Support Worker

Job Title: Support Worker

Job Location: Barnstaple and South Molton

Salary: Between £24,960 - £26,000 based on 40 hours per week, plus potential sleep-in allowance

Contract Type: Permanent

Every child should have the opportunity to go for a day out at Exmoor Zoo. To go to Woolacombe Beach. To have fun at Junglaroo! Barnstaple has so much to offer a child. We make sure the children supported by Phoenix Learning and Care get to experience as many of the great things other children do as possible – But we need your help.

Our children have social and emotional needs related to Autism, ADHD, or Trauma. They need good role models to help them flourish. With your support, we can make that happen. The children will have difficult days and need more help at home, especially if overwhelmed. Your support on those days will make the good days even more special. You’ll really be able to see the positive impact of your relationships as the children grow.

This role is working in one of our small 2-3-bedroom homes based in and around Barnstaple, so you’ll really get to know the team and the children. The children need support 24 hours a day, meaning you’ll be able to work your full week in 2-3 days, which is only 10 shifts per month!

A day in the life of a Support Worker will involve:

• Supporting children to have the best quality of life possible. Whether it be through baking at home, fun days out, or taking them on holiday. You could be doing anything from making sure the children have a healthy diet to going to Quince Honey Farm!
• Ensuring our children are kept safe and their plans are suitable for their needs. We’ll need you to help monitor their development by keeping our systems and records up to date. Don’t worry though, you’ll get all the training you need.

To be a successful Support Worker, you’ll need:

• Patience, compassion, and resilience – The children you support may have experienced trauma, which may have an impact on their behaviour.
• Great communication skills – Both verbal and written communication is important in this role as you’ll be speaking to a lot of different people at different times and need to be able to update the children’s plans.
• A driving licence – Our children love to be out in the community. We need you to be able to drive them to where they need to go. We have the cars, you just need the licence.
• To be flexible – You’ll need to be able to sleep at the home during your shifts. The children need support 24 hours a day. This does mean you’ll be able to work your full week in 2-3 days!
• If you don’t already hold a qualification in residential childcare, we will pay for this. It’s key that you have this within your first 2 years of working in the sector, but you’ll have our support along the way.

In return for your time, you’ll get:

• Holidays – You’ll get 28 days annual leave. You’ll still need to work on bank holidays if the rota requires. You’ll also get an extra day off for your birthday after your first year with us.
• Pension scheme– Our pension scheme is based on you paying in 5%, and us adding 3%.
• Learning & Development Opportunities – We provide comprehensive learning opportunities for team members to develop themselves.
• Discounts – You’ll have access to brilliant discounts through the Blue Light Card and our own employee benefits platform.
• Wellbeing Support – Your wellbeing is always our priority. You’ll have access to mental health and wellbeing support. On top of this, our therapies team offers a monthly confidential check in clinic, and group reflective practice sessions.
• Cycle2Work -The cycle to work scheme enables you to buy a bicycle at a discounted rate.
• DBS – As this role required you to have an enhanced DBS carried out, we will cover this cost.
• Sleep-in Allowance - You have the potential to earn up to an additional £6,183 per year, based on completing 10 sleep-in shifts per month - but these are not guaranteed.
• After 12 months service - You’ll be eligible for our Medicash scheme which covers a wide range of medical, health and wellbeing expenses (Including immediate access to a GP!). You’ll get life assurance paid at 2 x your annual salary, and even more high street discounts.

In line with safer recruitment guidelines, we will run an online check on the successful candidate. This can and may include any public social media profiles.

At Phoenix Learning and Care, we pride ourselves on our diverse workforce, and ensuring we have an inclusive environment for all our team members. We remain committed to ensuring our teams can bring their true selves to work without risk or fear of discrimination.