At a Glance
- Tasks: Provide 1:1 support to empower individuals with autism and mental health needs.
- Company: Unicare Complex Care, dedicated to building trusted relationships.
- Benefits: Competitive pay, specialist training, career progression, and supportive management.
- Other info: Flexible shifts available, including days, evenings, and weekends.
- Why this job: Make a real difference in someone's life while promoting independence and wellbeing.
- Qualifications: Experience with autism, mental health, and compassionate care required.
The predicted salary is between 11.7 - 14.3 £ per hour.
Help Someone Live Life on Their Own Terms. At Unicare Complex Care Specialist, we don't just provide care; we build trusted relationships that empower people to live meaningful, independent lives. We are seeking compassionate, emotionally resilient and highly skilled Specialist Support Workers to join a dedicated team supporting a young adult living independently within the community who presents with complex mental health needs, autism and behaviours of concern. This is a rewarding opportunity for someone who values person-centred care and understands that trust, patience and consistency are fundamental to achieving positive outcomes.
About the Role
You will provide 1:1 specialist support to an individual living in their own home, helping them maintain independence while promoting emotional wellbeing, safety and community participation. This is not a traditional support worker role. It requires someone who can:
- Build a genuine therapeutic relationship
- Remain calm during periods of emotional distress
- Understand neurodiversity
- Work in a trauma-informed way
- Support emotional regulation without judgement
- Respect personal choice and autonomy
- Encourage independence rather than dependency
Every day will be different, and your approach must always be compassionate, flexible and person-led.
What You'll Be Doing
Your responsibilities may include:
- Providing specialist one-to-one community support.
- Building a trusting, consistent and positive relationship.
- Supporting emotional wellbeing using calm and therapeutic approaches.
- Using Positive Behaviour Support (PBS) strategies.
- Supporting emotional regulation through sensory-based and grounding techniques.
- Promoting independence with daily routines and household tasks.
- Supporting meal planning, healthy eating and hydration.
- Assisting with shopping and community access.
- Supporting attendance at appointments and meaningful activities.
- Encouraging hobbies, creativity and community participation.
- Respecting communication preferences and adapting your communication style accordingly.
- Prompting and supporting medication in line with care plans.
- Completing accurate electronic care records.
- Working collaboratively with clinicians, mental health professionals and the wider multidisciplinary team.
We're Looking For Someone Who Is
- Compassionate
- Calm under pressure
- Emotionally intelligent
- Patient and understanding
- Non-judgemental
- Creative and flexible
- Highly observant
- Consistent and reliable
- Passionate about improving lives
- Able to build trust over time
- Comfortable working independently
- Committed to safeguarding and professional practice
Experience We'd Love You To Have
- Experience supporting people living with:
- Autism Spectrum Condition
- Complex Mental Health
- Emotional Dysregulation
- Trauma
- Self-injurious behaviours
- Positive Behaviour Support (PBS)
- Trauma-informed care
- Neurodiversity
- Sensory processing differences
- Anxiety disorders
- Selective or situational mutism
- De-escalation techniques
- Crisis prevention
- Community-based support
- Experience with alternative communication methods, including written communication, visual prompts, gestures or technology-assisted communication, would be highly advantageous.
Personal Qualities
The successful applicant will:
- Respect personal boundaries and individual preferences.
- Be comfortable supporting someone who may communicate in different ways depending on their wellbeing.
- Be patient and adaptable when plans need to change.
- Value collaboration over control.
- Understand that consistency and trust are essential.
- Be able to remain professional during challenging situations.
- Demonstrate excellent observational and recording skills.
Desirable Interests
We are particularly interested in applicants who enjoy one or more of the following:
- Nature and outdoor activities
- Arts and crafts
- Creative projects
- Animal welfare
- Environmental sustainability
These interests may help foster meaningful engagement and shared activities.
What We Offer
- Competitive hourly rate
- Induction
- Specialist training
- Ongoing CPD
- Positive Behaviour Support training
- Trauma-informed care training
- Autism specialist training
- Clinical supervision
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Pension Scheme
- Career progression opportunities
- Supportive management team
- Reward and recognition programme
- Company events
- Referral bonus scheme
Shift Patterns
We are recruiting across a variety of shifts including:
- Days
- Evenings
- Sleep-in shifts
- Weekends
Specialist Autism & Mental Health Support Worker UK Driving License in London employer: Unicare Complex Care Specialist Ltd
Unicare Complex Care Specialist is an exceptional employer dedicated to fostering a supportive and inclusive work environment for Mental Health Support Workers across Sussex. With comprehensive training, flexible shift patterns, and a strong emphasis on employee growth, we empower our team to build meaningful relationships with those they support, ensuring a rewarding career in mental health care. Join us to make a real difference in the lives of individuals while enjoying the benefits of a compassionate and resilient community.
Contact Details:
Unicare Complex Care Specialist Ltd Recruitment Team
