Increase to £13.47ph - BATH Personal Assistant & Support Worker for 18 year girl with SLD - BATH - BA2
Job Reference (a2b31ed0)
Personal Assistant/Support Worker in Twerton, Bath
NB please note new information between the %%%%% - see immediately next....
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Please note: like all our PAs, you would be doing combined work but at different times of course, with both our disabled daughter, and her father Tom (age 82 with dementia for whom there is a separate advert on UKCIL ref 8a83b709)-
All our PAs work with both our daughter and Tom because both vulnerable people are in the same family-household and due to the number of overall hours we stick to the same PAs for both people. This is to:
a) reduce the number of bodies in the house, and ...
b) lessen our daughter's reaction to change/over-stimulation due to her severe learning disability, autism and epilepsy.
-So this an essential part of the role of all of our PAs - interacting and helping with both our daughter and Tom. I also help with training of course, and I NEVER ask PAs to do something I do not do myself (for years). Plus you would be receiving a higher rate per hour for 'Tom' hours than as advertised in his separate advert, same for all the PAs. 🙂
Weekdays mornings are best for supporting Tom with the existing PA or me; then after that, and maybe after lunch depending whether you're able to and if there is no other PA for our daughter (depending on the day of the week as other PAs take her out on certain days) you would give her activities including taking her out -eg: to a farm, or to her spa (her swim-she has membership so can go anytime with a PA included), or cycling with her on cycle path 100yds away on a Fun-2-go side-by-side adult trike which we are currently researching and accessing her child-trust funds to purchase. We're also expecting delivery of a 6-foot trampoline with circus-tent ('snug') cover, for our back garden in 2 weeks' time which is funded by Family Fund. These are not the only activities - eg: we also hope (not certain) to be awarded funds to purchase her a 'Go-Talk 4+' to aid her communication which is her biggest area needing development. If you have a car with business motor insurance, then you can take her out (eg: to spa) - I can reimburse you to top-up any existing motor insurance to business motor insurance.
*We could start as early as this Wednesday (2nd Nov 2022) morning if you already have DBS?
**For anyone with non-UK nationality I would under my Employer legal obligations, need to: have sight of AND make digital or hard-copy record of, your right to work in the UK. Digital includes via access code which you can give to me so that I can view your right to work status via gov.uk.
***Candidates would be employed by me, not self-employed.
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(end of new information)
Please also read the following:...
Required 1:1 for 18-year-old girl with Complex Learning Needs and Autism arising from Epilepsy in infancy (no seizures since age five; currently occasional non-detrimental absences). She enjoys the outdoors, and needs help to access the community, support with communication, activities and hand-on-hand learning life skills including personal care. Also to support her maintaining family relationships including interactions with her age-82 father with dementia, and when once a week in her support-bubble grandparents/aunt's house (nearby in Bath).
Commitment to at least one year of reliable support, is required to help the girl to settle, because her development is affected by changes to people (including PAs), places and activities.
In return we offer between 5 and 20 hours per week flexible, negotiable hours weekdays and weekends with weekly advance planning a week or more ahead of dates, between Employer and PA. Note that we have a total 49hours per week funded by BANES direct payments. Rate of pay £13.47 per hour gross.
Recent 'Autism Specialist Report' available to be read by applicants. Immediate start for the right candidate.
Enhanced DBS required. Recent or portable will allow an immediate start; alternatively BANES will reimburse (to the PA) the cost of the DBS application fee. Note: Right to work in the UK required.
a) Car driver required, with full clean UK driving licence, unless b) able to reliably walk to us or use public transport:-
-(a) If you have a car, the girl has a Blue Badge for use in her service (nearby street parking is easy).
-(b) If you are using public transport, we are in a quiet residential side-street off the Lower Bristol Road opposite LIDL. Bristol-Bath buses run along here frequently.
(Costs of activities and reasonable expenses, are reimbursed.)
Generally:
The ideal candidate will be physically resilient, have a calm but firm manner and be able to safeguard from dangers, when in the community. Promoting safety in the community and danger awareness is really important.
Ideally the PA will have experience and understanding (this can be personal or professional). One does not have to be a strong person physically to do the job, but general good health and fitness are considered to be an advantage. Training will initially be provided, by the mother (the Employer) age 54, who is the client’s representative (Appointee) and who is working as a trainee lawyer, for the present often from home as well as managing the needs of her elderly husband (the girl's father) who is living with dementia, and sometimes the girl's grandparents and aunt who live together (nearby in Bath). Note that the mother’s presence in the home (working) does not mean that she is available to help beyond the initial training, but she will advise when she notices that feedback and further training are appropriate and needed. Generally this means that the PA will take notes mentally or on paper in order to remember tasks as they arise. This is important also because the girl is learning and developing so her abilities are changing gradually.
Other Responsibilities:
· Punctuality: Arrive at the scheduled time, ready to start work. Let the mother (Employer) know if you are going to be more than 10 minutes late but as much as possible advance notice if need to be absent, to enable temporary replacement to be found (if possible).
· Confidentiality: The girl will need you to respect her privacy. Many problems can arise from casual conversation about the care and assistance that you give. Maintain a professional approach at all times. This is all the more important precisely because the girl is unable to understand these matters or any social boundaries, or the reasons for them.
· Good Attitude: appreciate the strains and stresses involved for the girl, her mother who represents her, and the effect this can have on their acceptance of your help. You should respect the possessions and equipment in their home. Use of the telephone, heating, television, radio etc. are at their discretion.
· Training: Training will be available in certain key areas as well as with needs adapting to the girl's development including as changes affect her. You should be prepared to accept training as beneficial to the girl for all the activity her mother advises. This includes being aware and accepting of the girl's family from her (and their) point of view. There is a need to fit with (adapt to) her interactions between her, her father and her mother (and her grandparents and aunt when at their home). [See immediately next...]
Personal Specification:
It is the job of the Personal Assistant to assist in most areas of personal care and social support, and to act as escort, assistant and companion in the girl’s social and day-to-day activities with a HOLISTIC approach taking account of her family (above). By providing help at the right time with suitable activities, the girl is enabled in her small, individual version of 'independence' despite her severe learning disabilities.
The girl does have some awareness and communication abilities, predominantly non-verbal but with potential for verbal communication to be developed. Your role therefore includes, importantly, helping her with this by engaging with her and building an understanding together so that this potential is pro-actively spotted and nurtured, in the context of all her interactions and life skills.
ESSENTIAL CRITERIA
· A friendly and easy going personality
· Patient and calm
· Ability to be firm as required
· An appreciation of confidentiality
· Trustworthiness
· Good timekeeping skills / punctual
· Willingness to be flexible
· Current clean full UK driving licence
DESIRABLE CRITERIA
· Previous experience of working with clients with Autism and an appreciation of dementia (the girl's father).
**Covid-vaccination is not compulsory. Wearing of a mask when with us in our home is not compulsory unless you have a contagious respiratory cough or cold other than Covid. We request the PA at all other times (than when with us) to wear a mask in all public indoor spaces. Employer (mother of girl) does the same. The purpose is to protect both the girl and her father, both of whom are vulnerable and not able to wear masks. Neither of them are taken to potentially Covid-spreading locations or activities. Covid is on the rise again and effects of its new versions are unknown. Thank you.
Services
Meal Preparation
Personal Care
Social + Leisure activities
Support to remain independent
Training
Essential PA Guide
Safeguarding Adults/Children
Moving & Handling
Hand hygiene
Dementia care
Autism / Aspergers
Transportation
Full UK driving license
Own personal car
Schedule, Pay & Hours
Time
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
ONA = Overnight Awake / ONS = Overnight Sleep