CWD Outreach Personal Support Coordinator

This role has a starting salary of £17,178 per annum, based on a 18 hour working week. This is pro-rated from £34,356 FTE.

We are excited to be hiring a new Personal Support Coordinator to join our fantastic Children with Disabilities Outreach Service. The office base for the role is Woodhatch Place in Reigate, however the service is Countywide.

This is a 12-month fixed term / secondment opportunity.

Rewards and Benefits

• 26 days' holiday (prorated for part time staff), rising to 28 days after 2 years' service and 30 days after 5 years' service
• Option to buy up to 10 days of additional annual leave
• An extensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) to support health and wellbeing
• Up to 5 days of carer's leave per year
• Paternity, adoption and dependents leave
• A generous local government salary related pension
• Lifestyle discounts including gym, travel, shopping and many more
• 2 paid volunteering days plus 1 team volunteering day per year
• Learning and development hub where you can access a wealth of resources

About the Team

The Children with Disabilities Outreach Service are looking for a Personal Support Coordinator to join our team; overseeing and auditing CWD cases receiving commissioned personal support from a number of Agencies approved for use in Surrey. You will ensure that good quality care is provided to children and their families following referrals from Social Workers in the Children with Disabilities Team.

As a service we have significant expertise in supporting children and young people with complex needs, including autistic spectrum conditions, behaviour that challenges, profound and multiple learning disabilities and associated complex health needs, and we are looking for a Personal Support Coordinator who can join the CWD Outreach Team and work closely with commissioning colleagues to support the Team Manager to provide quality assured support to children and families.

You would receive regular support and supervision from the Team Manager and work alongside Co-Ordinators in the in-house team.

About the Role

As a Personal Support Coordinator, you will be responsible for assessing children following a referral from the social work team and assisting commissioning colleagues to ensure a good skill match of Agency Support Workers. It requires some direct involvement with disabled children and their families, ensuring they receive a quality assured service.

You would oversee a number of children's care packages and are responsible for ensuring the care package is used appropriately and as agreed by the Social Worker and Senior Management. As such, the role demands a high level of partnership work with other professional's notably Social Workers, Commissioners, Education and Health Professionals. In addition, you will be responsible for carrying out some direct observations by attending CIN or CP meetings for children receiving Agency Personal Support.

All Agencies providing Surrey with workers to carry out Personal Support are CQC registered in their own right .You will audit care plans and risk assessments provided by the Agencies and build effective working relationships with Managers of the Agencies and ensure that any issues are raised promptly with Agency Managers. This will ensure that the service meets the required Essential Standards of the Care Quality Commission.

The Personal Support Coordinator will work with the CWD Outreach Manager to provide positive leadership and actively contribute to the development and success of this role within the service. This is a challenging but genuinely rewarding career, where you will play a key role in supporting children to reach their full potential. We will ensure that you receive a comprehensive training package and support, including regular supervision to make sure you feel confident and competent in your role.

Shortlisting Criteria

To be considered for shortlisting for this position, your application will need to clearly evidence:

• Diploma Health and Social care level 4 (previously NVQ 4), Diploma Children and Young people's workforce (previously NVQ 4) or equivalent and / or a commitment to work towards this
• Good written English and verbal communication skills, as well as IT skills in MS Office and database management
• Experience of working with children with disabilities, complex health needs and behaviours that challenge, demonstrating a positive approach to a social model of disability.
• Some experience of leading and developing staff
• Ability to work under pressure and be decisive, working effectively and flexibly as part of a team
• Ability to plan and prioritise workload in the context of conflicting priorities
• Flexible attitude to working hours and be willing and able to travel round the county to meet the demands of the role. To work from different sites, and to work evenings and weekends if required in line with the service needs.

You will need the willingness and ability to travel around the county to meet the demands of this role.

The job advert closes at 23:59 on 28/04/2024 with interviews to follow.

Our Commitment

Surrey County Council is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. A guaranteed interview will be offered to all disabled applications where:

• The candidate has evidenced the minimum criteria for the role through their application
• The candidate has chosen to share that they have a disability on the application form

Our application form and onboarding process will provide an opportunity to request any reasonable adjustments for the interview and/or the role. We want to be an inclusive and diverse employer reflecting the community we serve and particularly welcome applications from all underrepresented groups.