Personal Care Assistant / Support Worker

UKCIL Ltd; Ospringe; On-site; GBP 12,398 - 17,908; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid holiday

Pension benefits

Mileage reimbursement

Training opportunities

Flexible hours

Impactful work

Job summary

UKCIL Ltd in Faversham is seeking a part-time Personal Assistant to support a young adult with autism and anxiety. You will provide practical support, companionship and help with daily activities, education and community participation.

There is no personal care; driving licence and vehicle access preferred. Hours: up to 16 per week term time and up to 30 per week non-term time, with some evenings or weekends.

Qualifications

• Essential: experience supporting autistic people or with mental health needs.
• Essential: ability to build trusting relationships and learn individual needs.
• Desirable: ASD-related training or first aid.

Responsibilities

• Support the young adult to prepare for activities and participate in them.
• Assist attendance at educational, therapeutic and social activities.
• Drive to appointments and places of interest.
• Support access to the local community and independent living skills.
• Help plan meals and household tasks.
• Provide calm support during anxiety and follow agreed plans.
• Build a trusting, respectful working relationship.

Skills

Excellent communication

Calm under pressure

Independent / initiative

Reliable and flexible

Interpersonal skills

Job description

Personal Assistant / Support Worker P/T in Faversham - Faversham - ME13

Personal Assistant / Support Worker – Part-time position

Hours

Up to 16 hours per week during term time and up to 30 hours per week during non-term time.

The available hours are likely to be divided between two or three Personal Assistants, so applicants interested in a smaller number of regular hours are welcome.

The working pattern will be agreed with the successful applicants and may include some daytime, evening and occasional weekend work.

Rate of pay

Hourly rate to be confirmed, subject to the local authority-funded rate, plus agreed expenses.

Paid holiday entitlement, pension contributions where eligible, and training and development opportunities are provided.

Location

Based in Dunkirk, near Faversham, with activities taking place locally and in the surrounding area.

Outline of the role

We are looking for a calm, reliable and supportive Personal Assistant to work with a young adult with autism who also experiences significant anxiety and mental health difficulties.

The role is to provide practical support, companionship and encouragement, helping him to participate in educational, therapeutic, social and community activities and to develop greater confidence and independence.

No personal care is required.

Main responsibilities

• Supporting the young adult to prepare for and participate in activities in and outside the home.
• Supporting him to attend educational, therapeutic and social activities.
• Driving him to and from appointments, activities and places of interest.
• Supporting him to access the local community, including shops, cafés, clubs, leisure activities and public places.
• Helping him to develop independent-living skills, including cooking, shopping, using public transport, budgeting and managing daily routines.
• Supporting with planning and preparing healthy meals.
• Assisting with appropriate household tasks, including shopping, laundry, cleaning and general organisation.
• Helping him to plan and structure his time.
• Supporting him to take gradual steps towards greater confidence and independence.
• Providing calm and appropriate support during periods of heightened anxiety, following agreed plans and guidance.
• Building a consistent, trusting and respectful working relationship.

This is not an exhaustive list. The successful applicant may be asked to undertake other similar and reasonable tasks relating to the role.

Qualifications and experience

Essential

• Relevant experience of supporting autistic people, people with additional needs or people experiencing mental health difficulties. This may have been gained through paid employment, voluntary work or personal experience.
• Experience of building positive and trusting relationships.
• Willingness to learn about the young adult’s individual needs, communication preferences and support strategies.
• Willingness to undertake relevant training.

Desirable

• Experience or training relating to autism, anxiety, OCD or mental health.
• Experience of supporting young adults to develop independent-living skills.
• Experience of person-centred, therapeutic or trauma-informed approaches.
• First-aid qualification.
• Basic food-hygiene training.

Formal care qualifications are helpful but are not essential where the applicant has suitable experience, personal qualities and a willingness to undertake training.

Skills, abilities and knowledge

Essential

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to remain calm and provide appropriate support during periods of heightened anxiety, following agreed plans and guidance.
• Ability to work patiently and at the individual’s pace.
• Ability to encourage independence without being overly directive or confrontational.
• Ability to work independently and use initiative while respecting agreed boundaries.
• Ability to support with practical household tasks and prepare healthy meals.
• Ability to communicate appropriately with family members and other professionals involved in the young adult’s support.
• Good judgement, reliability and a responsible approach to the role.

Desirable

• Understanding of autism and how anxiety can affect communication and participation.
• Ability to support the expression of a range of emotions in a calm and accepting way.
• Ability to build a trusting and supportive working relationship.
• Awareness of safeguarding, confidentiality and professional boundaries.

Personal qualities

We are looking for someone who is:

• Calm, patient and kind.
• Reliable and consistent.
• Respectful and non-judgemental.
• Non-directive and non-confrontational in their approach.
• Able to provide encouragement without applying pressure.
• Flexible and adaptable.
• Comfortable supporting someone who may need time to build trust.
• Committed to improving the lives and independence of people with autism and mental health difficulties.
• Able to bring an appropriate sense of humour to the role.

Additional requirements

• A full driving licence.
• Access to a reliable vehicle with appropriate business-use insurance.
• Agreed mileage and expenses will be reimbursed.
• The successful applicant will be required to complete an enhanced DBS check.
• Suitable references will be required.
• Applicants must have the right to work in the UK.

Working pattern

Up to 16 hours per week during term time and up to 30 hours per week during non-term time are available across the support team.

The hours are likely to be divided between two or three Personal Assistants. Applicants seeking a smaller number of regular weekly hours are therefore welcome to apply.

The exact days and hours will be discussed with shortlisted applicants and agreed according to the young adult’s support needs and the availability of the successful candidates.

Some flexibility will be required, and the role may include occasional evening or weekend work by prior agreement.

Benefits

• Paid holiday entitlement.
• Pension contributions where eligible.
• Reimbursement of agreed mileage and expenses.
• Relevant training and development opportunities.
• Flexible and regular hours.
• The opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to a young adult’s confidence, wellbeing and independence.

(Note: This version excludes application instructions in line with refinement guidelines.)