Driver & Support Worker for Disability Services in London

Driver/Support Worker Assistant

SALARY: £ per hour

SERVICE TYPE: Children and Adult Social Care

SHIFT PATTERN: Rota base – 24/7 service

REPORTS TO: Senior Support Worker/Deputy Service Manager

Main Job Function

• To work as part of a team of staff to:
• Drive company vehicle: picking and dropping off our clients.
• Provide support to enable service users with a learning disability, mental health, Autism and other complex needs to participate in vocational, recreational, educational and social programmes on and off site, both in a group and on a one-to-one basis.
• Support people to travel to and from community activities and the day service, picking them up from home where necessary and escorting/driving or using public transport.
• Keep appropriate records according to laid down procedures.
• Work on a rota based system, including day and night shifts.

Service User Support

• Drive company vehicle: picking and dropping off our clients from their homes, driving clients to their desired activities as planned.
• Ensure good practice in the care and development of adults with learning disabilities or Autism, including promoting positive attitudes in regards to race, gender, sexuality and disability, age, religion and cultural beliefs, supporting people to overcome difficulties they may have in using community facilities including physical access, prejudice and anxieties of others.
• Ensure that Autism specific needs, behavioural issues, communication needs and other specialist support needs are understood and supported to maximise independence and reduce the likelihood of distress for the individuals you work with.
• Ensure that users (and their belongings) are treated with respect.
• Assist support workers to support people with all aspects of their personal care including meal times, intimate personal care, use of hoists and any other duties that are necessary to ensure people are supported in maintaining their personal hygiene.
• Assist support workers to support people’s general and specialist health needs (such as Autism specific health issues or health issues related to complex health needs), including administering medication by specialist techniques and, where necessary, supporting people to emergency and planned health appointments.
• Pursue agreed strategies to support and alleviate behaviours that present a challenge.
• Learn and use appropriate methods of communication with service users and colleagues.
• Include service users in the decision‑making process and encourage them to express their wishes, exercise informed choice and offer support to service users in areas where they are currently unable to make an informed choice.
• Creatively use resources and facilities in the community, including specialist and mainstream services, offering a variety of activities including new experiences, learning, employment and leisure opportunities.
• Ensure national and local safeguarding procedures (pan‑London safeguarding, No Secrets, whistle‑blowing procedure and so on) are followed to safeguard service users from harm.

Team Work

• Participate in staff meetings, contributing ideas and sharing responsibilities, for example note‑taking and chairing meetings etc.
• Contribute to the development of the service, pursuing specific areas of interest according to the needs of service users and the service.
• Support colleagues in difficult or potentially difficult situations in the workplace.
• Cover colleagues, working in all areas of the service, responding to situations flexibly.

General

• Work flexibly as part of the team; hours may vary, weekend and evening work may be a requirement. Overtime may be required.
• Handle petty cash in accordance with the organisation’s petty cash policies and procedures.
• Ensure the smooth running of the centre so the timetable is carried out consistently.
• Undertake other duties commensurate to the grade of the post.

Additional

• Use and assist others in the use of information technology systems to carry out duties in the most efficient and effective manner.
• Achieve agreed service outcomes and outputs, and personal appraisal targets, as agreed by the line manager.
• Undertake training and constructively take part in meetings, supervision, seminars and other events designed to improve communication and assist in the effective development of the post and Applicant.
• Be committed to the Organisation’s core values of public service, quality, equality and empowerment and demonstrate this commitment in the way you carry out your duties.
• Ensure all the services within the area(s) of responsibility are provided in accordance with the Organisation’s commitment to high‑quality service provision to users.
• Ensure that duties are undertaken with due regard and compliance with the Data Protection Act and other legislation, protecting the confidentiality of personal information and ensuring information is only disclosed to those who have a right or need to know.
• Carry out duties and responsibilities in accordance with the Organisation’s Health and Safety Policy and relevant Health and Safety legislation and report health and safety concerns to the designated officer.
• At all times carry out responsibilities/duties within the framework of the Organisation’s Dignity for all Policy. (Equal Opportunities Policy).

Person Specification

The person specification is a picture of skills, knowledge and experience required to carry out the job. It has been used to draw up the advert and will also be used in the shortlisting and interview process for this post. You should demonstrate on your application form how you meet the following essential criteria:

• Service type: Permanent/FT/PT/Bank
• Section: Adult and Children Service
• Requirement: Education and Experience
• E1: Experienced driver
• E2: Experience of working with people from different racial backgrounds and cultures.
• E3: Academic / vocational / educational qualification e.g., NVQ 2/3, QCF level 4, DipSW or other relevant qualification in adult social care, or a willingness to work towards relevant qualifications.
• Knowledge, skills and ability
• E4: Ability and knowledge of helping to promote the physical, emotional, intellectual and social well‑being of people with learning disabilities and Autism by understanding the impact of disability on a person’s life, considering the barriers people face accessing day opportunities.
• E5: Full UK driving licence.
• E6: Ability to support people to develop Person‑Centred Plans that reflect their aspirations, preferences, choices, religious and cultural identity and personal developmental needs, adapting the service and practice to changing needs etc.
• E7: Ability to communicate and relate effectively with users (who may use communication other than speech or have no formal communication skills) and carers (where English may not be their first language), other professionals and colleagues in order to promote a high‑quality responsive service.
• E8: Ability to work as part of both a small team and larger staff group, respecting the decisions of colleagues and managers and being flexible in order to respond to emergencies, cover colleagues when necessary and to support volunteers to ensure that the programme is delivered on a day‑to‑day basis.
• E9: Ability to understand and implement safeguarding procedures to ensure service users are protected from harm.
• E10: Ability to use computer packages such as Word, Outlook and Excel to monitor user progress, produce reports and carry out any other tasks that require literacy in IT usage.
• E11: Ability to act within Health and Safety requirements including handling medication safely.
• Commitment to equal opportunities
• E12: Ability to adhere to the Organisation’s Dignity for All policy.
• Special requirements
• E13: This role will require you to obtain an Enhanced satisfactory clearance from the Disclosure and Barring Service, formally known as the Criminal Records Bureau (CRB) Disclosure.