At a Glance
- Tasks: Support children and young adults with learning disabilities and autism in their community.
- Company: Join a compassionate charity dedicated to making a difference in people's lives.
- Benefits: Starting salary of £25,500, comprehensive training, and flexible working hours.
- Other info: Dynamic role with opportunities for personal growth and development.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by helping individuals and families navigate challenges and achieve their goals.
- Qualifications: Experience with neurodiverse individuals and a relevant qualification in social care.
The predicted salary is between 22500 - 25500 £ per year.
Reporting To: Key Working Manager
Location: The post will be based in the community and will be required to travel throughout the Tees Valley & Durham
Hours: 37.5 hours per week on 1 year fixed term contract with a possible extension subject to funding.
Salary: £25,500 Starting Salary.
JOB SUMMARY
Are you passionate about supporting children, young people and adults aged from 4 years up to 25 years with a learning disability and/or are autistic and their families? Do you have experience of working in a supporting role gained through settings such as social care, health, the community, further education? Can you demonstrate strong communication skills, safeguarding awareness and experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team? Would you be interested in holding a small caseload of individuals working intensively with them to prevent crisis and/or hospital admission?
If you answered yes to the above then this might be the role for you. We can offer you a comprehensive training package, support and supervision and no two days that are the same!
KEY TASKS
- Person Centred Planning: Maintain a dynamic caseload of children and adults up to the age of 25 years who have been identified as being on the Dynamic Support Register (DSR). Work with the child, adult and family as appropriate to develop a personalised plan based around their needs. Identify and agree outcomes and deliver this plan with flexibility. Facilitate the provision of bespoke support to help the individual and their family develop the self‑management skills needed to meet their agreed goals and outcomes. Support parents to access and implement the support and tools needed to manage behaviour and challenging situations where appropriate. Facilitate the provision of interventions to prevent admission to inpatient settings. Use creative and accessible techniques to communicate with the person you are working with depending on their various communication needs (e.g. pictures or role play).
- Advocacy: Actively listen and accurately capture the individual's views and preferences and convey these to other services as needed. Communicate clearly with the individual and their family where appropriate to help them understand and navigate the system (e.g. conveying complex legal and medical information in a clear and accessible way). Represent and champion the individual and their family in discussions around provision of care. Advocate for individuals and/or families to ensure the necessary support is in place to enable them to remain within the community. Create a culture which prioritises keeping a child/young person within the home/community by persuasively communicating with a range of services including staff at different levels of seniority. Troubleshoot on behalf of the child, young person and family where needed. Identify changes that would lead to better outcomes for those with autism and/or learning disabilities. Ensure action points from care plans, CETRs and the dynamic registers are followed to ensure action is taken across teams.
- Signposting/Multi Agency Working: Identify, guide and refer individuals and their families to other services where needed (e.g. CAHMS short break provision). Act as a link between health, social care and education. Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of the local offer and keep up‑to‑date with changes to provision in order to signpost and refer effectively. Actively build and maintain relationships with a range of professionals across different teams and settings.
- Safeguarding: Maintain accurate and up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation and frameworks including Children & Families Act, Mental Health Act, Mental Capacity Act, Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards 117, After Care Procedures, Human Rights Act. Take a lead role in the safeguarding of children, young people and adults ensuring that best practice is adhered to at all times. Attend all mandatory safeguarding training and ensure Daisy Chains policies and procedures are adhered to at all times.
- Record Keeping: Maintain clear accurate records of work with each individual in accordance with Daisy Chains procedures on record keeping. Keep track of progress to gauge ongoing support requirements. Undertake administrative tasks necessary for the efficient and effective delivery of the key responsibilities in this role.
- Additional responsibilities: Comply with the Charities Health and Safety policy in all employment practices. Maintain the integrity of the Daisy Chain brand in all internal and external communications. Work in ways which promote equality of opportunity, participation and responsibility. Maintain a proactive approach to your role and responsibilities along with a commitment to contribute and maintain the positive working ethos within the Charity. Ensure attendance at staff meetings. Undertake any training and development deemed necessary for the pursuance of the post. Any other duties from time to time commensurate with the level of the post.
This job outline is intended to indicate the broad range of responsibilities and requirements of the post. It is neither exhaustive nor exclusive but while some variation can be expected in particular duties the outline is considered to provide a reasonable general description of the post. Due to the individual needs of the Children, Young Adults and families we support there can be behaviour that challenges which need to be mitigated during appointments. Training will be provided to manage this.
This post is deemed to require an Enhanced DBS Check with the Disclosure and Barring Service due to the fact that there is access to children and vulnerable adults.
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Experience:
- Experience of working with neurodiverse individuals with a range of complex needs - Essential
- Experience of working in the community to provide a bespoke package of support to children, young people, adults and their families/carers - Essential
- Experience of working with children and young people at risk of inpatient admittance - Desirable
- Experience of multi‑agency and joined up working - Essential
- Experience of engaging and communicating with a wide range of professionals including at multi‑disciplinary panels - Essential
- Experience managing a caseload of families and providing behaviour management support in the community - Desirable
- Experience of crisis management - Desirable
- Substantial safeguarding experience - Essential
- Strong experience in the field of health, social care and/or education - Essential
- Experience of interpreting and applying mental health legislation - Essential
Qualifications:
- NVQ Level 3 in Social Care (or other relevant qualification) - Essential
Skills:
- A strong knowledge base of therapeutic approaches to support children, young people and families with complex needs - Desirable
- A compassionate and empathetic approach towards children, young people and families - Essential
- Ability to actively listen and convey the child or family's voice accurately when advocating on their behalf - Essential
- Ability to manage multiple competing case loads through effective time management - Essential
- High levels of personal resilience and ability to support team resilience - Essential
- Individual centred planning skills and an understanding of what personalised care is - Essential
- Ability to communicate complex legal or medical information in a clear and accessible way - Essential
- Ability to champion the views and wishes of the Individual and their Family in an assertive and clear manner - Essential
- Mediation and relationship building skills - Essential
- Ability to use creative & accessible communication based on the individual's needs and preferences - Essential
- Ability to apply skills and techniques to resolve or minimise conflict and distress - Essential
- Ability & confidence to challenge and hold services to account - Essential
- Ability to identify & remove the barriers facing children, adults and families in the community - Essential
- Ability to build and maintain strong relationships with colleagues and a wide range of professionals - Essential
- Ability to build and maintain positive, trusting and appropriate relationships with children, adults and their families - Essential
- Ability to communicate to a range of audiences clearly, sensitively and effectively - Essential
Knowledge/Understanding:
- An up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation and a commitment to ensuring that knowledge remains up-to-date - Essential
- An understanding of how to apply this knowledge to ensure the legal rights of an individual are upheld - Desirable
- A good understanding of health, social care and education systems for those with SEND and how the keyworker role fits into this - Essential
- An understanding of inpatient services, the CETR process and dynamic support registers - Desirable
- Accurate knowledge of local offer - Desirable
- An understanding of the intersection between mental health and learning disabilities/autism - Desirable
- A willingness to share knowledge, resources and good practice with colleagues and other services - Essential
Other:
- A willingness to support families to attend Positive Behaviour Support training where required - Essential
- Ability & willingness to work flexibly and responsively - Essential
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills - Essential
- Ability to problem solve and remain solutions focused - Essential
- An understanding of and commitment to the aims, ethos and philosophies of Daisy Chain - Essential
- Ability to be work flexibly to meet the needs of the service - Essential
- Ability and willingness to travel throughout the Tees Valley & Durham - Essential
- A clean full driving licence with own transport - Essential
- Ability to take annual leave within school holiday periods - Essential
Autism & Learning Disability Keyworker employer: Daisy Chain Project
Daisy Chain Project is an exceptional employer, offering a supportive and inclusive work environment for those passionate about making a difference in the lives of individuals with autism. Located in Norton, Stockton on Tees, employees benefit from flexible working hours, enhanced holiday leave, and continuous training opportunities that foster personal and professional growth. Join us to be part of a dedicated team that values compassion and community engagement.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Autism & Learning Disability Keyworker
✨Dive into Local Community Groups
Social work thrives on community connections, so get involved in local groups or forums specific to your interests. Whether it’s volunteering at local shelters or joining community action boards, these are great ways to boost your visibility and make direct contacts that could lead to opportunities like the one at Daisy Chain Project.
✨Attend Social Work Events and Workshops
Keep an eye out for workshops, seminars, or conferences in social work. These events are fantastic for meeting professionals in the field, learning about emerging trends, and spotting job openings. Plus, you might just bump into someone from Daisy Chain Project!
✨Showcase Your Passion and Expertise
Use platforms like Instagram or LinkedIn to share your journey and insights into the social work sector. Whether it’s writing about your experiences or sharing relevant articles, this helps to establish you as an engaged professional. Potential employers, like Daisy Chain Project, will notice your enthusiasm!
✨Leverage Your Network
Don’t hesitate to reach out to professors, mentors, or even past colleagues who are in social work. They might have inside knowledge about openings at Daisy Chain Project or be able to connect you with someone who’s hiring. Networking is key, especially in a full-time role where relationships matter.
We think you need these skills to ace Autism & Learning Disability Keyworker
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Social Work:In your cover letter, let us see your passion for social work shine through! Talk about the experiences that made you want to pursue this career—whether it’s volunteering, personal experiences, or academic projects. We want to know why this field matters to you.
Emphasise Relevant Qualifications:Make sure your CV highlights any relevant qualifications, like degrees in social work or certifications like a DBS check. If you've done any workshops or training, don’t forget to include those as well. We're keen to see your commitment to your professional development!
Detail Your Experience with Clients:Since this is a hands-on field, detailing any direct experience you have with clients is crucial. Whether it's internships, volunteer roles, or previous jobs, highlight those experiences in your CV to show us you've got the practical skills necessary for the job!
Tailor Your Application to Daisy Chain Project:Before hitting send, make sure to tailor your application specifically to Daisy Chain Project! Research our mission and values, and refer to them in your cover letter. This shows us that you understand our work and are genuinely interested in being a part of our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Daisy Chain Project
✨Understanding the Role of Empathy
In social work, understanding and demonstrating empathy is key. Be prepared to share personal experiences or scenarios where you effectively showed compassion and support. This helps show that you genuinely care about the well-being of others, which is crucial in social work.
✨Demonstrating Knowledge of Frameworks
Familiarise yourself with the frameworks and models used in social work, such as the Strengths-Based Approach or the Ecological Perspective. Be ready to discuss how these frameworks apply to your work, especially if you can tie them into real-world examples or case studies you've encountered.
✨Showcasing Your Multi-Disciplinary Skills
In a full-time social work role, you'll often collaborate with healthcare professionals, educators, and law enforcement. Be prepared to describe your teamwork experiences and how you've effectively communicated with other disciplines to achieve the best outcomes for clients.
✨Preparing for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect questions that put you in hypothetical social work situations, such as dealing with a crisis or managing a complex case. Think through your thought process for these scenarios beforehand, considering how you'd assess the situation and what steps you'd take, as this demonstrates your critical thinking and problem-solving abilities.
