SEN Space is a community led organisation providing support and care services for children with disabilities and their families. We are based in Dunmurry and opening our doors in September 2022. We are hoping to provide a wide range of services, but will start with after schools, youth club, weekend club, sibling support and holiday clubs. What will make our organisation thrive, and the children have the best experience possible, is all down to our staff. We want people to join our team who share our vision and who are committed to help us achieve it. We want people who embrace and empower the children in our care, and create a learning rich experience in a safe and need specific environment. 

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This is a competitive interview process to form a panel of suitable candidates to fill vacancies as they arise. The duration of the panels will be for a period of 12 months initially and may be extended by the CEO.

 

Nature of Employment:

Fixed term contract for 12 months with the option to extend, funding permitted.This is in accordance with the General Conditions of Employment with 6 months probation period. SEN Space may also fill future temporary roles from the panel.    

 

Job Location:

Dunmurry, Belfast

 

Reporting to:

CEO

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Job Summary/Purpose:

 

The Team Leader will supervise and support the Key Workers in their roles alongside the Manager. The Team Leader may also hold the role of Key Worker for an individual child or small group of children. The Team Leader will liaise with the manager, contributing towards devising a plan for each child in our care, and ensure that learning outcomes and personal goals are achievable through the environment and equipment. You will be responsible for overseeing all of the children’s needs during the session, and support the Key Workers accordingly.

 

KEY ELEMENTS OF THE JOB / DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

 

• To support children and young people with disabilities, with their physical care, personal hygiene needs and daily life tasks and skills as required in their care and learning plan.

• To support children and young people with disabilities in all areas of development including physical, intellectual, emotional and social.

• To support and facilitate communication with individual’s relatives, friends, professionals and other members of staff/volunteers, in order to ensure the continuity of quality and safety in the provision of support. 

• Support children with complex needs, including medical and toileting / changing.

• Support the development of the child's care and learning plan, ensuring each individual’s plan has meaningful and achievable goals.

• Support the children and families to develop and expand social networks and

• friendships. 

• Liaise with parents at the beginning and end of the session and ensure a safe handover. 

• Contribute to / attend reviews and multi-disciplinary meetings. 

• Work in partnership with Managers and other professionals to maximise quality of care and learning experience for the children.

• As part of the SEN Space support delivery team, support the management with the day to day running of the daily sessions, and the Key Workers during the sessions, ensuring the environment is safe and nurturing for the children attending.

• Collaborate closely with the Manager, CEO, Supervisor, Support Workers, Parents and Volunteers.

• Provide necessary guidance and follow policies, standards and practices 

• Participate in and potentially lead planning meetings and work with support workers to define the tasks required for weekly and monthly planning.

• Contribute towards devising care plans for each child and guide and support staff to carry out specifics identified in that plan. 

• To be flexible and responsive at all times to meet the changing needs of the service and the children and families.

 

Qualifications & Experience:

 

Essential Requirements:

Candidates must on or before date of (date of advertisement)

 

1. Educated to a certified or accredited in at least QCF Level 3 Diploma in either Playwork or Child Care, Learning and Development, or Playwork, or an equivalent qualification.

2. Experience in SEN or a related field.

3. Demonstrate experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team environment.

4. Demonstrate a passionate attitude to helping children with SEN and the energy / enthusiasm needed to be part of the SEN Space team.

5. Ability to interpret children’s needs and translate into operational requirements provided by SEN Space.

6. Ability to work alongside management and to supervise staff

 

Desirable Requirements:

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1. Minimum 2 years’ experience in SEN or a related field.

2. Demonstrate experience of working in a multi-disciplinary team environment. 

3. Demonstrate experience of planning and managing individual care plans, and working towards such goals with SEN children.

4. Demonstrate experience of supervising a team.

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Key Attributes

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• Support individuals, both staff and children,  in a non judgemental way based on the principles of anti discriminatory practice.

• To treat individuals with respect and encourage them to meet their individual goals in a fun and need specific environment.

• Ability to interpret children’s needs and translate into operational requirements provided by SEN Space.

• Ability to work alongside Management and supervise Key Worker staff.

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.

• Ability to lead and advise staff in a mature and professional manner

• Strong planning and organisation skills, ability to plan and prioritise work schedule and work within agreed timescales.

• Comfortable with engaging in multiple initiatives simultaneously.

 

Performance and Development:

 

• Maintain confidentiality of all children and families using our services.

• To act as a positive role model at all times.

• Work within and help to ensure staff follow SEN Space’s policies and procedures.

• Work in a way that meets the statutory requirements of employees under health and safety at work.

•  Adhere to the Codes of Practice and staff handbook.

• Enter actively into supervision and appraisal.

• Attend training on a regular basis to ensure that all mandatory and personal training and development needs are met in line with company requirements. 

• To attend monthly staff meetings.

• To attend planning meetings.

• To behave in a manner that reflects positively on the company at all times.

• To work closely with other members of the team for the ultimate benefit of the children and families using our services.

 

 

Pay & Working Conditions:

 

Salary Scale:

£12.50 per hour.

16 hours per week. Working hours will be between 14.00-20.00 Monday to Friday. Additional hours may be available during the week and at weekends. 

 

Annual Leave: 

The annual leave for this position is 89.6 hours per year.

 

General: 

Fixed term contract for 12 months with the option to extend, funding permitted. Salary is paid monthly; operates a contributory pension scheme.

 

Expenses: 

SEN Space does not pay expenses for the purpose of attending an interview or taking up employment.

 

Please note that this post is subject to an enhanced check by Access NI and 2 satisfactory references.

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N.B. The appointed applicant must pay the ACCESS NI fee of £33.00 which will be reimbursed on successful completion of the probation period (6 month).

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This Job Description is neither definitive nor restrictive and may be modified at any time to meet changing needs.

 

If you would like to apply for this position, please email us on info@senspace.org.uk We can either email or post an application form to you. Please specify in your email how you would like to receive the application form. 

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