Role of the Bespoke Support Workers

Once any support package is in place, our bespoke support worker (s) will be responsible for:

• Providing day-to-day trauma informed support set out in the child’s care plan, to meet the child’s day to day needs, promoting their safety and well-being and protecting them from harm – including the cooking of meals, supporting the child/young person to keep their bedroom clean and tidy and ensuring that the home in which the young person lives in is clean.
• Promoting healthy lifestyle choices through structure and routine that would be expected within a family home.
• Supporting the child’s engagement with education/training/employment
• Promoting good relationships with neighbours and the wider community
• Facilitating engagement with broader support services and health appointments (where these are specified within the child’s care plan)
• Facilitating access to the community, cultural and leisure activities in line with the child’s interests and aspirations
• Transporting as and when necessary and have the relevant business use insurance.
• Promoting ‘Family Time’ contact for children looked after with birth family members where this is specified within the child’s care plan.
• Ensuring that the child’s views about their care, support, and accommodation (where applicable) are listened to and acted upon where appropriate.
• Adhering to the Philomena protocol if the child goes missing- including searching for the young person, trying to contact the young person, and known associates however possible. If the young person cannot be located within the agreed allocated period to report this to Social Worker/ Duty Worker or EDT during out of hours
• Supporting move on plans and assist with the child’s transition.
• Maintaining a daily logbook/ incident book and sharing this with colleagues during staff handover points, shared through an agreed secure method.
• Notifying package managers of all incidents of self-harm, running/missing, substance misuse, damage to property and violent/ abusive behaviour in addition to any other significant risks identified by the support workers immediately through the EDT (out of hours)
• Adhering to all organisational policies relating to Safeguarding, Health and Safety, General Date Protection Regulations

Support workers should not engage in discussion with parents/carers about the case or offer opinions or personal views relating to professionals or circumstances surrounding the case. Family members should be advised to contact the child’s social worker if they wish to discuss.