Relief Support Practitioner – Dalry Part Time

Relief – Variable, as required hours per week

Main Function

All those employed within the CrossReach Children andamp; Family Services will, with a commitment to our Christian values, work as part of a holistic team to deliver a service that ensures that the needs of the children, young people and their families that we support, are fully met. You will be expected to work to the highest professional standards of those working within the Children’s workforce and adhere to professional codes of practice of SSSC, GTCS and other relevant professional bodies; ensuring that the aims and objectives of CrossReach and those specific to Children andamp; Family Services and the section within which you are based are met

All adults within our services, regardless of specific job remit andamp; role, have a responsibility to promote a Therapeutic Environment and contribute to the Relational Health of children and young people in our services and have an understanding of how their role contributes. The following values and attributes are applicable to all those employed within Children andamp; Family services and not solely to those whose primary role is to support the direct care and education of children and young people.

In undertaking your role you will be expected to demonstrate, from an asset/strengths based approach the following core principles

Inclusion: Understanding that our role is to ‘include’ those who, for whatever reason, have been ‘excluded’ from the mainstream of our society through

1. 1. Including Children, young people and families in decisions that affect their lives
   2. Listening to Children and Young People and to giving them opportunities to be accepted, understood and to give them a life free of stigma across all communities in Scotland.
   3. Using positive experiences and strengths to overcome the difficulties and barriers faced by Children and Young People
   4. Taking an active role to ensure that everyone is included within their immediate and wider community

Relational Health: understanding the impact of our relationships and interactions with those around us, including

1. 1. The impact that past experiences have on how individuals understand themselves and the world around them
   2. Understanding that our role is to provide positive experiences which can start to heal past harm and build trust through positive and genuine relationships with children, young people and their families
   3. Being mindful in all our interactions of language used – both words and tone; body language of stance andamp; facial expression and how this may be perceived by others, based on their past experiences
   4. Being aware that your own past experiences has had an impact on who you are

Advocating: Understanding that our role is to ensure that all needs are met

1. 1. Explaining all decisions that affect individuals as well as the implications of these decisions in a way that they are able to understand.
   2. Being aware of who else and what other agencies can support individuals to have their needs met
   3. Supporting children, young people and their families to be able to communicate and express their emotions, feelings and needs in a constructive approach

The above core attributes takes cognisance of CrossReach Values

• CrossReach Children andamp; Families Services Values andamp; Ethos statement
• Getting It Right For Every Child
• Curriculum for Excellence
• Common Core of Skills, Knowledge andamp; Understanding and Values for the ‘Children’s Workforce’ in Scotland

Main Duties

To meet the care needs of children and young people, as their Children andamp; Young Person Care Mentor: GIRFEC Support Practitioner you will:

1. Ensure that children andamp; young people’s primary care needs are fully met

• Safety
• Health
• Active
• Nurtured
• Achieving
• Respected
• Responsible
• Included

2. Support Key-worker to meet needs of individual children and young people. This will include working in partnership with the child, young person, their family and other support agencies.

3. Contribute to Assessment of needs and development of Individual care andamp; education plans, risk assessments,

4.Support the implementation of strategies that support care andamp; education plans

5. Promote and strengthen Relational health through actively developing and role modelling positive and genuine relationships, using the principles of Playfulness, Acceptance, Curiosity, Empathy [P.A.C.E.]

6. Promote equality for all individuals.

7. Undertake core training which will enhance your skills in meeting children’s andamp; young people needs, strengthen relationships and enable you to confidently manage challenging events and behaviours

• Ethos andamp; Values
• Child Development and Attachment
• Child Protection
• Assessment
• Therapeutic Crisis Interventions

8. Promote communication with children and young people where there are communication difficulties.

9. Support children and young people when they are emotionally, psychologically and socially isolated and distressed.

10. Support children and young people to be actively included in their family and community

11. Empower children and young people to make use of available services and information.

12. Contribute to the health, well being, safety and security of children and young people and their environment. This includes following policy and protocols such as:

• Shift Planning Protocols
• Communication Protocol
• Significant Adverse Events Protocol
• Understanding and Managing Challenging Events andamp; Behaviours

13. Promote the health andamp; well-being of all young people within a professional Christian framework in a sensitive caring manner, affording them dignity and respect.

14. Actively promote, participate and support children andamp; young people to develop home management skills, by undertaking the following tasks:

• Household shopping
• Preparation of meals
• Laundry andamp; Cleaning
• General low level maintenance andamp; decoration
• Garden andamp; grounds maintenance

15. Contribute information for Assessment, LAAC Reviews, Children’s Hearings reports and any other relevant meetings.

16. Work a flexible pattern of shifts over the period of a rota and participate in additional hours of duty if required, including any sleepover shifts allocated to you.

17. Undertake any other duties or responsibilities that may be required from time to time.

18. Actively promote, support and participate with children and young people in their learning opportunities within the 24 hour Curriculum, through the whole day.

19. Actively participate with and involve children and young people in physical activities, hobbies and interests that enhances their health and wellbeing and strengthens their relational health with others.

19. Accompany children and young people to various events and meetings off site i.e. family visits, activities, health appointments, review meetings, etc

PLANNING andamp; DEVELOPMENT

As part of the staff team to play an active part in the formulation of a yearly plan. Thereafter to be committed to working towards meeting the objectives identified.

QUALITY ASSURANCE

Through the direction of the Team Leader to be committed to ensuring that Quality Assurance Systems are adhered to. To maintain an awareness of commitment to the Scottish Social Services Codes of Practise.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

To register with the Scottish Social Services Council and be committed to ongoing professional development in line with the requirements of the SSSC Codes of Practice.

To participate in staff development programme and attend meetings, training courses and seminars as required.

To maintain professional standards andamp; responsibility for ensuring that you meet minimum standards required for SSSC registration

FINANCIAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE MANAGEMENT

To ensure that client records are maintained in line with the CrossReach policies.

To contribute to the maintenance of systems to gather, record and store information/data.

To be responsible for accurate reporting and recording of information contained within

• Daily logs i.e. individual case notes; journal; individual work record (care andamp; SW); record of work (education)
• Reports relating to significant adverse event e.g. TCI where physical intervention has occurred

To ensure that all communication is accurate and timely with

• Children and Young people
• Colleagues
• Duty manager in adverse events or changes to agreed plans
• Parents and carers
• External colleagues and agencies

Manage any financial requirements of the young people cared for within the agreed systems.

To ensure that all information relating to service users is kept strictly confidential in line with CrossReach Policy and the Data Protection Act 1998.

LIAISON

To support management team in the promotion of services and to maintain close working relationships, as required, with all relevant professionals involved in the care of children, young people and their families, maintaining effective communication and co-operation with relatives and friend of children andamp; young peoples.

GENERAL

Have respect for all aspects of Christian worship
Facilitate SU’s to attend Christian worship (or worship of choice as required by the role).