Support Worker

Cheshire West and Chester Council brings a fresh and energetic approach to providing top quality services for its many customers and communities. West Cheshire is a place where everyone can Thrive – through our core values of Teamwork, Honesty, Respect, Innovation, Value for Money and Empowerment.

Within the Vivo service we provide high-quality, person-centred care to adults with learning disabilities, autism, dementia and the elderly. But for us it’s more than that. We change and enhance lives every day through the work we in our day and respite services and in peoples own homes. We do this by maximising their social, emotional, and physical independence to the absolute maximum while promoting independence, choice and control.

Where our vacancy is:

We have a vacancy in our Ellesmere Port Supported Living service. In this team we support groups of three or four of people with learning disabilities living in their own shared home within the community.

Each home is different and reflects the needs and personalities of its residents. They are all equipped with everything the team of support workers need to enhance their lives.

Some of the people we support have complex needs and need support with eating, personal care (bathing, toileting and continence) and can display challenging behaviours. Working in this environment you will develop great relationships and life skills as well as developing professionally.

A dedicated group of night staff are on duty overnight with colleagues supporting throughout the day working shifts including early, late and some split shifts. You will enjoy working alongside the people we support promoting their independence fully accessing the community and supporting them at clubs, groups and socialising.

• With dignity and care to maximise their independence, putting them at the centre of everything you do
• Dressing, feeding, personal care (bathing, toileting and continence care), with finances and giving medications
• Accessing the community, shopping, clubs, groups, swimming, socialising with family and friends joining in too
• Cleaning, cooking, ironing
• Keep accurate and up-to-date records and contribute to and follow care plans
• Ensure they are safeguarded at all times
• And work flexibly as part of a team on early, late and weekends shifts

We are looking for someone who

• Shares our values
• Has a commitment to people with learning and other disabilities
• Has the ability to learn and develop skills and a commitment to gaining level 2 QCF/NVQ in Social Care (or who already has it)
• Willing to undertake personal care and able to undertake manual handing tasks
• Able to support people in the community e.g. shopping, swimming, clubs and activities
• Reliable, flexible and a team player

And in return

The benefits of working for the Council go well beyond making a difference to people’s lives, as well as working within a supportive environment with people who share your values you will have access to a huge range of benefits including discounts on:

• High street and supermarket shopping
• Gym membership
• Holidays
• Days out
• Cinemas
• Childcare vouchers
• Cash back scheme on any medical treatment that you may require via Medicash
• Car lease scheme (Brand new fully maintained and insured car for 3 years in return for a fixed monthly payment via salary sacrifice)
• Cycle Scheme (Save up to £320 on the cost of a brand-new bike and equipment)

We also offer:

• Competitive salary
• A generous holiday allowance starting at 26 days pro rata (plus bank holidays) increasing with length of service to 31 days
• An excellent career average pension scheme with employer contributions of 22.3%. (Employer contributions elsewhere are typically 3%)
• Opportunity to do additional shifts
• A full induction programme and fully funded ongoing training and support from your very first day
• Supported to achieve QCF level 2 Social Care qualification
• The opportunity to develop your skills and career
• Rewards and Recognition for going above and beyond such as additional annual leave and shopping vouchers
• Supportive team
• Wide variety of working patterns
• Opportunity to purchase up to 10 days additional annual leave
• Free DBS checks
• Lifestyle Support - our employee assistance programme, which offers free 24/7 confidential assistance, practical information and emotional support.

Cheshire West and Chester Council are committed to equality and diversity in employment.

The Equality Act 2010 makes it unlawful for employers to discriminate against disabled people and places a duty to make reasonable adjustments to enable the employee to undertake the work. People with disabilities are defined as individuals who have a physical or mental impairment which has a substantial and long-term effect on their ability to carry out normal day to day activities. If you consider yourself to be disabled under this definition, please indicate this on your application. The Council is a Disability Confident employer and will interview all applicants who disclose they have a disability if they meet the essential criteria for the job. If you require any reasonable adjustments as part of the recruitment process, please contact recruitment.

The Council is an Equal Opportunity / Employer and Equal Opportunity Provider. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, nationality, religion or belief, sex, ethnic or national origin, gender, gender reassignment, marital status, sexual orientation, disability, trade union activity, age, social or economic status, political beliefs, or will be disadvantaged by conditions or requirements which cannot be justified. The Council is deeply dedicated to diversity in the workplace.

For an informal discussion please contact Lauren Ebbrell - [email protected].

Please note that this job is subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

No candidate will meet every single desired requirement. If your experience looks a little different from what we've identified and you think you can bring value to the role, we'd love to learn more about you!

In your application you should ensure that you provide evidence of how you have demonstrated meeting the Council’s core competencies of Teamwork, Honesty, Respect, Innovation, Value for Money and Empowerment.

The contractual work location for this role is listed above however you may be required to work from a range of work locations or sites within the Borough and may also be required to work from home, depending on the needs of the service.

Internet Explorer is no longer supported so please use a different browser when you submit your application - for example Google Chrome or Microsoft edge. You will also need to ensure pop ups are enabled.

Please ensure you check the email account (including junk/spam boxes) from which you apply regularly as we will use this to contact you regarding your application.

If you have not heard from us within 4 weeks of the closing date then it is likely that you have not been shortlisted on this occasion, however please do not be discouraged from applying again.

Cheshire West and Chester Council are committed to equality and diversity in employment. Please click the Equality Policy for more information.

Cheshire West and Chester Council have adopted a Local Living Wage for our employees which means that all employees will receive a minimum of £9.90 per hour for all contracted hours.

For any technical enquiries please email [email protected] Please quote job reference number in all correspondence.