Relief Practitioner | Wernham House

About Us

Aberdeen Cyrenians have provided front‑line services and care in the North East for over 50+ years, empowering vulnerable and socially excluded people to overcome their personal challenges, make informed choices and move towards positive outcomes, promoting dignity, inclusiveness and equality throughout communities. Our organisation exists to support anyone and everyone who is facing difficulty and we provide a wide range of life‑changing services including support to people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, have experienced abuse, are at risk of violence, are at high financial risk, struggling with mental health issues, struggling with substance addiction, social exclusion or involved in the justice system.

About Wernham House

Wernham House is a residential and respite care accommodation service for adults who have alcohol and substance use problems and mental health issues. It provides care, support and accommodation for 17 individuals, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with a dedicated team of Support Practitioners.

Main Responsibilities

• Lead and participate in the provision of a high standard of person‑led care and support for service users in their own homes, in line with individual care plans and risk assessments, organisational policies, national standards, codes of practice and legislation.
• Communicate effectively with service users, families and multi‑disciplinary teams, record appropriate care notes and create a safe, positive and enabling environment.

Job activities

• Work shifts as required, including evenings/weekends/night hour, working effectively as part of a team.
• Form, develop, sustain and maintain relationships with Service Users through person centred, trauma informed emotional and practical care and support.
• Assess and review Service Users’ strengths and needs through accurate & appropriate information gathering, professional recording and case management.
• Ensure that the basic humanistic needs of Service Users are addressed and met and where required assist Service Users with medication and personal care (food, prompt bathing, continence etc).
• Support Service Users with alcohol and substance use/mental health issues using harm minimisation approach and recovery models.
• Intervene in a crisis to effectively pre‑empt and/or de‑escalate accidents and incidents.
• Engage in partnership working by liaising/working in compliance with Confidentiality and GDPR with a wide range of agencies on behalf of the Service User including but not limited to Social Work, Housing, Health and Social Care, Police, Courts, Department for Work & Pensions, utility companies, debt agencies, statutory authorities other third sector agencies.
• Assist in the protection of Service Users from risk of harm and work with other agencies to ensure appropriate Safeguarding.
• Ensure that Service Users’ views remain paramount, provide agreed advocacy on Service Users’ behalf and generally assist with communication issues and ensure that potential obstacles such as literacy & numeracy are assessed and addressed.
• Work with Service Users to tackle debts, budget and maximise their income.
• Plan/participate and assist Service User involvement in quality social activities on a one–to–one and group basis.
• Assist with the day-to-day issues relating to the building from where the service is delivered (health & safety, cleaning, other maintenance, etc).
• Carry out other relevant work commensurate with the post as required.

Essential Role Requirements and Quality Standards

• A qualification of N/SVQ3 in Care, or equivalent or the willingness and ability to attain this within five years.
• Experience in a social care, trauma informed environment in a voluntary or paid role.
• Have an understanding of current social justice issues i.e homelessness, mental health, substance misuse, social isolation.
• Literacy, numeracy and IT skills at a level to maintain all appropriate records, professional communication, care plans and provide budgeting guidance.
• Maintain professional confidentiality and boundaries at all times.
• Be willing to develop skills used when supporting people through reflective practice, personal and professional development and supervision.
• Register with the Scottish Social Services Council and work to all appropriate legislation, standards and contractual and regulatory requirements including Health and Social Care, Care Inspectorate, Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator and Environmental Health.

Key Capabilities

• Interpersonal understanding – listens and understands expressed feelings; demonstrates concern for others; encourages others to express themselves.
• Emotional awareness – manages strong emotions and responds constructively; keeps own feelings in check; deals with stress.
• Flexibility – adapts easily to changes at work; modifies behaviour in response to a situation; sees the merits of differing viewpoints.
• Initiative – takes responsibility; looks ahead and anticipates what needs to be done; is able to assess and manage risks.
• Team working – contributes fully to teamwork; establishes positive relationships with the team.
• Working within Professional Boundaries – Demonstrates professional curiosity; accepts responsibility for own work; seeks and uses professional support; understands the principle of confidentiality.
• Developing others – case management responsibility for developing service users’ skills; encourages initiatives in problem‑solving and making informed choices.

Other information

• Comprehensive training through our online Learning Management System.
• Opportunity to pursue on the job qualifications and career progression.
• Online timesheets and expenses.
• We are a Living Wage Foundation accredited employer - pay is reviewed annually each April.
• Benefits including Bike to Work Scheme and an Employee Assistance programme.
• A warm and friendly team environment where everyone is valued.
• Mileage paid at the national rate.

It's important to us that we recruit people who share our values and who want to make a difference. Our interview process is designed to get to know you better and to find out why you want to work for us. If you are nervous, please don't be - there are no right or wrong answers.

Because we work with vulnerable people, we have a responsibility to safeguard them. We undertake background and reference checks, and it is a term of employment with us that all employees register with the Protecting Vulnerable Groups ("PVG") scheme operated by Disclosure Scotland.

We guarantee an interview to candidates who have lived experience within the areas of society and the issues that we support and those who are care‑experienced, subject to meeting the minimum criteria for the role.

We're an equal opportunities employer and value diversity - exclusion has no place in our workplaces. If you need us to make reasonable adjustments to allow you to attend an interview with us, just let us know.

We regret that due to current Home Office rules, we are not able to sponsor applicants for this role, so you must be eligible to live and work in the UK without sponsorship.

The closing date for this position is Monday 16th June 2025. We review applications throughout the advertising period and reserve the right to close the advert early should sufficient applications be received.