Home and Community-Based Family Support Worker

Employer: Tender Caregivers, part of Tender Healthcare Group

Job Type: Part-time, flexible and sessional work available

Tender Caregivers is looking for compassionate and confident Autism Support Workers to provide home and community-based support across St Helens and nearby areas. This role is ideal for someone who enjoys building trusted relationships, supporting independence and helping individuals access meaningful activities in a safe, respectful and person-centred way. You may be supporting a child or young person after school, during weekends, in the family home or out in the community. Support may include helping with routines, communication, emotional regulation, social interaction, community access, personal development, play-based engagement, life skills or structured respite support for families.

About the role

As a Home and Community-Based Family Support Worker, you will work closely with individuals and families to provide consistent, nurturing and safe support. You will follow the person’s care or support plan, respect their preferences, and help them feel understood and settled. Your duties may include:

• Supporting children, young people or adults with autism and additional needs in their home or local community
• Helping individuals follow routines, manage transitions and reduce anxiety
• Using calm communication, visual prompts, first-and-then approaches, sensory-aware strategies and positive behaviour support
• Supporting access to parks, leisure activities, libraries, shops, appointments and community facilities
• Encouraging independence, confidence, emotional wellbeing and social participation
• Recording clear daily notes and reporting any safeguarding, health, behaviour or wellbeing concerns
• Working respectfully with families, social workers, education staff and other professionals where required
• Maintaining professional boundaries while offering warm and consistent support

About you

You do not need to know everything, but you must be patient, emotionally steady and willing to learn. The right person for this role will understand that behaviour is often communication and that small, consistent actions can make a big difference to someone’s day. We are looking for people who have:

• Experience supporting people with autism, learning disabilities, ADHD, mental health needs, sensory needs or behaviours that challenge
• A calm, kind and non-judgemental approach
• Good communication and observation skills
• The ability to follow care plans, risk assessments and safeguarding procedures
• Reliability and good timekeeping
• Confidence working in family homes and community settings
• A willingness to complete training and work as part of a wider support team
• A driving licence and access to a car is desirable, but not essential for all situations.

Relevant experience may include roles such as: Autism Support Worker, SEND Teaching Assistant, Residential Support Worker, Children’s Support Worker, Learning Disability Support Worker, Mental Health Support Worker, Outreach Worker, Family Support Worker, Community Support Worker or Care Assistant.

What we offer:

• Family friendly, flexible shifts around St Helens and nearby areas
• Induction and ongoing training
• Supportive management and supervision
• Opportunities to work across children, young people and adult support packages
• A values-led team that focuses on safety, dignity, consistency and compassion
• The opportunity to make a meaningful difference to individuals and families in your local community

All roles are subject to safer recruitment checks, including enhanced DBS, references, right to work checks and completion of mandatory training. Previous safeguarding training is desirable, but full guidance will be provided. Tender Caregivers is committed to providing safe, respectful and person-centred support. We welcome applicants from different backgrounds who share our core values of - safety first, competency and consistency; all wrapped with compassion.

If you are looking for rewarding specialist learning disability support work in St Helens and want to be part of a caring, professional and growing team, we would love to hear from you. Apply today with your CV and a short note about your experience supporting people with autism, learning disabilities, and or additional complex needs.