Chesterton, Newcastle under Lyme

£24,500 per annum, pro rata, plus sleep In allowance of £33 per night

Fixed Term, Part-Time 1 year 16 hrs per week (8-hour shifts either am or pm, over weekends during term time and throughout school holidays)

Giving children the foundation's they need to thrive

The role

Action for Children does what's right, does what's needed and does what works for children across the UK. Every year, our team changes the lives of over 300,000 children, young people and their families - but every child and their family needs help and support to allow a successful outcome to be achieved and that's where you come in.

Chestnut Lodge is a short breaks project in Chesterton, Newcastle Under Lyme, Staffordshire supporting children and young people aged from 8 to 18 yrs. with severe learning disabilities and complex needs to remain living with their families through providing overnight respite and short break care during school holidays.

We offer a homely welcoming environment, which makes children feel safe and where they can have fun enjoying different activities. Our aim is to provide positive, life enhancing support, and the staff team are committed to putting children at the heart of everything we do. Developing positive relationships with families and other professionals to ensure the best possible outcomes for the children and young people that we work with are achieved We have an extremely dedicated and professional staff team that work in a kind, thoughtful, sensitive and caring way, their aim is to keep the children safe whilst providing them activities and events they otherwise would not be able to experience. The staff team are committed to the children and put them first in all of their planning processes. Their aim is also to build positive relationships with families, young people and other multi agency professionals surrounding the young person so that a professionally informed support package surrounds the young person enabling their individual growth and development

The project is a very homely welcoming environment, which enables young people to enjoy staying away from home, bedrooms are personalised to young people's choices, and they are also

encouraged to bring familiar toys and items to help enhance their stay. This role requires working weekends and school holidays on a shift system encompassing morning OR afternoon and evening shifts

Regular requirement to provide sleep in cover to the service i.e. 1-2 per month term time and once per week in school holiday's

You will make a difference by :

-Ensuring young people can be independent and communicate their needs

-Encouraging young people have a positive experience.

-Ensuring young people reach their full potential.

-Leading shifts and having key-worker responsibilities

-Attending meetings, home and school visits as required

What will you need?

-An NVQ Level 3 in Children and Young People in Residential Settings (or the equivalent) or willing to work towards.

-Experience of working with young people with complex challenging behaviour, physical and / or learning disabilities and complex health needs

-The ability to accurately record and update case files

-The availability to work school holidays, parts of weekends and to undertake sleep in duties as part of your role (additional remuneration for this)

-The willingness to undergo in-house training

-The ability to lead a small team during residential short stays for children 8 - 18 with physical and or learning disabilities

The way we work

We work to make sure every child and young person has the love, support and opportunity they need to reach their potential. If you share the same vision, we want you to join our team. Have a look at our behaviours and values to understand more about the way we work here.

Rewards

We want our employees to feel valued and rewarded for the vital work they do. When you work with us, we'll recognise your efforts with generous annual leave, a comprehensive employer-matched pension scheme and a range of deals and discounts on our dedicated benefits portal. Find out more about our exclusive Action for Children benefits here.

For safe and happy childhoods

At Action for Children, we protect and support children and young people, providing practical and emotional care and support, ensuring their voices are heard, and campaigning to bring lasting improvements to their lives. Last year, we helped more than 387,000 children and families across the UK.

For more information, please contact Anne Marie Wilson anne-

We are committed to safer recruitment practices to protect our service users; therefore, all applicants are expected to have an understanding of and commitment to safeguarding best-practice.

Action for Children is passionate about promoting equality, valuing diversity and working inclusively. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons particularly people with Disabilities and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic applicants, as these groups are currently under-represented in our workforce.