Adults Senior Social Care Assistant

Surrey County Council; Woking; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 39,000; Full time

Job summary

A local government authority in Woking is hiring a Senior Social Care Assistant to support vulnerable adults and their families. You will be the first point of contact for assessments, working with a dedicated team to ensure the safety and independence of individuals. This role requires empathy, adaptability, and a strong understanding of the Care Act legislation. The position offers a starting salary of £33,552 and various employee benefits.

Benefits

26 days holiday (pro-rated for part time)

Employee Assistance Programme

Generous local government pension

Lifestyle discounts

Learning and development resources

Qualifications

• Experience with residents with physical and cognitive needs.
• Ability to conduct strength-based assessments and home visits.
• Valid UK driving license and access to a vehicle.

Responsibilities

• Gather initial information to assess needs.
• Work with individuals and service providers to arrange services.
• Support vulnerable adults and their families.

Skills

Empathy

Communication skills

Adaptability

Knowledge of Care Act

Job description

About the Team

We are a caring and committed team, made up of a variety of roles and backgrounds, serving residents who need care and support and who may have physical disabilities, illness, or sensory impairments. The Team works closely with carers, family members and partner organisations to enable residents to live their best possible life, ensuring that no one is left behind. We are committed to ensuring carers and family members feel supported, given the vital role they perform in the life of those who matter most to them. You will be well supported with regular supervision, management support as well as peer-to-peer learning and support. You will work within a fantastic team that works closely with our Health, Police and Children\'s Social Care colleagues and providers of care across Surrey, enabling a positive and collaborative approach to our work. We are committed to learning and development at both an individual and team level.

About the Role

As a Senior Social Care Assistant at Surrey, you will often be the first point of contact between the public and the service, gathering initial information and determining the need for further assessment as well as signposting people to other services. You will work in partnership with individuals, their carers, professional staff in other agencies and service providers to support vulnerable adults and their families. Your role will be pivotal in identifying and arranging services that cater to their needs, fostering independence, choice and control. This is an exciting opportunity to make a meaningful impact by helping people to fully realise their potential for independence and ensuring vulnerable adults across Surrey have access to support and planning to ensure their protection from harm. Surrey MASH for Adults is our referral point for adult safeguarding concerns, and our MASH team leads our initial response to those concerns. Information is gathered from relevant parties to inform the S42 decision as to whether an Adult Safeguarding Enquiry is needed and then inform what that Enquiry should look like. We also undertake some Enquiry work and hope to increase our role in this moving forward. We work closely with Police, Health and Children\'s services colleagues and are continually striving to increase and strengthen networks which benefit adults at risk in Surrey. We have a strong focus of remaining reflective on the way in which we operate, and to adjust the way we work to provide the best service possible for residents, to ensure necessary protective measures are in place and that individuals are supported with a personalised service to support their needs, and also to respond to changing needs of our professional partners.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will clearly evidence the following:

• The ability to empathise with, and show compassion towards, individuals in need of social care assistance.
• Experience of working with residents with a variety of physical and cognitive social care needs, including strength-based assessments, home visits, and support plans.
• Working knowledge of the Care Act legislation and how it impacts the work we do.
• The ability to independently take the initiative and adapt to shifting priorities in a dynamic environment.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to convey information clearly, concisely, and respectfully, both verbally and in writing.
• Surrey has both urban and rural areas and locality based social care workers will be expected to have a valid driving licence to drive in the UK and access to a vehicle and be willing to travel across a wide geographical area.

Reasonable adjustments where needed will be made for successful applicants who have a disability or long-term health condition to enable them to fulfil the requirements of the job.

Application Process

As part of your application you will be asked to upload your CV and answer the following application questions:

• Looking at our advert, and considering the Council\'s commitment to ensuring that "no one is left behind", please tell us what it is about the role that has motivated you to apply?
• Please tell us about the relevant experience or transferable skills you have that you can bring to this role?
• What three qualities do you have that would make you a good Senior Social Care Assistant and how do these qualities support Surrey County Council\'s culture of collaboration, inclusivity, and adaptability?

Currently, Surrey has a two-tier council system, with 11 district and borough councils and a county council, all responsible for different services. All these councils will be reorganised into a smaller number of new unitary councils which will come into effect in April 2027. At that point, this role will be transferred, with all existing terms and conditions intact into one of the new unitary councils. Join our dynamic team and shape the future of local government. Make a lasting impact with innovative solutions and improved services for our community. Help us build a brighter future for our residents!

We Behaviours

The Surrey Way behaviours are a guide that supports our council to work together effectively and deliver our best for our customers and communities, and for each other. Discover more about our behaviours and culture at Surrey.

Description

We are committed to the development of our workforce. This position is only available to applicants who already work for Surrey County Council. We thank you for your interest in our roles and would encourage you to review our vacancies which are open to all.

The starting salary for this role is £33,552 per annum based on a 36 hour working week. We are hiring a Senior Social Care Assistant to join our fantastic Adults Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH). The team is based in Victoria Gate, Woking.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days\' holiday (pro-rated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years\' service and 31 days after 5 years\' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer\'s leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

Shazia Sadiq, Senior Social Care Assistant: "Wellbeing is at the heart of our team, it\'s not just about safeguarding our residents but also protecting us as staff and making sure our personal health and wellbeing is maintained. I work in a very supportive team. My managers and colleagues have always been so supportive and understanding."

Sharon Bothwell, Senior Social Care Assistant: "I love the people I work with. We\'re always very professional but there\'s always a bit of banter, we can be light-hearted which makes the work that little bit easier. There\'s always somebody to call on and everyone is so approachable."