Job Title: Social Care Assistant
Reports to: House Coordinator & Person in Charge
Location: Gorey, Co. Wexford
Salary: €35,582 - €44,057 per annum (DOE)

Gi Group are delighted to be recruiting for enthusiastic Social Care Assistants to join our client in Gorey, Co. Wexford. Our client is a non-profit comprising of a national network of inclusive communities supporting people with intellectual disabilities and diverse support needs to live meaningful, connected, and empowered lives.

Purpose of Role
The Social Care Assistant will be required to take an active part in ensuring that the day-to-day operations of the Service reflect the ethos and vision of our client and that all co-workers are meeting the needs of the individuals who are supported by the services therein.
The person appointed will be part of a day and residential support team who will work intensively with individuals to discover what will constitute a good life for the individual and to establish what supports the individual will need to achieve their goals. In order to do this, there is a requirement that the post holder will work in partnership with the social care team and important people in the individual’s life. A high degree of flexibility is required as the timing and location of the supports provided will be dictated by the individual’s plan.
The person appointed should have the ability to participate proactively as a member of a team and contribute positively to the ongoing development of effective teamwork.
This job description describes the roles and responsibilities as currently envisaged. These may change over time in the light of changing circumstances or developments within the national disability sector programme.
Benefits

• Extremely rewarding work
• Competitive Remuneration
• Permanent Contract
• Flexible Working Hours
• 22 Days of Annual Leave

Qualification

• QQI Level 5 Major Award on the QQI Framework or higher in Community /Healthcare or equivalent relevant qualification in Health or Social Care.
• Candidates must possess the competencies and skills appropriate to working with persons with an intellectual disability.

Duties & Responsibilities
The Social Care Assistant shall be responsible for the following:
A) Advocacy & Rights

• Respect each person who uses the services as an equal citizen.
• Uphold and respect the human, legal and constitutional rights of each person who uses the service, recognising their individuality and equality, and empowering them to grow, thereby achieving the highest possible level of personal autonomy.
• Facilitate, encourage and develop the choice and decision-making skills of people who use the services.
• Facilitate, encourage and develop the self-advocacy skills of and opportunities for involvement in advocacy for people who use services.
• Enable each individual supported by the services to pursue and maintain their individual hobbies and interests.
• Foster, encourage and develop the self-help and social skills of each individual supported by the services so as to achieve the greatest degree of autonomy possible.
• Facilitate each individual supported by the services to actively participate and integrate into the community, through the use of generic community facilities.

B) Person Centred Support for Living

• Ensure a person centred approach to service delivery.
• In the context of the individual person centred plans, support people who use the service with aspects of individual and group service responses including:
• Assist with fostering, encouraging and developing each individual supported by the services’ self-care skills, particularly in relation to personal hygiene, health matters and care for their personal appearance.
• Support the individual by ensuring appropriate:
  • Physical support – moving and handling, fire safety, cleaning, laundry, infection control, mobility and communication needs.
  • Personal care – dressing, bathing, toileting, assistance with eating, sleeping support, skins care, first aid and health promotion.
• Attend all medical appointments as required.
• Ensure a healthy and nutritious diet is offered and takes individual choice into account.
• Encourage and promote each person’s full participation in their home while at the same time ensuring that their home and its environs are maintained to acceptable standards where each resident has access to comprehensive, person-centred and holistic personal support.
• In consultation with the individual implement person centred plans and ensure that the needs identified are appropriately addressed and participate in resident reviews as required.
• Achieve competency in driving the centre transport and participate in transport duties as required. This may necessitate flexible starting and finishing times.
• As a full team member to accept delegated responsibility for the physical and emotional well-being as well as the personal hygiene of the individuals supported by the service.
• Participate and assist with the organisation of centre outings.

C) Management and Leadership

• Be responsible for the physical and emotional well-being of individuals supported by the services.
• Be responsible for the safe use and care of equipment and report faulty equipment etc., as it arises.
• Contribute actively to the team while providing consistent and quality support for vulnerable adults.
• Be familiar with and ensure that policies, procedures and codes of practice of the services are adhered to.
• Ensure that all records in relation to individuals supported by the services are up to date, correctly filed and managed as per the service’s records management system.
• Ensure that all reports, timesheets and financial statements are accurate, completed and returned on time.
• Maintain complete and accurate records for each person to include the personal needs assessments, risk assessments, incidents and notifiable events, file notes, communication plans, behavioural management support, health action plans, medication management and financial records.
• Ensure immediate and accurate reporting of all matters of concern to the Person in Charge
• Report all accident/incidents and take appropriate action.
• Utilise efficiently the transport services available to the service area and advise the appropriate staff on transport needs.

D) Money and Budgets

• Ensure that all petty cash and the personal monies of the individuals supported by the services are properly accounted for in line with relevant policies and procedures.
• Be responsible for maintaining a petty cash float, keeping relevant records and ensuring that accounts are checked and balanced.
• Ensure that goods and services received are prudently used for purposes intended.
• Assist the Social Care Worker/House Coordinator in the preparation and monitoring of budgets.
• Ensure the house accounts, which include custody of monies, managing income and expenditure, petty cash and individuals’ personal monies are balanced and checked at the end of each shifts. At the end of each month these records, having been double checked and correct are submitted to the services office for processing.

E) Communication

• Attend and participate fully in regular staff meetings where all aspects of the service area are discussed with a view to maintaining high standards.
• Promote open communication among staff and good levels of staff morale.
• Co-operate and develop and maintain effective working relationships with:
  • Individuals supported by the services and their families
  • All other staff involved in the provision of both residential and day services
  • Families, visitors, volunteers and other such personnel who visit
• Operate effectively as a member of the team in promoting the best interests of the individuals in the service area.
• Encourage families to develop their involvement in the ongoing development of the person.
• Report all matters of concern immediately to the House Coordinator/PIC.
• Attend and participate fully in meetings as required and record meetings in line with agreed procedures.
• Actively participate in developing and maintaining good relationships with residents and community organisations.
• Actively participate and help to maintain good relationships between each person who uses services, their families and volunteers.

F) Training and Development

• Be informed of current developments in services for people with intellectual disabilities e.g. Person Centred Planning, Personal Outcome Measures, New Directions, Supported Self Directed Living.
• Attend and contribute appropriately at courses and meetings as required and share information and knowledge gained with colleagues.
• Be responsible for identifying personal training and development needs and communicating them to the line manager.
• Attend mandatory training courses and achieve required standard.

G) Health and Safety

• Be conscious of health and safety matters in the workplace and in particular to comply with employees’ obligations as set out in the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 and to ensure that the procedures set out in the Safety Statement are implemented at all times.
• Be competent in managing infection control throughout all areas of work and following appropriate SOP as required.
• Carry out regular safety audits and fire drills.
• Be conversant with existing fire regulations and emergency procedures and participate in the implementation of same. Make people who use services aware, in so far as possible, of Fire Drill procedures.
• Ensure equipment is properly operated and maintained.
• Report accidents/irregularities or other matters of safety concern to the House Coordinator or in their absence to the PIC
• Identify risk, assess and document appropriately.
• Comply with and contribute to the development of policies, procedures, guidelines and safe professional practice and adhere to relevant legislation, regulations and standards.

Flexibility
This job description is not exhaustive and there may be times you will be required to undertake other duties to meet the needs of residents within the Community. We offer a continuous care and welfare support, 365 days per year to the people who live in the network. This post requires you to work flexibly, and will include working evenings, weekends and sleepover/waking night duties when required.
In order to respond appropriately, employees are required to have a high level of flexibility and a willingness and ability to develop new approaches to their work. Duties, responsibilities and rosters of work are likely to change to enable us be person focused and therefore employees will be required to carry out such other duties appropriate to their employment as may be assigned to them.
The above Job Description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all duties involved and consequently, the post holder may be required to perform other duties as appropriate to the post which may be assigned to him/her from time to time and to contribute to the development of the post while in office.

KSGalway

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Gi Group Holdings Recruitment Limited group of companies includes Gi Recruitment Limited, Draefern Limited, Gi Group Recruitment Ltd, INTOO (UK) Limited, Marks Sattin (UK) Limited, TACK TMI UK Limited, Grafton Professional Staffing Limited, Encore Personnel Services, Gi Group Ireland Limited and Kelly Services (UK) Ltd. Gi Group Ireland Limited are acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this role.

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