Supply Pupil Support Assistants, Various Locations in the Perth & Kinross Council Area - PKC13205

Working within Perth & Kinross Council is more than a job, it's about being part of an organisation that puts people at the heart of all we do and provides opportunities to make a real difference by enhancing every life we touch.

We currently have the following opportunity:

As a Pupil Support Assistant (PSA), you will work as part of a team supporting children and young people who have additional support needs to access learning under the direction of other members of the team.

Children and Young People can have a range of needs that are short lived or more long term. These, at different points in their education, may require additional support. The PSA role is varied and may include supporting children and young people who present with needs which may include:

• Social and Emotional
• Learning
• Communication
• Physical
• Personal Care

Some children may present with distressed and challenging behaviour as a result of these needs. The PSA may have a role in supporting positive behaviour management programmes and individual support plans.

Perth & Kinross Council has introduced a Job Family Framework for all single status posts. A Job Family is a group of jobs with similar characteristics and common features. Pupil Support Assistants are part of the Care and Learning Job Family and the role profile which is attached, details the typical behaviours, skills and experience required.

Skills & Experience Required

We are looking for individuals who can demonstrate:

• A genuine interest in the development of children and their wellbeing.
• Kindness, empathy and patience.
• An ability to engage with children and young people.
• Confidentiality in relation to children, young people and their families.
• Experience (paid/voluntary) of supporting children and young people with additional support needs within an Early Years Setting or within Early Level within a Primary School.

Some roles require travel between settings so for these posts an ability to travel is essential.

As a PSA, you will also need to demonstrate a commitment to achieving the required qualification within the timescales set by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), as detailed in the Job Description.

Working at Perth & Kinross Council

Our values and behaviours influence our work and support us in the delivery of our key priorities. In your application, and should you be invited to interview, you will be asked to describe situations that support the criteria required in the role and which also demonstrate our values and behaviours. Find out more about Perth & Kinross Council and you could soon be joining our team!

Here's what we can offer you:

• A generous annual leave package
• 6 days public holiday and an additional discretionary day
• Eligibility to join our pension scheme
• Family friendly and positive work/life balance policies such as Flexible Working, Maternity, Paternity & Adoption leave, time off for volunteering and our Wellbeing Framework
• Access to a range of benefits
• Paid SSSC annual membership for relevant positions

We recognise there can be benefits to flexible working and where individual jobs allow, we seek to support this. You are encouraged to discuss potential options with the recruiting manager, if this is of interest to you. A healthy work life balance is important to us and we provide supportive management and, where possible, flexible working arrangements to help you achieve that balance. You will have access to training and support for continued professional development.

This role requires you to be registered with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), if you are not yet registered, you can still apply, as long as you are willing to apply for registration within 3 months of starting with us and be registered within 6 months.

Next Steps

We would love to hear from you and would encourage you to get in touch with Marie Dunn, Principal Teacher - Primary Pupil Support via email at MDunn@pkc.gov.uk to find out more.

External candidates are required to provide contact details for 2 referees, including email addresses. One of these must be your current or most recent employer.

We welcome applications from everyone and as a Disability Confident employer, we guarantee to interview applicants who declare a disability and meet the essential requirements of the post. Please contact the hiring manager above or the Recruitment Team on (01738) 475555 or recruitment@pkc.gov.uk to discuss any reasonable adjustments. Appointments are based on evidence supplied during the selection process.

Diversity is important to us and although some of our jobs may be perceived to be traditionally gender specific, we welcome applications from everyone and would encourage you to apply if you meet the job requirements. That includes welcoming applications from former armed forces personnel/reservists. Many of the skills picked up during your military career could be transferred directly into a role with local government.

Working with children and/or protected adults is regarded as a regulated role and under the Disclosure (Scotland) Act 2020 you will be required to join the PVG Scheme or undergo a PVG Scheme update check.

If you have lived overseas for a period of 12 months or more (continuous or total) within the last 10 years, an Overseas Criminal Record Check will be required. You will be required to provide this check.

A confirmed offer of employment and commencement in the post will be subject to the outcome of the above mentioned mandatory pre-employment checks (including references) and will also include eligibility to work in the UK, qualifications and fitness to undertake the post.