Female Personal Assistant

Penderels Trust; West Midlands; On-site; GBP 14,000 - 21,000; Part time

Job summary

Penderels Trust is seeking a compassionate PA to provide daytime 1:1 support for an autistic adult at home and in the community in the West Midlands. You will help with daily activities, personal care, meals, and sensory management, while upholding privacy and dignity.

Clear communication and patience are essential to build trust and ensure wellbeing. The role requires calm, supportive interaction, ability to recognise anxiety, and to respond with warmth and understanding.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting autistic adults and people with learning disabilities.
• Patient, kind, calm and reassuring.
• Ability to follow routines and provide low-arousal support.

Responsibilities

• Provide 1:1 support at home and in the community to help stay safe and enjoy activities.
• Support with everyday life including personal care, meals, temperature and sensory environment.
• Complete a daily WhatsApp handover to family with mood, activities, food and money records.

Skills

Autism awareness

Patience

Reliability

Clear communication

Job description

Hi, I am 31 years old, autistic and have a learning disability. I’m a vulnerable adult and need full 1:1 support at home and in the community to help me stay safe, comfortable and enjoy the things I love.

I’m funny, kind and I love life! I absolutely love music, especially the Pussycat Dolls, Spice Girls, Sugababes, The Saturdays, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry. I also love printing and organising pictures of girl groups, nice clothes, make-up and having my hair done.

I enjoy quieter outings such as Wetherspoon breakfasts, Costa for cake and a drink, Imbala Indian Sweet Centre in Boldmere and our local carvery. I need someone to support me when I’m out so I can enjoy these things safely and comfortably.

I have experienced bullying in the past, and sometimes difficult memories can come up for me. When this happens, I need someone who is patient, kind, calm and reassuring, who will listen to me and help me feel safe.

The Person I’m Looking For

I’m looking for a PA who really understands autism, including sensory needs, vulnerability and how important routine, consistency and predictability are to me.

PA support will be during the day during the week during term time.

My Ideal PA Will Be

• Kind, patient, reliable and compassionate.
• Experienced in supporting autistic adults and people with learning disabilities.
• Confident using a low-arousal and low-demand approach.
• Neuro-affirming, respectful and non-judgemental.
• Able to recognise when I’m becoming anxious, overwhelmed, or overstimulated.
• Comfortable giving me extra time, reassurance, or space when I need it.
• Someone who understands that my behaviour and communication may be different and will always respond with patience and understanding.

My PA Will Support Me With Everyday Life, Including

• Personal care while maintaining my privacy, dignity, and independence, including prompts with hand washing, blowing my nose, staying clean and toileting, I only need to be prompted toilet, I can use the toilet independently but need reminding and promoting to go because my interoception sense differences and not feeling the sensations in my body.
• Food and drinks, including prompts and support with eating.
• Keeping comfortable and helping me manage my temperature and sensory environment.
• Enjoying my interests, including music, pictures, clothes, make-up and having my hair done.
• Respecting my need for quiet time and personal space without putting pressure on me.
• Listening to me and validating my feelings and experiences.

Supporting Me Out in The Community

• Choosing quieter places and times to reduce sensory overwhelm.
• Supporting me with meals out, including ordering food, cutting food, and using simple, clear communication.
• Support me with the social side of being out.
• Recognising signs of anxiety, sensory overload or becoming too hot and using my agreed strategies to help me feel calm.
• Staying close to me when needed, including arm-linking for safety.
• Support with managing my money when we are out, including payments, receipts, and accurate spending records in line with my family's procedures.

Communication & Family Handover

Please communicate with me in a friendly, clear, and simple way. I find it helpful when you speak clearly, face me, keep language concise and give me time to process information.

If I repeat myself, talk to myself or want to talk about difficult experiences from my past, please be patient and listen. Never dismiss, rush, or invalidate my feelings.

My PA will also need to complete a daily WhatsApp handover to my family, including my mood, activities, food and drinks, toileting prompts, any incidents, and money spent.

Brief daily notes, accurate money records, and receipts will also be required. Confidentiality, professional boundaries, and safeguarding are essential.

Most Importantly…

I want someone who will get to know me, understand me, and see me as a whole person — not just my disabilities.

I need someone who will respect my individuality, understand what makes me happy, build my trust and support me to have a safe, happy, meaningful, and fulfilling life.

If you are warm, dependable, patient and genuinely understand autism, you could be the person I’m looking for.

Previous experience supporting autistic adults and people with learning disabilities is essential.

The individuals needs may vary from day to day and your tasks may reflect this. You could be required to perform other duties as reasonably required.

You have a responsibility as an employee to report all accidents to the employer immediately. You have a duty to report defects and / or hazards which may give rise to an accident. You are to ensure the safety of the individual at all times.

Due to the nature of the work for which you are applying, this post is subject to a satisfactory DBS disclosure (costs will be covered).

Transport Requirement

Car driver and car owner – must have or be willing to get business insurance

Hourly Rate of pay: £12.71ph

Hours per week: 18.5hrs-Term-time only - Tuesdays: 9:00am – 2:00pm - Wednesdays & Thursdays: 9:00am – 3:30pm