Care Officer

1. To promote and safeguard the welfare of children, young people and/or vulnerable adults. Within the context of individual care plans or instructions from the Line Manager to assess the needs of children in need and children looked after in order to provide care which is responsive to their individual needs.

2. Statutory Obligations – As per statutory requirements as specified in the Children’s Homes Regulations and Quality Standards.

3. To use systemic practices to prepare, implement and review effective programmes for individual children and families/carers to ensure that their needs for development and/or independence are met. Work in partnership to assess needs and in consultation with Senior Care Officers, Children’s Home Manager, Social Workers and other Managers, plan appropriate packages of support.

4. Under delegation/supervision assume responsibility for specific issues i.e. for the health and safety of colleagues and children by identifying areas for improvement and responding to deficiencies in the workplace to ensure a safe working environment or for Quality Assurance to enhance the performance and effectiveness of service delivery. With a requirement to have the ability to stay calm when faced with confrontational situations.

5. Acts as a nominated ‘Shift Leader’ as required responding to the need of the service.

6. Provides an efficient and responsive service to children for their admission into and discharge from residential care to ensure their needs are met during these transition periods.

7. Assist children with a range of tasks including primary care and, where necessary, carries out tasks on their behalf whilst at the same time promoting independence within individual’s capabilities.

8. Acts as a designated worker in respect of individual children, including attending meetings/case conferences and dispensing medication as required, to ensure their safety, well being and quality of life.

9. Contributes to an efficient administrative system by preparing information for the Children’s Home Manager and quality assurance systems to ensure effective communication. Provides accurate reports and where appropriate, assessments to inform packages of support and care with special consideration to the transition period of admission and discharge.

10. Participates in budgetary tasks i.e. pocket money, purchasing of groceries, clothing, stationery etc, to ensure value for money within budget provisions.

11. Assist children to deal with complex needs or particular vulnerabilities to ensure their physical and emotional well being which will include implementing Therapeutic Crisis Intervention techniques.

12. To work and liaise with voluntary services, statutory organisations and colleagues within other parts of the Local Authority with the focus of providing up to date knowledge and working practices for intervention and service delivery to children in need and their families.

13. Works flexibly to meet the assessed needs of children and their families, by offering support to families and carers, sometimes in their own homes. Assist in providing day care and outreach as required, and work in partnership with schools and alternative educational provision to support and maintain an educational placement.

14. Refers to Line Management upon any concerns, suspicion, evidence or allegation in relation to child protection in accordance with the Safeguarding Board guidelines to ensure the safety and welfare of the children.

15. To be aware of and participate in own personal development by attending and contributing to supervision sessions, training courses and other departmental forums. To keep abreast of development with the profession.

16. In the absence of a Senior Care Officer, makes decisions relating to the safeguarding and care of children as well as responding to the needs of families and staff on duty.

17. Under supervision uses professional judgement to determine the needs of children balanced against risk to children and staff.

18. Under supervision, makes day to day decisions around the implementation of policy and procedures of the Department.

19. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and associated legislation places responsibilities for health and safety on Hull City Council, as your employer and you as an employee of the council. In addition to the Councils overall duties, the post holder has personal responsibility for their own health & safety and that of other employees; additional and more specific responsibilities are identified in the Council’s Corporate H&S policy.

GENERAL:

The above principal accountabilities are not exhaustive and may vary without changing the

character of the job or level of responsibility. The postholder must be flexible to ensure the

operational needs of the Council are met. This includes the undertaking of duties of a similar

nature and responsibility as and when required, throughout the various work places in the

Council.