Female Support Worker (Maternity Cover)

We are seeking a compassionate and reliable Support Worker to join our team on a maternity leave cover basis, supporting individuals across two residential services.

You will be working with adults with learning disabilities, autism, epilepsy, and acquired brain injury, supporting them to live as independently as possible while ensuring their safety, wellbeing, and personal development.

About the Role

We are looking for a compassionate, resilient, and proactive Female Support Worker to join our team on a fixed-term maternity cover contract, supporting adults with learning disabilities, autism, epilepsy, brain injury, and complex behavioural needs across two services.

This is a rewarding and varied role where no two days are the same. You will support individuals with daily living tasks, promote independence, encourage skill-building, and provide person-centred support tailored to each individuals needs and communication styles.

About the Services

Service 1

Fast-Paced, Flexible Environment

Supporting three female individuals aged 18 to 29 with varying needs including autism, learning disabilities, brain injury, epilepsy, and deafness.

The people we support have a range of communication styles and support needs. Some individuals are semi-independent and require prompting and supervision with daily tasks, while others require full support with daily living activities and continuous 1:1 support.

SUPPORT WITHIN THIS SERVICE MAY INCLUDE:

o Personal care prompting and supervision
o Medication administration, including covert medication
o Supporting communication through gestures and non-verbal cues
o Encouraging independence with household tasks and routines
o Supporting individuals during behaviours that may challenge

This service values flexibility, patience, and the ability to adapt to changing situations.

Service 2

Calm, Routine-Based Environment

Supporting two female individuals aged 51 and 61 with learning disabilities and epilepsy.

One individual is highly independent and mainly requires support with community access and appointments. The other individual requires higher levels of support with personal care, communication, cooking, cleaning, and medication administration.

This service is quieter and slower-paced, with a strong focus on routine, consistency, and promoting independence.

Medication

All medication across both services is considered basic and requires minimal training and competency checks.

Working Pattern

o Rotas released 6 weeks in advance
o Mixture of early, late, sleep-in, and waking night shifts
o Sleep-ins shared across the staff team
o Additional staffing may be required to cover 1:1 support hours depending on service needs and term-time schedules

Service 2 Shift Times:

Morning shift: 7:00am till 2:30pm

Afternoon shift: 2:30pm till 10:00pm

Sleep-in: 10:00pm till 7:00am

Service 1 Shift Times:

Monday to Friday (term time)

Morning shift: 6:30am till 3:00pm

Afternoon shift: 3:00pm till 9:30pm/10:00pm

Sleep-in: 10:00pm till 6:30am

Saturday & Sunday

Morning shift: 7:00am till 2:30pm

Afternoon shift: 2:30pm till 9:30pm/10:00pm

Sleep-in: 10:00pm till 7:00am

Waking Nights:

Sunday and Thursday: 9:30pm till 9:00am

Friday and Saturday: 9:30pm till 7:00am

o Caring, patient, and reliable individuals
o Someone confident supporting a range of needs and behaviours
o Ability to promote independence and build positive relationships
o Flexible and able to work across two different environments
o Good communication and teamwork skills
o Previous care experience is desirable but not essential
o An automatic driving licence is desirable but not essential

Working for Walsingham Support is a fulfilling and rewarding experience for several reasons. Here are some potential benefits of working for the charity:

o SENSE OF PURPOSE: Knowing that your efforts contribute to improving the lives of others, especially those in need, can be highly fulfilling.
o MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Working for Walsingham allows you to actively contribute to positive change and make a tangible impact on the lives of individuals and communities.
o PERSONAL GROWTH: Working for Walsingham can provide numerous opportunities for personal and professional development.
o EMOTIONAL REWARDS: While the work can be emotionally challenging at times, many find the emotional rewards of helping others to be deeply satisfying. Witnessing positive changes in the lives of those the charity serves can be a powerful motivator.
o ALIGNMENT WITH PERSONAL VALUES: If you are passionate about a social care or social issues, working for Walsingham Support will align with your values and allow you to actively contribute to addressing that issue.