Senior Support Worker

Teaching Personnel; Horsham; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

Teaching Personnel in Horsham is recruiting a senior support worker to lead shifts in the absence of the team leader and support children and young people with learning disabilities and complex needs to live independent and connected lives.

You will work directly with individuals, ensure medication is administered safely, uphold safeguarding policies, and collaborate with families and professionals to deliver person-centred plans that promote wellbeing and inclusion.

Responsibilities

• Leading shifts with confidence and a people-first approach, acting as a reliable point of contact for the team and for the young people.
• Administering medication in line with individual care plans and policy, handling this responsibility accurately.
• Supporting young people to build independence, self-awareness and confidence in their own lives.
• Ensuring personal care is delivered with dignity, sensitivity and respect according to each care plan.
• Helping young people engage with community resources and social inclusion.
• Contributing to person-centred plan development and regular goal review.
• Supporting young people to grow social networks, friendships and community connections.
• Guiding transitions with care, patience and professional skill.
• Attending reviews and multi-disciplinary meetings as an advocate for the young people.
• Working with care managers, families, carers and professionals to ensure the best outcomes.
• Upholding safeguarding, child protection and whistleblowing policies as a foundation of practice.

Job description

This is a role for someone who leads from the heart, and knows exactly what they're doing.

Teaching Personnel is proud to be recruiting on behalf of a specialist provider of care and education for children and young people in Horsham. We're looking for a senior support worker who is ready to step into a position of real responsibility, bringing both professional expertise and genuine human warmth to a role that makes a tangible difference in the lives of some of the most vulnerable young people in our community.

This is not a role where you clock in, follow instructions and clock out. It's a role where your values, your initiative and your ability to connect with young people on a human level are just as important as your experience and qualifications. The young people in this service need consistency, compassion and the kind of quiet leadership that makes them feel genuinely safe and supported - and that's exactly what we're looking for in the person who fills this post.

The role in a nutshell

As a senior support worker, you will step up to lead shifts in the absence of the team leader, acting as the go-to person for your colleagues and the young people in the home. You will work directly with children and young people who have learning disabilities and complex needs, supporting them to live fulfilling, independent and connected lives in line with their individual care plans. Every day will be different. Every interaction will matter.

What you'll be doing

• Leading shifts with confidence, professionalism and a people-first approach, acting as a reliable and positive point of contact for your team and the young people in the service.
• Administering medication in line with individual care plans and medication policy, taking this responsibility seriously and accurately at all times.
• Supporting young people to make their own decisions and choices - helping them build independence, self-awareness and confidence in their own voice and their own lives.
• Ensuring personal care is carried out with the highest standards of dignity, sensitivity and respect, always following each individual's care plan and preferences.
• Helping young people play an active and meaningful role in their community, accessing local facilities and resources in the spirit of genuine social inclusion.
• Contributing to the development and review of person centred plans, making sure every young person's goals are meaningful, achievable and regularly updated.
• Supporting young people to grow their social networks, build friendships and develop the connections that make life richer and more fulfilling.
• Guiding young people through transitions with care, patience and professional skill.
• Attending and contributing to reviews and multi-disciplinary meetings, acting as an informed and committed advocate for the young people in your care.
• Working in partnership with care managers, families, carers and a wide range of professionals to ensure the very best quality of life for every individual.
• Upholding safeguarding, child protection and whistleblowing policies at all times - keeping every young person in the service safe is the non‑negotiable foundation of everything you do.
• Maintaining accurate recor