He does like to be active (but not in an athletic way) and he loves to be entertained. He likes to be spoken to even though communication is very difficult for him. He often needs a lot of care as he can have seizures or other health issues which lead to him needing to spend time in the hospital. His team of support workers / carers help him with his daily life & routine which includes supporting and facilitating access to activities and community, helping him with learning more self-help skills and communication, all of his personal care, help with his laundry and keeping his environment clean & tidy.

About you:

This job will suit someone with good experience supporting a young person with disability and autism and has a real interest in disability and autism. You are not afraid to learn care elements like catheterisation and dealing with PEG and Peristeen (ideally you have experience already and other elements of care - otherwise we train you). This role is not just about care but also very much about support, and we would like to find someone who can be active, fun, and shows initiative. You will need to follow the behaviour plan which would be explained to you. This could potentially suit a student of a related field as a part-time position (but a full-time position is also available). You need to be able to swim - this is important to him. Ideally, you are a non-smoker / non-vaper. You should be open to working some weekends and some bank holidays (shared with the team) and also take on some waking night supports. Both day and night shifts are available, and we would prefer applicants who are open to both day and night shifts. Ideally, you would be willing to commit for a minimum of 12 months or more, as a lot of training is involved. This job could be very fulfilling and is well paid but it is also complex and would be difficult for someone who has no experience with disability.

What’s great about this job:

Fantastic training opportunities, with a thorough handover from long-standing members of staff who know the young person and his family very well. You will be provided with regular training on his health and care needs which include seizure management, catheterisation, PEG management, Peristeen, and behavioural support. Regular team meetings with the ABA Consultant. Flexibility around days worked to accommodate studies or other commitments.

About the Job:

Hourly rate £15 p/h, which rises to £16 after 6 months of probation. Part-time position - minimum of 24 hours + (unfortunately, 20 hours is not enough for this position). Full-time position 35 hours +. Indicate if you are interested in Full-time or Part-time when you contact us. This position could be on a freelance basis with a UTR number (if you are part-time and also if you are a student). Otherwise, there could be a full-time contract with a care agency that supports the teenager. (We cannot offer a Sponsorship Visa).

If interested:

If you are interested, please apply and initially let us know why you would be suitable in your first message. We get many applications, please help to make it easier and explain why you applied. We will then let you know where to send your CV and a relevant cover letter explaining your interest and suitability (a few sentences might be enough to get the point across, ideally written by you and not AI). Later on, we will need 2 relevant recent references and a valid DBS. We will arrange a face-to-face interview or a video call (initially) after receiving your CV and relevant cover letter if we feel that you would be a good match for this position. We look forward to hearing from you.

Experience: Required
Languages: English – Advanced
Employment: Full-time
Schedule: Depends on recruit
Salary: £15 – £16 hourly