Childrens Residential Support Worker in Kent

Lansdowne Housing & Care Ltd is a children's home with an ethos to care and support children in need of care and accommodation. We aim to empower children, adolescents, and young adults by providing person-centred and tailored support, fostering positive development, and creating a nurturing environment. Through mentorship, educational programs, work opportunities, and community engagement, we aim to enhance their well-being, build life skills, and prepare them for a successful transition into adulthood.

At the core of our services are a range of specialist therapeutic interventions and support methods that allow for holistic strength-based assessment approaches. All staff are expected to:

• Work in the context of Lansdowne Housing & Care's Vision, Mission and Philosophy and to use our outcome monitoring approach in order to support children in achieving their goals.
• Have a full understanding and implement the home's statement of purpose.
• Recognise the positive abilities of children and support our shared belief in lifelong learning.
• Adhere to the Quality Outcomes Standards, Children's Regulations 2015 and all other current legislation, showing a high degree of professionalism, resilience, and a willingness to remain committed during particularly demanding times.

Location / Department: People may be recruited for specific locations and homes. However, they will be expected to, when required, work at other locations, either temporarily or permanently across Lansdowne Housing & Care services.

Line Manager: Assistant Support Workers are managed by the Team Leaders / Assistant Manager of the home where they are located with overall directive from the Registered Manager.

Safeguarding: Our organisation acknowledges the duty of care to safeguard, protect and promote the welfare of children and is committed to ensuring safeguarding practice reflects statutory responsibilities, government guidance and complies with best practice and Ofsted's requirements. Safeguarding responsibilities for Support Workers include:

• Be aware of the safeguarding policy and all other safeguarding policies and procedures during induction, training and personal development.
• Discuss any actual or emerging safeguarding concerns in supervision.
• Know who the safeguarding leads are and how to report concerns.
• Be trained in identifying signs of harm and abuse.
• Respond immediately to any child to keep them safe.
• Know what to do if a child makes a disclosure.
• Seek support and counselling if feeling distressed from being involved with a case or incident.
• Stay up to date with changes in procedures.
• Be prepared to attend required meetings for children.
• Keep accurate, objective records of any concerns or incidents.
• Complete body maps and ensure relevant people are notified so a conclusion is reached.
• Know what to do if a child makes an allegation of harm against staff or someone else.
• Be aware of the complaints procedure and whistleblowing process.

Main Duties and Responsibilities: Specifically take account of the choices, needs and wishes of each child, involving children in their own plans and day-to-day decisions where appropriate. Take personal responsibility for learning about each child and the way their past affects them; for listening to the individual; and for reflecting on own practice to continuously develop their own knowledge and skills. Ensuring positive professional relationships are maintained at all times. Always maintain children's confidentiality.

Develop person-centred working relationships with children, carrying out Key Worker responsibilities in a professional manner. Attend team meetings, supervisions and appraisals and actively take a role in developing your own continuous professional development. Attend training and enrol and complete any courses which you are required to do so.

Support children in their daily lives through:

• Assisting to develop and maintain a high standard of personal hygiene and appearance.
• Supporting children to make appropriate choices regarding their nutritional needs.
• Administering medication in accordance with their needs and taking full account of the Medication Policy and Procedures.
• Accompanying to the dentist, doctor, and all other appointments as appropriate.
• Reporting to managers any concerns regarding the child's welfare including health and safety issues in the home.
• Actively encouraging and supporting leisure and meaningful activities both inside and outside of the home, in accordance with individual children's interests, choices and needs.
• Accompanying children on trips and holidays away.
• Ensuring the home environment is secure, clean, and well presented, undertaking domestic chores and relevant health and safety checks, as necessary.
• Following the Emotional and Behavioural Risk Assessment to support children in managing their own challenging behaviours.
• Understanding the importance of a child's case file and plans and using these effectively and professionally to inform practice on a daily basis.
• To ensure, with the support of your line manager, you understand your role working within the home's Statement of Purpose and seek to promote excellence in clinical practice in line with the Quality Standards and Ofsted regulations.
• Recording accurately and professionally in line with national standards and Lansdowne Housing and Care's policies and procedures.
• Attending and participating in all meetings as required including Supervision and Appraisals.
• Working with managers to identify needs and access relevant learning and development opportunities and share that learning with others.
• Working as part of a team, sharing responsibility fairly and being supportive of others.
• Undertake sleep-in duties and flexibility to meet the needs of the children and working on a 24-hour rota system where required.
• To support children with personal care if required.
• To work in a safe way, not putting your own or another member of staff's health or safety at work at risk.
• To ensure that all substances relating to COSHH are appropriately stored.
• To inform your supervisor as soon as possible of any intended absence from work due to sickness, or for any other reason in line with Lansdowne Housing & Care's guidance.
• To declare any other work (paid or voluntary) or activity that may lead to a conflict of interest.

It is the nature of the work of the post that tasks and responsibilities are, in many circumstances, unpredictable and varied. The post holder will therefore be expected to work in a flexible way when the occasion arises that tasks which are not specifically covered in their job description must be undertaken. These additional duties will normally be to cover unforeseen circumstances or changes in work, and they will normally be compatible with the regular type of work. The job description may also be reviewed in light of changing service needs or developments in consultation with the post holder.

If you take up employment with Lansdowne Housing & Care this is on the understanding that the first six months constitute a probationary period, and you will be required to achieve the recognised qualification in line with legislation within 2 years of employment.