Support Worker Band 3

Job details

• Branch: Newry & Mourne area (SHSCT)
• Location: Glanree House
• Directorate: Mental Health & Disability Services
• Salary: Band 3 (£24,937 - £26,598)
• Contract Type: Permanent
• Opening Date: 08/10/26
• Closes: Thu, 22 October 2026 @ 4:00 PM
• Interview Dates: TBC

Notes

Important Information If you are submitting a manual application, please post it to: Recruitment Shared Services, Rosewood Villa, Longstone Hospital Site, 73 Loughgall Road, Armagh, BT61 7PR. Applications received after the advertised closing date/time cannot be considered, so please allow enough time for postage. “A waiting list may be created for similar posts that may arise while the waiting list is live, this may include temporary or part-time posts. This will be managed in line with the updated HSC waiting list principles effective from 1 April 2026. Where a part-time waiting list is required, one part-time waiting list will be created- regardless of any specific hours advertised, this waiting list will cover all future vacancies where part-time posts arise. A part-time post is defined as any post that has less than 37.5 hours per week.” Please remember to save or print a copy of the job description before submitting your application, as it will not be accessible afterwards. Flexible Working We welcome flexible working requests from day one. All HSC organisations offer a range of flexible working options. The options available for this post will depend on the requirements of the role. Find out more about flexible working options on our website.

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE

Trainee Support Worker

BAND

2

DIRECTORATE

Mental Health and Disability Services

INITIAL LOCATION

To be determined on appointment

REPORTS TO

Assistant Manager

ACCOUNTABLE TO

Head of Service – Supported Living

FLEXIBLE WORKING PROVISIONS AVAILABLE

Fixed working patterns

Compressed/elongated hours

The post holder will work as a member of a team in a training role in the delivery of a wide range of opportunities to meet the assessed needs of each individual Service User.

Following appropriate training, the post holder will have the skills, knowledge and competence to work with minimal supervision and using their initiative undertake, on a frequent basis, a range of tasks and roles delegated by the senior staff. This will be reflected in the banding of the post which should normally be increased to Band 3.

Staff will be required to support individuals in a person centered way within their own homes, taking into account individuality and promoting social inclusion within the wider community. Staff will provide a housing support service and care where appropriate to these individuals to enable them to maintain their own Tenancies within their local community. The aim is to provide everyday experiences, opportunities and choices to support and enable individuals to live ordinary lives based on their assessed individual need and to promote empowerment to enable individuals to make informed decisions in relation to their daily lives.

Support workers will be expected to assist Seniors/Management in the everyday delivery of the service, ensuring a high standard of Care/Support is achieved in accordance with the ethos of supported living, policies & procedures of the Trust and the Domiciliary Care Agencies Regulations (NI) 2007.

As a trainee you will be expected to work with supervision to become competent in all activities aligned to the post

As a trainee your training programme will entail working on the normal shift patterns including night shift and sleep-ins. Your training post is only offered on the proviso that you can meet these requirements and will be terminated if you cannot fulfil the requirements

KEY DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES

Under supervision you will be expected

Support Seniors/Management in the everyday operational Delivery of a supported living service in accordance with the Ethos of Supported living, Trust policies & procedures and Legislation.

Advocate and support individuals in obtaining a quality lifestyle in a supportive environment which promotes the independence of each individual in a person centered way according to their assessed needs.

Provide practical support in personal matters and household tasks as required and to provide a housing support service tailored to individual needs.

Support individuals in a positive, person centered way to participate in tenants meetings and to support tenants to make everyday life decisions.

Support individuals to have their health and medical needs met.

Observe individuals behaviour, i.e. change of mood or feeling unwell and attend to same, documenting and reporting action taken.

Support individuals on outings either individually or in groups, as and when required and to support the integration of individuals into the community and by promoting the use of public transport

Participate fully in the team approach to the individuals support by contributing to staff meetings, supervision and appraisal (KSF) etc and ensure that good communication and co-operation is kept to a high level at all times

Administer, supervise and record medication as prescribed by the GP in line with the system and procedures for the administration of medication.

Support tenants in their financial affairs as per their support plans and in accordance with financial procedures for adult supported living schemes.

Liaise with families/carers, members of the multi-disciplinary team and other relevant organisations when required.

Undertake training according to their band to enable them to fully meet the needs of the tenants.

Adhere to Trust policy & procedures and Legislative requirements.

Undertake night duty (if applicable), weekend & shift work.

Any other duties

PERSONAL AND PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES (PPI)

Involve patients, clients, carers and the wider community where relevant, in developing, planning, delivering and evaluating our services in a meaningful and effective way, as part of the Trust’s ongoing commitment to Personal Public Involvement (PPI) and Co-Production. Further information is available at engage.hscni.net

GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

The post holder will be required to

Ensure the Trust’s policy on equality of opportunity is promoted through their own actions and those of any staff for whom they have responsibility.

Co-operate fully with the implementation of the Trust's Health and Safety arrangements, reporting any accidents/incidents/equipment defects to their manager, and maintaining a clean, uncluttered and safe environment for patients/clients, members of the public and staff.

Adhere at all times to all Trust policies/codes of conduct, including for example

Smoke Free policy

IT Security Policy and Code of Conduct

standards of attendance, appearance and behaviour

Contribute to ensuring the highest standards of environmental cleanliness within your designated area of work.

Co-operate fully with regard to Trust policies and procedures relating to infection prevention and control.

All employees of the Trust are legally responsible for all records held, created or used as part of their business within the Trust including patients/clients, corporate and administrative records whether paper-based or electronic and also including emails. All such records are public records and are accessible to the general public, with limited exceptions, under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 the Environmental Information Regulations 2004, the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) and the Data Protection Act 2018. Employees are required to be conversant with the Trust’s policy and procedures on records management and to seek advice if in doubt.

Take responsibility for their own ongoing learning and development, in order to maximise their potential and continue to meet the demands of the post.

Represent the Trust’s commitment to providing the highest possible standard of service to patients/clients and members of the public, by treating all those with whom they come into contact in the course of work, in a pleasant, courteous and respectful manner.

This Job Description will be subject to review in the light of changing circumstances and is not intended to be rigid and inflexible but should be regarded as providing guidelines within which the individual works. Other duties of a similar nature and appropriate to the grade may be assigned from time to time.

It is a standard condition that all Trust staff may be required to serve at any location within the Trust's area, as needs of the service demand.

February 2026

PERSONNEL SPECIFICATION

JOB TITLE / BAND

Trainee Disability Support Worker Band 2 (Band 3 on completion of training

DEPARTMENT / DIRECTORATE

Supported Living – Disability Service / Mental Health and Disability Services

HOURS

Full-Time / Part-time

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA

SECTION 1: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will initially be measured at shortlisting stage although may also be further explored during the interview/selection stage. You should therefore make it clear on your application form whether or not you meet these criteria. Failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. The stage in the process when the criteria will be measured is stated below.

Factor

Criteria

Method of Assessment

Experience

6 months experience in a caring capacity with a genuine and demonstrable interest in working with persons living with a learning disability, dementia and or mental health condition.

Shortlisting by Application Form

Qualifications / Registration

Be willing to undertake and successfully complete QCF level 2 during the training period.

Other

Hold a current full driving licence which is valid for use in the UK and have access to a car on appointment. This criteria will be waived in the case of applicants whose disability prohibits driving but who have access to a form of transport approved by the Trust which will permit them to carry out the duties of the post.

SECTION 2: The following are ESSENTIAL criteria which will be measured during the interview/ selection stage:

Skills/Abilities

Possess basic numeracy & literacy skills.

Effective Communications skills to meet the needs of the post in full demonstrating empathy, compassion and patience.

Ability to work as part of a Team having a respectful, positive and flexible attitude

Ability to use own initiative, think and act calmly

Good organisational skills with an ability to prioritise own workload.

Ability to successfully complete within 1 year of appointment the required standard of training for progression to the Band 3 role.

Interview

Knwoledge

An interest and commitment to making a difference to service users, highly committed to a patient centred approach and high quality of care.

Willing to undertake further training / courses as appropriate to the role.

Values

Working Together in order to receive the best outcome for people we care for and support. Working across Health and Social Care and with other external organisations and agencies, recognizing that leadership is the responsibility of all.

Showing compassion to others by being sensitive, caring, respectful and understanding towards those we care for and support and our colleagues. Listening to others to better understand and take action to help them and others.

Striving for Excellence by being committed to being the best we can be in our work, aiming to improve and develop services to achieve positive changes.

Having Openess & Honesty with each other and acting with integrity and candour.

You must clearly demonstrate on your application form under each question, how you meet the required criteria as failure to do so may result in you not being shortlisted. You should clearly demonstrate this for both the essential and desirable criteria.

Shortlisting will be carried out on the basis of the essential criteria set out in Section 1 below, using the information provided by you on your application form. Please note the Trust reserves the right to use any desirable criteria outlined in Section 3 at shortlisting. You must clearly demonstrate on your application form how you meet the desirable criteria.

Proof of qualifications and/or professional registration will be required if an offer of employment is made – if you are unable to provide this, the offer may be withdrawn.

If this post is being sought on secondment then the individual MUST have the permission of their line manager IN ADVANCE of making application.

As part of the Recruitment & Selection process it may be necessary for the Trust to carry out an Enhanced Disclosure Check through Access NI before any appointment to this post can be confirmed.

THE TRUST IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER

Successful applicants

may be required to attend for a Health Assessment

can expect to be placed at the minimum point of the pay scale, although a higher starting salary, within the range of the pay band may be available if the person appointed has experience relevant & equivalent to the post. If the successful candidate is an existing HSC employee moving to a higher band, AfC Pay on Promotion will apply.

are able to request Flexible Working from the 1st day of their employment. A number of flexible working provisions are offered by all HSC Organisations including Full-time working, Fixed working patterns, Part-time working, Flexi-time, Compressed/elongated hours, Average hours working patterns, Term-time working, Job-share or Homeworking for some or all of the working pattern, depending on the role being undertaken. Successful applicants are encouraged to discuss with their manager what Flexible Working provisions may be available in the role they are taking up, prior to commencing employment, to help them achieve a positive Work/Life Balance.

Support Worker Band 3

Supported Living - Disability Services

Applicant Information Pack

The Trust is recruiting to a number of permanent full-time positions.

The Trust also wishes to create a waiting list for permanent/temporary full-time and part-time vacancies that may arise in Supported Living – Disability Services in the next 12 months.

Dear Applicant

Thank you for your interest in the role of Support Worker Band 3 - Supported Living, in the Southern Trust. The Southern Trust has eight Supported Living schemes throughout the Trust area where people with a learning disability are supported to live independently. We are looking for Support Workers who can demonstrate compassion and empathy in their approach to caring for people in Supported living, through previous roles in health & social care.

These schemes accommodate individuals with a learning disability and Autism.

Many tenants present with a higher spectrum of need that may include behaviours that challenge.

As a Support Worker working in a Supported Living scheme, you will support the tenants to live as independently as possible in the local community. You will be providing personal care to tenants, as well as supporting them to take part in a wide range of activities, including arts and crafts, drama, musical evenings, gardening, shopping trips and social occasions. You will assist the tenants to maintain their housing tenancy and to integrate into the local community. The ethos of Supported Living is to empower tenants to live as independently as possible in their own home.

Staff will provide support to maximise each individual tenant’s strengths, respecting the varying needs and individual abilities of each tenant to enable independence and wellbeing. If you have the right values for our organisation, you will be supported by a programme of continuous training and development but you must be able to demonstrate a commitment and interest to supporting the service, in delivering high quality care and support.

The Support Worker role can be personally fulfilling, offers great flexibility and the opportunity to develop a career in health and social care. Can you show us how you would treat the tenants with the dignity and respect they have a right to expect? If yes, we welcome your application.

Information on hours of work

Hours are generally full-time (37.5 hours per week), with part-time hours available in some supported living schemes. The working pattern will vary across each scheme, but will include night duty, sleep-ins, evening and weekend shifts across a 7 day week. Shift patterns vary and include long days.

About These Roles

In this role you will play a key part in the co-ordination of care and support to our tenants. The duties of individual roles vary depending on the setting however the following provides a broad overview of the duties involved:

promote independent living and provide support with daily living

provide practical support including assisting tenants with daily activities such as looking after their own home, maintaining their tenancy, paying bills, attending appointments, shopping or other outings to promote social inclusion

provide individualised personal support to each tenant in their own home which may include assistance with personal care; helping with meal preparation and cooking, assisting with mealtimes if necessary; and generally assisting the tenant’s promotion of independence and overall quality of life and wellbeing.

Who Would You Be Working With?

In working with tenants, their relatives and carers, you would be working as part of a team that may typically include:

Service Manager

Multi-disciplinary Team

Senior Support Worker

You could be working with tenants who;

Have a learning disability

Have a mental health condition

Have dementia

Have challenging behaviour

Have a sensory impairment

Have a diagnosis of autism

To support you in considering this Support Worker role you may wish to review the interactive information at ‘A Question of Care: a Career for YOU’ and watch the Trust’s Supported Living YouTube video Supported Living - YouTube

Support Worker

3

JOB SUMMARY The Trust is developing its Supported Living schemes within the Trust area for adults with a learning disability. Staff will be required to support tenants in a person centred way within their own homes, taking into account individuality and promoting social inclusion within the wider community. Staff will provide a housing support service and personal care where appropriate to these individuals to enable them to maintain their own tenancies within their local community. The aim is to provide everyday experiences, opportunities and choices to support and enable tenants to live ordinary lives based on their assessed individual need and to promote empowerment to enable them to make informed decisions in relation to their daily lives.

Support workers will be expected to assist Senior Support Workers/Management in the everyday delivery of the service, ensuring a high standard of Care/Support is achieved in accordance with the ethos of supported living, policies & procedures of the Trust, Supporting People Programme (2003) and the Domiciliary Care Agencies Regulations (NI) 2007.

Support Senior Support Workers and Management in the everyday operational delivery of a supported living service in accordance with the Ethos of Supported living, Trust policies & procedures and Legislation.

Advocate and support tenants in obtaining a quality lifestyle in a supportive environment which promotes the independence of each tenant in a person centred way according to their assessed needs.

Provide tenants with assistance and support to meet their personal care needs and activities of daily living. The level of personal care support required will vary depending on the individual’s assessed need.

Provide practical support to maintain tenancies e.g. support to pay bills, complete household tasks, report any faults.

Support tenants in a positive, person centred way; participate in tenants meetings and support tenants to make everyday life decisions.

Report any Adult Safeguarding concerns in a timely manner in line with Adult Safeguarding policies and procedures.

Support tenants to have their health and medical needs met e.g. to attend medical appointments, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and report any changes in tenant’s health to senior support workers or management.

Be familiar with and deliver care in accordance with tenant’s care and behavior support plans. Monitor and observe tenant’s behaviours, i.e. change of mood or feeling unwell, documenting and reporting the action taken.

Be responsible for the timely and accurate recording of incidents through the Trust’s Datix incident reporting system.

Support tenants on outings both individually or in groups, encourage and support community integration e.g. encouraging the use of public transport and the use of local leisure facilities/attendance at community events.

Participate & engage in team working, demonstrating Trust values at all times.

Staff will be required to administer and document medication as prescribed by the GP in accordance with Trust policies and procedures.

Support tenants in managing their finances as per their financial support agreement. This may include shopping, banking and payment of bills and document daily transactions

Liaise with tenant’s families/carers, independent advocacy, members of the multi-disciplinary team and other relevant organisations when required.

Strive for continuous improvement and recognise leadership is the responsibility of everyone.

Undertake and complete all relevant training to undertake the full duties of this post.

Participate and engage in staff supervision and annual KSF appraisal.

Staff will be required to undertake night duty (if applicable), weekend & shift work.

Any other duties.

RAISING CONCERNS - RESPONSIBILITIES

The post holder will promote and support effective team working, fostering a culture of openness and transparency.

The post holder will ensure that they take all concerns raised with them seriously and act in accordance with the Trust’s ‘Your Right to Raise a Concern (Whistleblowing)’ policy and their professional code of conduct, where applicable.

Experience/ Qualifications/ Registration

Hold NVQ/QCF/VRQ/RCF Level 2 Diploma in Health & Social Care plus 6 months paid experience delivering direct care in a care environment

OR

4 GCSE’s at Grade C or above including English Language or equivalent/higher qualification and 6 months paid experience delivering direct care in a care environment

2 years paid experience delivering direct care in a care environment

Be willing to undertake and successfully complete within 1 year of appointment QCF Level 3 qualification in Health & Social Care

Hold registration with Northern Ireland Social Care Council (NISCC) or be willing to register with NISCC on appointment

Hold a current full driving licence which is valid for use in the UK and have access to a car on appointment. This criteria will be waived in the case of applicants whose disability prohibits driving but who have access to a form of transport approved by the Trust which will permit them to carry out the duties of the post

Demonstrate an understanding of the safe and compassionate delivery of personal care.

Ability to work as part of a team having a respectful, positive and flexible attitude

Ability to use own initiative, think and act calmly.

Good organisational skills with an ability to work under direction and supervision.

Demonstrate an interest and commitment to making a difference to tenant’s independence.

Candidates who are shortlisted for interview will need to demonstrate at interview that they have the required competencies and values to be effective in this demanding social care support role. Particular attention will be given to the following values:

Working Together

Compassion

Excellence

Openness & Honesty Examples of what our Trust values mean and how they can be put into practice can be found on the next page.