Independent Living Advisor (Self-Directed Support Service) in Westminster

The organisation was founded in 1979, and is one of London’s leading Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations. As they believe in the social model of disability, their values and principles embrace inclusive and accessible ways of working both internally and in all their activities, seek the participation and contribution of their members, and encourage and respect diversity.

The organisation is a medium sized charity with a Board of Trustees (at least 75% is disabled trustees), 20 staff and a strong ad hoc staff and volunteer base including many with direct experience of disability – all of whom are passionate about removing the barriers that disabled people face.

The charity provides five key services: Youth, Employment, Welfare Benefits, Independent Living and Our Place.

The Independent Living Service (Self-Directed Support Service) is a new service that will provide support to Direct Payment users within the borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. The service will enable disabled people to have genuine choice and control over the way in which they lead their lives. The post-holder will be working alongside disabled people to enable them to have more choice and control over their care and support needs.

Key Responsibilities:

• Work with individuals, their family and friends (where appropriate) to provide them with information, advice and assistance to enable them to access and manage a Direct Payment.
• Support individuals employing their own Personal Assistant (PA) or engage an agency to deliver care and support.
• Ensure that the client understands their legal obligations and responsibilities of being an employer.
• Work with clients to set up a profile on the Find-a-pa website, advertise and recruit a Personal Assistant, create a personalised job description and specification, and identify the level of experience and training requirements needed for the role.
• Advise and help to calculate the PA’s salary and on costs (full training provided).
• Support the client through the interview process and where necessary sit in during interviews.
• Support individuals to reference, check legal status and where necessary DBS their support worker.
• Support individuals to set up an induction plan for their PA and enable them to identify training needs.
• Support the client to complete payroll and insurance documentation.
• Work with the client to draw up a Statement of Particular (contract) for the employed PA (templates provided).
• Work with agencies to set up support for clients who may not wish to employ a PA directly.
• Ongoing support to individuals in receipt of Direct Payments.
• Support individuals to solve practical problems e.g. lateness of staff, change of needs.
• Assist individuals to re-look at budgets, training and job descriptions as they change over time.
• Assist individuals to ensure that they continue to manage their Direct Payment or budget.
• Support individuals to make informed choices.
• Meet with the DP Support Group on a regular basis.
• Assist in the development of training and other resources to support employers to manage their DP and their PA relationships.
• Develop links and professional relationships with Social Work teams to support a healthy level of referrals.
• Comply with agreed policies and procedures.
• Participate in the wider development of the service and contribute to service improvement as required.
• Be computer literate and administratively self-supporting.
• Undertake any other reasonable duties as identified by the Self Directed Support Service Lead or line manager.
• Ability to travel within the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham.
• Some attendance at meetings and events outside of normal office hours will be required.

Experience and Skills:

• Understanding of social care and Direct Payments legislation.
• Experience/knowledge of supporting individuals to recruit and manage employees.
• Experience of working with clients with support needs.
• Ability to use Word and Excel packages to a high standard.
• A flexible approach and able to work on own initiative.
• Commitment to the Social Model of Disability and to promote choice, independence, rights and inclusion.

Desirable qualities:

• Experience of working with disabled people.
• Lived experience of disability.

The successful candidate will be required to undertake an enhanced DBS check. As a Disability Confident Employer, this charity actively encourages applications from Disabled people and people with long term health and mental conditions. This charity is a Living Wage Foundation registered employer and all of their employees, casual workers and contractors are paid above the London Living Wage. No agencies please.