Senior Support Worker

Autism; Great Harwood; Hybrid; GBP 24,000 - 30,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension – Auto-enrolled

Annual Leave – 33 days incl. holidays

Training – autism training

Staff discounts

Private healthcare

Life assurance – 2x salary

24-hour EAP

Mindfulness – Headspace access

Blue Light Card

Sleep-in & on-call payments

Refer a Friend £200

Job summary

The National Autistic Society is seeking a Senior Support Worker for Merlewood House in Great Harwood, Lancashire. You will provide person-centred support and mentor colleagues to ensure safe, dignified care while promoting independence for autistic adults with complex needs.

Roles include shift planning, relationship-building with families and professionals, and delivering flexible, high-quality services across evenings and weekends. DBS check required; driving licence preferred.

Qualifications

• Experience supporting people with disabilities, including autistic individuals.
• Knowledge of safeguarding and relevant legislative frameworks.
• Strong communication and teamwork skills.
• Positive role model with strong organisational abilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-quality, person-centred support, ensuring safety, dignity and wellbeing.
• Mentor and supervise staff, plan shifts and support service operations.
• Build relationships with individuals, families and professionals to promote inclusion.
• Support active community participation and independence for people served.
• Adapt to changing needs with flexibility for evenings and weekends.

Skills

Disability support

Autism knowledge

Safeguarding

Teamwork

Job description

# Senior Support Worker## Job Introduction**The National Autistic Society is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all children and adults who use our services. Successful applicants will be required to complete the relevant safeguarding checks.****Join Us as a Senior Support Worker** The National Autistic Society helps create a world that works for autistic people, and we have a rewarding opportunity for a Senior Support Worker at Merlewood House. If you share our values and want to make a difference, we’d love to hear from you.Visit our website to find out more about who we are: https://www.autism.org.uk/**About the Service** Merlewood House in Great Harwood Lancashire, is a specialist residential service for autistic adults and additional learning disabilities or other complex needs. The people who live here receive expert support from our staff to enable them to live happy and fulfilled lives, to develop the skills that are most important to them and to access what they most enjoy in their local community.**About the Role** As a Senior Support Worker, you’ll play a key part in empowering autistic people to live fulfilling, independent lives. You’ll provide skilled, person‐centred support while helping to guide and mentor colleagues across the service. This is a hands-on role where every day brings opportunities to make meaningful, positive change.**What You’ll Do*** Provide high‐quality, person‐centred support, ensuring safety, dignity and wellbeing while helping individuals achieve their goals.* Mentor and support staff, taking responsibility for shift planning, supervising team members and contributing to the smooth running of the service.* Build strong relationships with individuals, families, and external professionals, championing inclusion and community participation.**What We’re Looking For*** Experience supporting people with disabilities, including autistic people, with strong communication and teamwork skills.* Knowledge of autism, safeguarding, and relevant legislative or regulatory frameworks, with the ability to work proactively and independently.* A positive role model with strong organisational skills, able to support staff development and adapt to changing priorities.Click here for the Job DescriptionThis advert is for a full-time position at 37 Hours per week.Your working pattern in this role will require flexibility to meet the needs of the people supported and their families and will include evening and weekend working.Possession of a driving licence (minimum one year) is preferred.**What we can offer you*** Pension – Auto-enrolled pension scheme.* Annual Leave – 33 days (including public holidays). You can buy or sell leave each year.* Training – Great induction and training, including autism training.* Discounts – Online staff discount scheme for shopping, cycling, tech, and more (e.g., Asda, Tesco, Nike, Apple).* Healthcare – Cash plan for permanent staff.* Life Assurance – 2x your base salary.* Flexible Benefits – Options like private health, dental insurance, holiday trading, enhanced pension.* Support – 24-hour Employee Assistance Programme and counselling.* Mindfulness – Free Headspace app for you and up to 3 family/friends.* Blue Light Card – Eligibility for discounts.* Extra Pay – Enhanced overtime, plus payments for sleep-in and on-call (if applicable to the role).* Refer a Friend – Get £200 when you refer someone.**About our application process**When you write your supporting statement:* Look at the job description and person specification.* Tell us how your skills and experience match the role.* Give examples if you can.We might close this job advert early if we get lots of suitable applications.**To protect our autistic adults at the National Autistic Society, all staff are required to have a criminal background check. Possession of an Enhanced DBS Check either on the Update Service or conducted within the last 12 months would be preferable but not essential.***Applications for this job are sought from anyone who is suitably qualified and experienced for the role but particularly welcome from autistic people.**We are an equal opportunities employer and part of the Disability Confident Employer scheme.***Important Information**Agencies need not apply.Please note the National Autistic Society are unable to provide sponsorship for Visas.**The National Autistic Society may use artificial intelligence (AI) to assist our recruitment team with reviewing applications for this role. All application decisions are made by people and are not determined automatically by AI.**Apply+−Leaflet | OpenStreetMap contributors### Senior Support Worker* **Salary** £26,839.80* **Frequency** Annual* **Job Reference** nationalautisticsociety/TP/1646/567* **Contract Type** Permanent - Full Time* **Closing Date** 21 October, 2026* **Job Category** Non Applicable* **Location** Lancashire, United Kingdom* **Posted on** 21 September, 2026