PA for young girl - 12 hours per week during school holidays @ £15 p/h - Norwich - NR13
Job Reference (5a2fd7d8)
Job Purpose:
We are seeking a caring and proactive Personal Assistant to provide 1:1 support to a young girl with Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA). Due to her age, the role will primarily take place within the family home, with occasional short trips to the park and outings with her mum and brother.
This is a varied and engaging role supporting a very active and fun young girl who enjoys being outdoors, as well as activities such as role play, bike rides, scooters, roller skating, trips to the park, and arts and crafts. She benefits from a balance of routine, alongside opportunities for novelty and stimulation, and can sometimes require support to regulate her emotions. You will be supporting her to access sensory strategies, with a range of sensory resources available within the home.
There are elements of personal care involved in the role, including encouraging and supporting with hand washing, and assisting with dressing and undressing, as she is not fully toilet trained.
She responds well to positive adult interaction and feeling as though she is part of a team. She has a strong need for autonomy and does not respond well to direct instructions, so the ability to offer choices and use a calm approach is important. At the same time, she benefits from consistent boundaries and support to maintain her safety. The ideal candidate will be confident, patient, and able to build a positive and trusting relationship while providing clear and consistent guidance.
Previous experience of PDA would be beneficial; however, applications are also welcomed from individuals with experience supporting children with autism, additional needs, or emotional and behavioural needs.
If you are genuinely interested in making a positive difference in someone's life, we would love to hear from you.
Female applicants preferred due to personal care (Schedule 9, Part 1 of the Equality Act 2010 applies).
Location: NR13
Details:
- Provide 1:1 support within the home and during short outings
- Encourage engagement in play, outdoor activities, and creative tasks
- Support with sensory strategies to help with regulation
- Work alongside family members to provide consistent and collaborative support
- Promote independence, while offering choices to encourage engagement
- Support with personal care, including dressing and hygiene routines
- Maintain appropriate boundaries and ensure the young person's safety at all times
Person Specification
Listed below are the skills, competencies, and personal qualities considered essential and desirable for this role. These will be assessed through your application and interview and will be the main factors in determining suitability. Please refer to these when completing your application.
Essential:
- Experience working with children or young people with additional needs
- Willingness to learn and use declarative language
- Patient, calm, and confident in maintaining clear and consistent boundaries
- Dog friendly: Bernedoodle in the home
- Full UK driving licence (with appropriate level of business insurance) and personal car
Desirable:
- Experience working with children with PDA
Summary terms and conditions:
- The rate of pay for this position is £15 per hour
- Mileage paid at 50p per mile
- You will be reimbursed for any agreed expenses incurred as part of the role
- Hours and days of work: 12 hours per week during the school holidays
- 3 x 4 hour sessions per week, preferably mornings, Monday - Friday
- The annual holiday entitlement for this position will be equivalent to the work I would normally expect to be done during 5.6 consecutive weeks.
- Should this job role include any of the following duties: food preparation, moving & handling, chemical handling (general household cleaning products) or the handling of medication, you will be required to undertake mandatory training.
The post is subject to the following:
- A satisfactory enhanced Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) check, the cost of which will be covered by the employer.
- Satisfactory references from two referees, one of which must be your current or last employer.
- Completion of a satisfactory probationary period of 6 months.
Services
Personal Care
Social + Leisure activities
Support to remain independent
Training
Safeguarding Adults/Children
Understanding challenging behaviour
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