Job overview
This is an exciting opportunity for an enthusiastic and motivated therapy assistant to join our Integrated Therapy team in Barnet Special Schools .
You will work both independently and alongside SLT, OT and Physiotherapists, other assistants, education staff and families to deliver therapy, training and advice for children and young people with a range of needs in Barnet Special Schools.
You will benefit from being part of a supportive, experienced group of staff providing a clinically effective service to children and young people and their families in Barnet.
Main duties of the job
Your key responsibilities will include:
Working within the Complex Needs Pathway
Supporting children’s integrated therapists in the role of early identification and prevention for children with therapeutic needs through observation, providing information, directing to services
Delivering therapy programmes to individuals or groups in Clinics, Schools, Nurseries and Children’s Centres reporting back progress and informing the Integrated therapy team.
Working as part of a multi-professional team in partnership with families.
Jointly setting and reviewing targets.
Monitoring and recording progression and measuring outcomes.
Delivering planned training with parents and professionals online, and in Clinics, Schools, Nurseries and Children’s Centres.
Working for our organisation
Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
1. To be responsible for organising and prioritising own workload in the day to day allocation of work.
2. To have organisational knowledge relating to Trust protocols and procedures and adhere to them, particularly administration of medicine and moving and handling.
3. To be responsible for providing accurate records of information required by the Trust for audit purposes.
4. To ensure effective risk management at team level by accident/incident reporting, assessing, and controlling risk and ensuring residual risks are added to the Trust register.
5. To evaluate the quality of own work in own area and raise quality issues and related risks with the appropriate people
Person specification
Education
Essential criteria
6. •Minimum of 5 GCSE’s or equivalent
7. - Relevant practical work experience related to the job description and working with children.
8. •Demonstrates willingness to learn and develop via training and induction.
Desirable criteria
9. •Healthcare, child development or education qualification at Level 3 or working towards gaining equivalent level
10. Relevant prior experience in a Therapy
Skills & Abilities
Essential criteria
11. Literate in IT / Computer Skills and able to use a range of applications to support workload.
12. Good oral communication skills based on fluency of the English language – spoken and written.
13. Able to communicate effectively particularly where difficulties in understanding exist.
14. Able to organise workload and manage time.
15. Demonstrates awareness of standards of record keeping.
16. Able to identify own strengths and needs.
17. Able to identify when to seek support.
18. Demonstrates the ability to reflect on practice with peers / clinical supervisor.
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
19. Knowledge of SLT, OT and Physiotherapy work and child development.
20. Experience of working with children and / or young people and their parents/carers.
21. Working in education and/or working alongside colleagues in education.
22. Experience of working effectively in a team
23. Experience of delivering interventions to children following the advice of another professional.
24. Awareness of Trust values and evidence of putting them into practise
Other
Essential criteria
25. To be able to travel efficiently throughout the area
26. Ability to take majority of leave in school holidays
Desirable criteria
27. Car driver
Personal Qualities
Essential criteria
28. Excellent interpersonal skills, able to listen well.
29. Able to demonstrate empathy with clients, carers and families and colleagues.
30. Flexibility
31. Able to take the initiative
SAFEGUARDING CHILDREN AND ADULTS
To comply with the Trust’s Safeguarding Children and Adults policies, procedures and protocols. All individual members of staff (paid or unpaid) have a duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults This will require you to:
32. Ensure you are familiar with and comply with the London Child Protection Procedures and protocols for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children and young people.
33. Ensure you are familiar and comply with the London Multi Agency Safeguarding Vulnerable Adults Pan London Procedures.
34. Ensure you are familiar and comply with local protocols and systems for information sharing.
35. Know the appropriate contact numbers and required reporting lines.
36. Participate in required training and supervision.
37. Comply with required professional boundaries and codes of conduct
Whittington Health is committed to safeguarding all children and vulnerable adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.