Senior Practitioner

Advance Housing and Support Ltd; Oxford; On-site; GBP 25,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

A national support services provider is looking for a Senior Practitioner in Oxfordshire to lead and develop support services for vulnerable individuals. This role focuses on providing person-centred care, coaching support workers, and ensuring high standards of practice. Ideal candidates will be proactive, flexible, and have strong communication skills. Benefits include professional development, paid holidays, and a supportive work environment.

Benefits

Paid holiday up to 30 days

Sector-specific training

Access to discounts via Perks at Work

Long service awards

Golden Hello scheme

Cycle to work scheme

Employee Assistance Programme

Free DBS certificate

Career progression opportunities

Pension scheme with contributions

Qualifications

• Flexible, reliable, and proactive.
• Supportive of the customers' goals.
• Willing to learn new skills.
• Work with a person-centred approach.
• Good IT knowledge.
• Good communication skills.
• Able to complete good quality support records.
• Good at working independently and in a team.

Responsibilities

• Oversee support given by support workers.
• Coach and guide team members.
• Review and update support plans.
• Work in partnership with management to develop plans.
• Role in training and development of staff.
• Safeguard health, safety, and welfare of customers.
• Attend meetings to discuss customers' progress.

Job description

Would you like to work somewhere where you get to make a real difference every day?

As a Senior Practitioner, you will work alongside your Support Manager to provide an excellent support service for customers around Oxfordshire. You will support by leading, developing, monitoring, and evaluating support practice in line with Advance policies and procedures, best practice, contractual and regulatory standards.

You will be passionate about ensuring the service delivered is person-centred and supports people to develop their confidence, skills, and independence in their own home and in the local community.

The role of Senior Practitioner will include:

• Overseeing the support given by the support workers and support, coach, guide, and provide practice leadership for the team, including:
• Supporting and observing support workers in their role and ensuring best practice
• Ability to coach team members to deal with behaviours that challenge, to act as a role model for best practice, and encourage a reflective culture
• Ability to work effectively across a range of teams, to include peer group and Multi-Disciplinary, and Specialist Health Teams
• Supporting the review and update of support plans and documents relating to customers
• Work in partnership with the Operations Manager, Support Manager, and Support Workers to develop and implement plans which promote people's communication and support them with making choices and decisions
• Take an active role in the training, coaching, and development of staff on all aspects of Mental Health and person-centred delivery, including the organisation of community of practice groups, training events, and workshops
• You will be alert to and proactive in safeguarding the health, safety, and welfare of customers, yourself, and colleagues based in the scheme and/or assigned area
• Attend meetings where appropriate to discuss customers' progress and plan for future transitions

We would love to hear from you if you are passionate about improving the lives of local, vulnerable people, and we will consider your application even if you don't have previous experience working in care or support. What matters to us is your ability and determination to support people with learning disabilities, and the values you can bring to Advance.

Requirements:

• Are flexible, reliable, and proactive
• Are supportive of the customers' goals to live the lifestyle of their choosing
• Are willing to learn new skills
• Work with a person-centred approach
• Have good IT knowledge
• Have good communication skills
• Able to complete good quality support records
• Good at working on your own and within a team

Although not essential, a driving licence and access to own vehicle are desirable for this role.

About Advance:

Advance is a national, not-for-profit provider of housing and support services for people with disabilities and mental health conditions. Our vision is to transform lives; providing the best quality housing and support services so that people can live the lives they choose, achieve their personal goals, feel valued, and know their voices are heard.

We recognise that our people are our greatest asset and we're passionate about making Advance a great place to work. We invest in our staff, providing the training and support you need to succeed in your role, gain industry-recognised qualifications, and realise your career aspirations.

We are an equal opportunities employer who values its staff and the difference they make to their customers. There is no place for racism or discrimination of any kind in Advance. As an organisation, we will not tolerate it. We are firmly committed to recruiting the best colleagues regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation and to supporting customers from similarly diverse backgrounds.

Benefits of working for Advance:

• Paid holiday (from 25 days up to 30 days with long service in addition to bank holidays, pro rata for part-time hours)
• Sector-specific training is provided as part of induction plus opportunities for professional development
• Access to Perks at Work where you can obtain great discounts on cinema tickets, shopping vouchers, and much more
• Long service awards payable in 5-year increments
• Golden Hello/refer a friend receive up to £500
• Cycle to work scheme
• Access to our Employee Assistance Programme
• Free DBS (Disclosures and Barring Service)
• Excellent opportunities to progress your career within Advance
• Enrolment in a pension scheme with matched contributions above the statutory minimum (if you work enough hours to meet the threshold for enrolment)