An opportunity has arisen within our Children and Young People Community Eating Disorder Service for a Youth Support Worker to join our team in the South Hub which covers the boroughs of Rochdale, Heywood, Middleton, Bury and Oldham.
With an excellent reputation and strong links to CAMHS and paediatric teams across the GM network, our existing and well‑established eating disorder team is looking for a permanent full‑time support worker to work alongside and under the direction of the senior clinical team in the delivery of direct and indirect patient‑focused work (age 8-18) and to undertake various research and development projects. Whilst training will be provided, we would like applicants to be able to demonstrate a degree of understanding the needs of young people and families suffering with mental health and eating disorders.
Responsibilities
* Under supervision, undertake clearly defined and planned patient and family‑facing clinical tasks, which may include meal observations and support; patient interviews; surveys/feedback.
* Work on our daily intensive treatment pathway, involving work in the family’s home or on paediatric/inpatient wards to support young people and their families with elements of their treatment package as part of a step‑up/down model.
* Liaise with external services and contribute to clinical meetings with other professionals.
* Contribute to assessment and treatment interventions with young people presenting with an eating disorder.
* Communicate in a way that is appropriate to age, developmental stage, communication skills, understanding, preferences and health status.
* Ensure actions when interacting are in a manner which is appropriate to background, culture, diversity, values, circumstances and needs.
* Observe actions and behaviour and support young people to communicate through a partnership‑based approach.
* Give information to individuals and families/carers in a manner, and at a level and pace, appropriate to them.
* Assist members of the multi‑disciplinary team as required, in the delivery of interventions on an individual and group basis.
* Undertake therapeutic activities with patients that promote recovery, are valued and aim to increase self‑management.
* Work autonomously to undertake specific individual and group sessions as agreed with a qualified practitioner.
* Maintain professionalism at all times.
* Produce records and reports that are clear, comprehensive and accurate.
* Actively encourage children, young people and their carers to be involved in service development.
* Gather and review relevant information; obtain appropriate consent to obtain further information for effective assessment planning.
* Under direct supervision of qualified staff, agree the methods and timing for reviewing the outcomes and reports of the assessments.
* Under direct supervision of qualified staff, evaluate all information from the assessment to identify potential outcomes in relation to the goals as specified in the young person’s care plan.
* Seek information and advice from key people when outside of expertise.
* Support parents, families/carers to understand the needs, views, preferences, aspirations and expectations of children and young people.
* Use supervision to communicate what happened and actions taken and any support needs.
* Encourage and provide support to the child, young person and family/carers to enable them to take an active part in the care planning decisions; give sufficient time, opportunity and support to discuss their feelings, concerns and the care plan.
* Provide families/carers with the support, information and development of the necessary skills they need to work towards positive goals which is consistent with the care plan.
* Monitor the actions that are being taken to assist the child or young person and those involved in their care to manage the changes and identify any areas where assistance can be improved.
* Encourage them to pursue ways to understand and promote their own health and well‑being and discuss any anxieties they have about this and consult with the child or young person, and those involved in their care, on their view of the support they need to understand and manage their situation.
* Provide information and support to enable service users to engage in meeting education, employment and vocational needs; include arranging initial contact and attending with the service user as required.
* Provide active support in identifying the positive goals for the individual to which carers and families could contribute, providing support to promote optimum outcomes taking into account their age, level of development and understanding to communicate their needs, views, preferences and aspirations.
* Discuss any problems and offer constructive support by identifying potential solutions when aware of or suspect that they are having difficulty in achieving positive health and well‑being goals.
* Provide relevant information about the people, organisations and written resources that can assist them in understanding and promoting their health and well‑being.
* Work with children and young people to identify the skills, abilities and behaviour and give guidance to children and young people about socially acceptable behaviour that will enhance their life chances and equip them to be responsible adults and effective citizens.
* Ensure that all the relevant agencies are provided with the information they need to help the child or young person and those involved in their care to seamlessly move between tiers of Child and Family Services.
* Function as part of a multi‑disciplinary team and work in partnership with wider Children’s Services including full involvement with Common Assessment Framework (CAF) and Care Programme Approach (CPA).
* Offer up‑to‑date appropriate and accurate information and advice to others on a range of mental health and well‑being factors.
* Help others to identify their knowledge, skills and confidence in relation to mental health and provide appropriate opportunities and support to enable individuals to develop their knowledge, skills and confidence in improving people’s mental health.
* Contribute to inter‑agency and partnership working to identify and promote the well‑being and life chances of children.
* Ensure that all relevant people are encouraged to provide feedback on the young person and those involved in their care.
* Seek information on the issues to be communicated with the individuals and key people and how to deal with any potential reactions to the communication.
* Keep accurate and complete records of information provided by families/carers consistent with agreements regarding confidentiality and in ways that distinguish facts from opinions according to legal, organisational procedures and requirements.
* Contribute to professional development and learning.
* Undertake relevant training to maintain and improve your knowledge and skills and contributing to the learning and development of others.
* Complete mandatory training, participate in performance appraisal and agree an individual personal development plan.
* Participate in monthly managerial and clinical supervision.
* Contribute to service evaluation as required.
* Contribute to in‑house and inter‑team training programmes.
* Support senior clinical staff in the delivery of training to other professionals and disciplines in relation to Eating Disorders when required.
* Undertake any other reasonable duty which is appropriate to the band, when requested by Senior Staff.
* Be familiar with and comply with all Trust and departmental policies, procedures, protocols and guidelines.
* Be aware of and work towards the Trusts values and strategic goals.
* Develop and maintain good working relationships with all patients, service users, staff, contractors and, where appropriate, members of the public.
* Carry out duties in a courteous, sympathetic and professional manner.
* All post holders who are members of a professional body must comply with standards of professional practice / conduct and maintain professional membership.
* Carry out duties in accordance with the Trust’s Equal Opportunities and Equality and Diversity policies, avoiding unlawful discriminatory behaviour and actions when dealing with colleagues, service users, members of the public and all other stakeholders.
* Appointments to regulated and controlled activities require an enhanced DBS disclosure.
* Promote the welfare of any child, young person or vulnerable adult; act upon safeguarding concerns and protect the individual from harm.
* Attend the Trust Mandatory Training and Induction Programme.
* Involved in a formal appraisal and yearly conversations review with their manager at least every 12 months.
* Take responsibility for own professional development and be supported by the Trust to achieve development opportunities as appropriate.
Equal Opportunities Statement
All individuals regardless of race, age, disability, ethnicity, nationality, gender, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, religion or belief, marriage and civil partnership are encouraged to apply for this post. We would also encourage applications from individuals with a lived experience of mental illness, either individually or as a carer.
Closing Date
This advert closes on Thursday 29 Jan 2026.
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